Monorail Supporters Walk The Green Line

Monorail Supporters Walk The Green Line

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Story Published: Oct 29, 2005 at 2:08 PM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 2:07 AM PDT

By Mary Beth Walker

SEATTLE - People who support the Seattle Monorail Project refuse to stand by and watch it die.

Dozens of supporters walked the path of the shortened 10-mile Green Line from Interbay to West Seattle Saturday, trying to get people to vote yes on Proposition 1.

Nov. 8 marks the fifth time the issue is going to the voters.

"One of the reasons I moved to West Seattle was because I was looking forward to taking the monorail to where I work downtown," said Andy Sober. He moved to his current home after the monorail was approved by voters for the fourth time.

Proposition 1 asks voters if they support building the shorter line. If people vote no, the monorail will not be built.

Alice Enevoldsen lives in West Seattle, just a few blocks from the proposed station at the California and Alaska Junction.

"It would be perfect for me but that's not why I support it. I think it's the beginning of a rapid transit solution. This is step one, this isn't the entire plan."

"I hope that everybody who is sick of it will still come out and vote on Nov.8 and vote the same way they voted before," she added. "Because if everybody votes the same way they voted before then it will pass again."

Some monorail supporters admit they are up against a lot of challenges. The project has been heavily criticized in recent months after the SMP staff announced a financing plan that included $2 billion in construction costs and $9 billion in interest expenses.

The SMP board then voted against that financing plan and came up with a cheaper alternative -- $4.9 billion.

Critics say the project is too expensive and the public has lost faith in it. Supporters aren't deterred.

Blair Johnson is a big fan of grade separated transit.

"If we can get grade separated transit at the same cost as transit that is partially at grade, where it is going to be slower at grade, we can be going 50 mph, non-stop between stations. That is what is going to make transit use more practical for working adults in Seattle to use."

"It's an expensive project but that's what grade separated transit costs," he added.

Enevoldsen admits, with time running out before the election, there isn't much she can do to sway people who still haven't decided how they'll vote on the proposition.

"Personally, I don't think we're changing a lot of people's minds anymore. I think we might be changing some people who are on the fence."

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