Reading through Lucas from Neighborlogs' coverage of a King County Metro budget meeting, we're left with the uncomfortable feeling that we read the phrase "deferred maintenance" one too many times. Besides fare increases (to $2.25) and bus service suspensions, Metro's Kevin Desmond says "Metro will greatly reduce the number of buses it purchases, and speed, reliability and asset maintenance programs will be cut." [Emphasis added] We know! Reads like a line cut from Drag Me to Hell, doesn't it? more ›

The 1, which normally goes up the gentle slope of 10th West, isn't going up the hill at all. Forget about the 3 and 4, which take the eastern flank, up Taylor. And don't even think about the 2 and 13, which take the Counterbalance. Queen Anne, if you live there, is a tight little island. Nice, but not all the people who own QA bars and restaurants and cafés live on the hill; they can't afford it. Even if they can, their staff can't. So you might be able to get a beer at Paragon or a coffee at Starbucks, but don't count on lasagna at Sorrentino's. Thanks for nothing, Metro. more ›

As a follow-up to yesterday's post about Metro bus service ("Report Says Metro Runs on People"), we've tracked down two other commentaries. ECB over at the Slog has some illuminating boarding cost numbers to share: "Because so many suburban buses still run virtually empty (while urban buses are crammed past capacity), the cost per boarding in outlying areas is significantly higher—$7.27 in the East subarea, and $4.79 in the South, compared to $3.64 in the West." The Seattle Transit Blog mentions Metro's defense, that the "cost-per-passenger-mile is relatively low." more ›

The Municipal League of King County have judged Metro and found its bus service wanting. For one thing, Metro is too expensive: "Metro's total bus operating costs grew 42 percent from 2000 to 2007, though bus-service hours increased just 8 percent." And for another, its allocation of services seems more politically based than real-world: in short, "Buses should be deployed based on where people travel." more ›

Not only will you be voting for a new president in November (finally!), but a few new measures have been added to the local ballot. more ›

But, today's not about honoring wars. It's about honoring the people who have chosen to volunteer their lives to military service (so that the rest of us don't have to). For so many members of our volunteer military, over the last four years, that's meant sometimes three and four tours on a battlefield that millions of their countrymen would like for us to abandon. It's meant lifelong injuries (both mental and physical), among other things. True, we may disagree with some of the missions that have been concocted for these folks, but we're grateful someone is willing to take the job. more ›