Seattle Monorail Project

The effort to extend the monorail began in 1997 with Initiative 41, passed by a 53%–47% vote by Seattle citizens.{{cite news

|title=Monorail Timeline

|date=July 3, 2005

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-timeline-1178148.php

}} The initiative proposed a {{convert|54|mi|km|sing=on}} X-shaped monorail system extending the {{convert|0.96|mi|km|sing=on}} line constructed for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. The system's construction and operation was to be carried out by a new agency, the Elevated Transportation Corporation (ETC), using private funding.

The ETC quickly determined that private entrepreneurs could not build a monorail system without public financial support, leading to a second monorail referendum placed before voters as Initiative 53 in 2000, which would allow the ETC to spend $6 million for additional studies to determine an improved monorail plan with full cost estimates and a funding package to pay for construction.{{cite news

|first=Jim

|last=Brunner

|title=Initiative 53

|date=November 8, 2000

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Times

|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20001108/4052054/initiative-53

}} I-53 passed 56% to 44%{{cite web | title=King County Election Results Nov. 7, 2000 | publisher=King County | url=http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/2000nov/respage11.htm }} in 2000.

File:Seattle Monorail Project map.svg

By 2002, the ETC had developed the five-line system plan that came to be called the Seattle Monorail Project. This proposal was put before the voters as Citizens Petition #1 in November 2002 which would propose to dissolve the ETC, create a new monorail agency, construct the Green Line as the first part of the system, and enact an annual 1.4% motor-vehicle excise tax (MVET) on Seattle vehicles to fund the project.

The 2002 petition drew opposition from former mayors Wes Uhlman and Charles Royer. Other opponents criticized the proposal for not attracting new riders, instead drawing them from existing King County Metro buses, as well as the obstruction of views along the corridor.{{cite news |last=Egan |first=Timothy |date=November 4, 2002 |title=A Leap to Some, a Step Forward to Others |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/04/us/a-leap-to-some-a-step-forward-to-others.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=April 20, 2025}} The proposed elevated line with {{convert|7|ft|m|sing=on}} deep concrete beams on Second Avenue in downtown would create a "wall" through the urban core; other critics proposed moving the corridor to the Interstate 5 corridor.{{cite web | title=Complexities of Large-Scale Technology Project Failure: A Forensic Analysis of the Seattle Popular Monorail Authority | work=DeSouza, Kevin, et al. | url=http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/bitstream/2438/3803/1/060507_Seattle_Popular_Monorail_Authority_KD_v22.pdf }}

Reflecting the increased opposition, Citizens Petition #1 narrowly passed in November 2002 by just 877 votes, 50.2% to 49.7%.{{cite web | title=King County Election Results Nov. 5, 2002 | publisher=King County | url=http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/2002nov/resPage13.htm }} With the passage of CP-1, construction was scheduled to begin in autumn 2005, and be completed in 2009.

Just two years later in November 2004, a recall initiative, I-83, was put on the ballot seeking to halt the project by forcing the city to deny the monorail agency the right to use the air space above public city streets. This fourth initiative in seven years proved unpopular with Seattle voters however, and lost 64% to 36%.{{cite web | title=King County Election Results Nov. 2, 2004 | publisher=King County | url=http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/2004nov/respage16.htm }}

The tax to fund the project began effective June 2003,{{cite news

|first=Mike

|last=Lindblom

|title=Seattle Monorail Project makes final debt payment

|date=September 6, 2006

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Times

|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003246393_webmonorail06.html

}} and was levied annually on each car registered in the city based on the MSRP of the vehicle and a fixed depreciation table.{{cite web|title=Monorail MVET Information |work=DOL - Seattle Monorail Excise Tax |url=http://dol.wa.gov/vs/monorailqa.htm#not%20subject |accessdate=December 22, 2005 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051211145047/http://dol.wa.gov/vs/monorailqa.htm#not%20subject |archivedate=December 11, 2005 }} In 2005, the average monorail tax per vehicle was $130 annually.{{cite news

|first=Larry

|last=Lange

|title=No refund of monorail car license tax

|date=September 20, 2005

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/transportation/241389_monorail20.html

}}

The project soon fell under intense public scrutiny, as actual revenue from the motor vehicle excise tax came in 30% under projections while projected costs rose by 10%. To bridge the shortfall, the SMP initially proposed extending the tax and bond repayments over a 50-year time horizon, resulting in nearly $9 billion in interest paid on the $2 billion construction cost. The plan to extend the tax proved highly controversial{{cite news

|last=Seattle Post-Intelligencer staff

|title=Pressure on monorail grows

|date=June 29, 2005

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Pressure-on-monorail-grows-1177269.php

}} and five days later the SMP withdrew its financial plan and the director and board chairman resigned under pressure.{{cite news

|first=Jane

|last=Hadley

|title=Monorail board seeking director

|date=July 5, 2005

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Monorail-board-seeking-director-1178316.php

}}

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels gave the board an ultimatum to create a new financial plan or lose city support for the project. A new plan was not developed, and on September 16, 2005, Nickels withdrew city support for the project.{{cite news

|first=Robert

|last=Jamieson

|title=Time to join the mayor and jump off monorail

|date=September 16, 2005

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Time-to-join-the-mayor-and-jump-off-monorail-1183156.php

}}

While the city of Seattle could not officially stop the project, it could withhold permission to build on or above city land, as had been proposed under I-83 a year earlier. Nickels also called on the Seattle Monorail Project to put a measure on the November 2005 ballot to determine whether or not to continue with the project, marking the fifth time Seattleites would vote on the issue. This measure shortened the initial phase of the Green Line to {{convert|10.6|mi|km}} with the remaining {{convert|3.4|mi|km}} to be added later, and the SMP said it would dissolve itself if the measure failed.

Proposition 1 was defeated, 65% to 35%,{{cite web | title=King County Election Results Nov. 8, 2005 | publisher=King County | url=http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/2005Nov/resPage20.htm }} and in response the SMP reduced staff, terminated the annual motor vehicle excise tax on Seattle vehicles effective June 30, 2006 (three years after it was first implemented) and began liquidating properties already purchased for the Green Line.{{cite news

|first=Angelo

|last=Bruscas

|title=Monorail moves to end car tax June 30

|date=April 20, 2006

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/default/article/Monorail-moves-to-end-car-tax-June-30-1201654.php

}}

The Seattle Monorail Authority was formally dissolved on January 17, 2008, after liquidating all of its assets, repaying its debts, and transferring its remaining $425,963.07 to the King County Metro system. The monorail project ultimately cost Seattle taxpayers $124.7 million.{{cite news

|first=Kery

|last=Murakami

|title=Monorail agency officially dissolves; cost taxpayers $125 million

|date=January 18, 2008

|publisher=

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|url=http://www.seattlepi.com/transportation/347914_monorail18.html

}}

The plan, as proposed by CP-1 (2002) proposed five distinct corridors based on the Intermediate Capacity Transit Study and prioritized the Green Line, a north–south route on the west side of the city, as the first of the five to be built. The other four lines included two additional north–south routes, in the center (Blue) and east (Gold) sides of the city, and two east-west connectors, one just north of the Lake Washington Ship Canal (Purple) and the other near the southern city limits (Red). Two future extensions were proposed to the Green Line, one each on the north and south ends.

By 2004, more formal Second Phase plans were developed; the Blue line was cut back and did not cross the Duwamish, but the Red line was extended west to meet a new branch of the Blue line running south from Delridge. In addition, an alternative central north–south Rainbow corridor was added, running from downtown to the University District and continuing on to Northgate and Lake City, approximately following the route of I-5.

The agency considered using a proof-of-payment system for fares similar to the SkyTrain in Vancouver.{{cite news |last=Murakami |first=Kery |date=April 22, 2003 |title=Monorail considering honor system—honest |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Monorail-considering-honor-system-honest-1112932.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=July 7, 2023}}

The proposed Green Line ran mostly north-south from Ballard through Magnolia, Queen Anne, Seattle Center, Downtown, Pioneer Square, Chinatown-International District, then turned west and terminated into West Seattle.{{cite report |url=https://archive.org/details/SeattleMonorailGreenLineFinalEIS |title=Seattle Monorail Green Line Final Environmental Impact Statement |publisher=Seattle Popular Monorail Authority |date=February 2004}}{{cite report |url=http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/updates/FinalAlignmentStations.pdf |title=Alignment & Stations |date=March 30, 2004 |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050316170151/http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/updates/FinalAlignmentStations.pdf |archive-date=March 16, 2005 |url-status=dead}}

File:Seattle Monorail Project map (2004).svg

Future extensions on the Green Line could have taken it east (from the north terminus at Crown Hill) to Northgate and south (from the south terminus at Morgan Junction) to the Vashon Island Ferry Terminal. These were later designated the Pink North and South Corridors, approximately {{cvt|6.1|and|1.6|mi}}, respectively.{{cite web |url=http://www.elevated.org/project/secondphase/PinkNorth.asp |title=Second Phase Planning: Pink North Corridor |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project |archive-date=March 15, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050315212853/http://www.elevated.org/project/secondphase/PinkNorth.asp |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=http://www.elevated.org/project/secondphase/PinkSouth.asp |title=Second Phase Planning: Pink South Corridor |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project |archive-date=March 15, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050315212919/http://www.elevated.org/project/secondphase/PinkSouth.asp |url-status=dead}}

Additional planned lines included:{{cite report |url=http://archives.elevated.org/final_spmp/final_spmp.pdf |title=Building the Monorail: ETC Seattle Popular Monorail Plan |date=August 5, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050405151331/http://archives.elevated.org/final_spmp/final_spmp.pdf |archive-date=April 5, 2005 |url-status=dead}}

• Gold: north–south, connecting Lake City, UW, Capitol Hill, Chinatown-International District, and Downtown. Multiple alignments and phases were studied.{{cite report |url=http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/GoldReport.pdf |title=Gold Corridor |date=2004 |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project, 2nd Phase Planning Team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050209185345/http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/GoldReport.pdf |archive-date=February 9, 2005 |url-status=dead}}
• Alternative 1: 2nd & Madison to Montlake, {{cvt|3.5|mi}}
• Alternative 2: Chinatown–ID to Broadway & Roy, {{cvt|2.0|mi}}
• Alternative 3: Chinatown–ID to 23rd & Madison, {{cvt|2.6|mi}}
• Alternative 3A: Chinatown–ID to U-Village, {{cvt|5.6|mi}}
• Alternative 4: Chinatown–ID to Rainier, {{cvt|4.2|mi}}
• Alternative 5: Rainier Valley Center to Lake City, {{cvt|11.6|mi}}
• Alternative 5A: Rainier Valley Center to U-Village, {{cvt|7.3|mi}}
• Purple: east–west, connecting Shilshole and Magnuson Park{{cite web |url=http://www.elevated.org/project/secondphase/Purple.asp |title=Purple Corridor |date=2004 |publisher= Seattle Monorail Project, 2nd Phase Planning Team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050315213126/http://www.elevated.org/project/secondphase/Purple.asp |archive-date=March 15, 2005 |url-status=dead}}
• Purple Segment 1: Ballard to Children's Hospital, {{cvt|4.5|to|5.3|mi}}
• Purple Segment 2: Children's Hospital to Sandpoint, {{cvt|2.3|mi}}
• Blue: north–south, connecting Greenwood, Fremont, Downtown, SODO, South Park, and Georgetown
• Blue North: Bitter Lake to downtown via Aurora{{cite report |url=http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/BlueNorthReport.pdf |title=Blue North Corridor |date=2004 |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project, 2nd Phase Planning Team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050323220101/http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/BlueNorthReport.pdf |archive-date=March 23, 2005 |url-status=dead}}
• Blue South (4th): South Park to downtown{{cite report |url=http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/BlueSouth4thReport.pdf |title=Blue South - 4th Avenue S Corridor |date=2004 |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project, 2nd Phase Planning Team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050316172104/http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/BlueSouth4thReport.pdf |archive-date=March 16, 2005 |url-status=dead}}
• Blue South (Delridge): Westwood/Highland Park to Delridge (Green Line station){{cite report |url=http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/BlueSouthDelridgeReport.pdf |title=Blue South–Delridge Corridor |date=2004 |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project, 2nd Phase Planning Team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050323214558/http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/BlueSouthDelridgeReport.pdf |archive-date=March 23, 2005 |url-status=dead}}
• Red: east–west, connecting South Park and the Rainier Valley (outside Seattle city limits; preliminary work only){{cite web |url=http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/AllCorridors.pdf |title=2nd Phase - Study Corridors |date=2004 |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project |archive-date=November 29, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051129005857/http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/AllCorridors.pdf}}
• Rainbow: north–south, connecting downtown to the University District, with two potential extensions continuing on toward the north:{{cite report |url=http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/RainbowReport.pdf |title=Rainbow Corridor |date=2004 |publisher=Seattle Monorail Project, 2nd Phase Planning Team |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050209175312/http://www.elevated.org/_downloads/project/secondphase/RainbowReport.pdf |archive-date=February 9, 2005 |url-status=dead}}
• Extension 1: U-District to Northgate
• Extension 2: U-District to Lake City

• Seattle Streetcar – a project whose first line was built during the time when the monorail would have been built
• Link light rail – a light rapid transit project executed by Sound Transit in the Seattle area. The first line in Seattle, Central Link, began service in 2009, with expansion to the University of Washington completed in 2016.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.seattlemonorail.org/smp/index.html Website] commemorating the defunct Seattle monorail project.
• {{cite web |url=http://www.elevated.org/ |title=Seattle Monorail Project |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050330094335/http://www.elevated.org/ |archive-date=March 30, 2005 |url-status=dead}}

{{Puget Sound Transit}}

Category:Transportation in Seattle

Category:Cancelled monorails

Category:Proposed transportation infrastructure in the United States

Category:Cancelled projects in the United States