Episode 100:

OK, I’m back where you don’t get teaspoons in your ice tea again. The world seems OK with that and the rain continues. But the Sonics won their last “home” game just in time for the Dalai Lama to take over Key Arena. Seems fitting. Nothing like a peaceful departure.

Here’s something I don’t get: we have wars and starvation in many parts of the world, lots of economic issues here in America, and other things way too annoying for this report. Why in the world do some people get out of bed to protest the Dalai Lama? If people want to hit the streets and wave signs and yell stupid stuff I have a whole list of real issues.

But let’s get back to the subject. This is the 100th episode of this report. I know you may not realize it. You may be saying, “Gee, I thought it was more like a thousand…” But I keep track. It’s called “version control” among the literary community. Rather than come up with a unique new name we just use the same name and add a version number. So this is report version 100. Let’s go.

April is the month Renton has planned to close Duvall Avenue. I need to verify that, but I expect it’s closed by now. Since Newcastle doesn’t have its own post office, people who want to mail their tax returns at the last second have to go the Renton or Bellevue. Except for those who already got them mailed. But who are we kidding? It’s not due until midnight, right? So we need to figure out how to get to Renton sometime after 11. No biggie. Right?

Speaking of Renton; their School District has announced they want to sell a ten acre plot of land currently occupying a spot near Lake Boren in Newcastle. They say it’s too small to build a school. And it’s not IN Renton. Worse, if they built a school it would be across the lake from the huge Lake Boren Transit Center. Which means a light rail line could cut right through the cafeteria. So they want to sell it.

I’m going to submit a bid. My bid will be pretty low, since I don’t really want it. But if I get it I’ll sell it to the US Postal Service. Since it’s not where Newcastle considers the core business area it would be acceptable to have a drive up mailbox. Except there aren’t any streets into the plot right now. But there’s a hiking trail. It could work. Remember walkup mail boxes?

The Coal Creek Parkway project is on schedule (allegedly). At least according to the Newcastle News. They’re still blasting and digging out the hillside east of the right of way. It looks like a very big job and I was wondering why they don’t use one of those big earth movers like they use in strip mines.

Well it turns out there’s a world wide shortage of giant rubber tires. People are digging in old mine dumps and hauling the worn out tires in for retreading. An old worn out tire that cost $20,000 new is selling for $150,000 as is. And it may not be good enough to retread. About one in twenty old casings are good enough. Anyway, that’s why we don’t see big earth movers chomping away at that Newcastle hillside. Tire shortage.

The South Lake Union Trolley (SLUS) had a passenger last week. He got a free balloon. Their goal for April is to get one passenger each week. For May it’s going to double. We wish them luck.
The eastside rail corridor that BNSF is selling has more people braying about using it for commuter trains. As I pointed out before the real reason BNSF is selling the line is the cost of improving all the grade crossings to federal safety standards.

If they elevated the line to go over the streets it would cost just as much as building a new line from scratch. That is if they could get the adjacent property owners to allow it. And the Bellevue Trestle is 100 years old and the feds would never allow 15 passenger trains a day to hurtle across that at 50 mph. Also, it’s currently a single track so they’d have to add sidings so the trains could pass each other. Sound safe to you? Me neither. Then there are the freeway crossing points. Hooeee.

But these people have chosen to ignore those issues. They want to spend some money and form a corporation to spend more money. One very large problem is it seems to make sense. The track is still there and it could handle heavy freight so why not light passenger trains?

They say 15 trips a day would not be excessive. But if you had to drive on NE 8th Street each morning and evening I bet you’d be very unhappy if you had to stop for an empty passenger train. And the feds would insist that they build an overpass which would close the street during construction. But don’t worry; nobody has the money for that so it won’t happen.

I’m just happy these people are making such a racket because it’s fun to watch. On the other hand when reality sets in the whole idea will go “poof” and my fun will be over. But there’s always the SLU(T)S.

Speaking of watching: the sinking piers on the Alaska Way Viaduct are allegedly now shored up enough to hold until 2012 when Christine and her bulldozer knock it down. If they sell tickets I plan to buy one. Maybe a dozen.

The LINK light rail line to Sea-Tac is nearing completion. They built a massive station in the sky on Highway 99 near the airport. It has a big cement water drop complete with splash. Sculpture. Art. Beauty. Something to stare at. There’s 20 foot a teaspoon nearby I bet. Oh, wait, I always lose so I guess the teaspoon is out.

Al