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SUNDAY, JULY 6, 2008 8:16 am
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Herald Editorial Board

Bob Bolerjack,
Opinion Editor
bolerjack@heraldnet.com

Carol MacPherson,
Editorial Writer
cmacpherson@
heraldnet.com


Allen Funk,
Herald Publisher
funk@heraldnet.com

Kim Heltne,
Assistant to the Publisher
heltne@heraldnet.com

Send letters to the editor by e-mail to letters@heraldnet.com, by fax to 425-339-3458 or mail to The Herald - Letters, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

 
WEEK IN REVIEW
Saturday
Man arrested at scene of suspicious fires in Ma...
Everett celebrates in style
Addition of 19,000 residents to Marysville may ...
Friday
Two arrests in Sultan homicide
Everett man's face a portrait of patriotism
Don't be a slowpoke in left lane, police say
Thursday


Plan your fun for the Fourth of July holiday
Everett caretaker arrested in theft from elderl...
If you think gas costs hurt now, just wait
Wednesday


At Russian-style bath house in Everett, clients...
Everett teen remembered as standout at school
Report on Lake Stevens Marine's death to be con...
Tuesday


Stackable houses could be a model for builders
Straighter path open for drivers on Highway 9
Everett School District chooses interim leader
Monday


Young candidate makes a bid for the Legislature
Cell-phone law tough enough? Ask New Jersey
Airline takes tour of Paine Field
Sunday


Hospitals worry as they care for more low-weigh...
Hundreds of fish tunnels need to be unclogged
In tests, racer zips to 400 mph
 

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Published: Friday, May 9, 2008

Monorail would be perfect for Everett

If one has the courage to look to the future, beyond the "nostalgic" streetcar, a monorail system could work well for Everett's future transportation needs.

Courage will be needed because of the negative publicity given the recent failure of the monorail organization in Seattle, due to factors beyond the monorail system.

Consider that monorails have been in use, successfully, in other cities all over the world. These are viable mass transit systems, not just for amusement parks.

Also, consider that:

Monorails do not require every inch of soil or streets to be torn up to lay tracks.

Monorails have never been stopped, delayed, or damaged by vehicles parked on or near their rails.

Monorails have never been stopped because of debris, ie: a steel ball wedged into their rails.

Running on elevated rails, ever-increasing vehicle and pedestrian traffic below flows unimpeded by slow moving street cars/trains.

Elevated rails above the traffic congestion allow for higher speeds, increasing passenger capacity and decreasing travel times. Will you increase the speed of buses or streetcars to handle more passengers, or just add more and more vehicles to the congestion?

Production of rails, support structures and even passenger stations could be made as modular units, standardized and mass produced, speeding construction and reducing costs.

Standardized passenger stations could be produced in modules easily transported to their locations, reducing costs and speeding construction. Each neighborhood could personalize the façade of the station to reflect the history of the area.

One would hope Everett's leading politicians and influential citizens have the vision to look beyond the failures of Seattle and into the future of mass transit.

Monorails are for free soaring spirits, looking up into the future.

C'mon Everett, let's show them what we can do!



Paul Olson

Marysville

1. Gap in Centennial Trail won't be fixed soon
2. Man, woman arrested in Sultan homicide
3. Addition of 19,000 residents to Marysville may wait
4. Everett celebrates in style
5. Man arrested at scene of suspicious fires in Marysville
6. Government's mixed messages on carrying ID
7. Darrington schools wrestle with drastic cuts
8. Raben's debut a big hit with AquaSox
9. Big yacht business shipshape
10. Centralia man attacked while trying to save puppy
Enterprise Newspaper Snohomish County Business Journal
Red, White, and Blue: Parade photoalbum
World famous, and headed to Everett
The man in charge
A lifetime of happiness
Three new administrators join SCC
Adefua opens Edmonds concert series
Changing of the guard for the Timberwolves
Lou Gehrig's has new opponent in Team Peggy
Road toward red-light cameras paved in LFP
The Enterprise Online Newspaper

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