A new report by WalletHub, a financial product resource for consumers and small-business owners, reveals that Seattle is the 87th (out of 95) worst major city to be a driver. Using 21 metrics, including average gas prices, traffic delays, car theft, and road conditions, Seattle was way back in the pack, including only finishing ahead of just 13 other cities in terms of traffic. MyNorthwest.com reports,
“For many of us, commuting means being on the road for about 200 hours each year, according to WalletHub. That doesn’t include the more than 40 hours stuck in traffic congestion. Combined, that’s the equivalent of a six-week vacation.
“When the cost of fuel and time wasted in the car is added up, each household spends about $1,700 per year, WalletHub reports. Of course, that’s not including the cost of car tabs and maintenance.”
Perhaps most alarming is the fact that Seattle fell second to last—just behind New York—in the road condition category. Meanwhile, the city is spending even more of taxpayer dollars on adding more bike lanes at the expense of car lanes and/or improving road conditions.
Biff says
The “sharrow” is the most used stencil in SDOT’s toolbox. What’s worse is taking street impact fees from developers, taxes meant to repair the damage heavy equipment does to streets during development, and painting freak flag crosswalks. Idiocy
tensor says
The “sharrow” is the most used stencil in SDOT’s toolbox.
When we should be painting exclusive bicycle lanes, yes.
What’s worse is taking street impact fees from developers, taxes meant to repair the damage heavy equipment does to streets during development, and painting freak flag crosswalks.
The paint in the cross-walks in question had been severely degraded by heavy equipment used in the new developments nearby. Using the street impact fees to re-paint those crosswalks was therefore exactly an appropriate use of those funds.
Meanwhile, don’t worry — since your artistic opinions are every bit as well-grounded in reality as are your political opinions, we citizens of Seattle will assign them every bit as much respect.
Biff says
“The paint in the cross-walks in question had been severely degraded by
heavy equipment used in the new developments nearby. Using the street
impact fees to re-paint those crosswalks was therefore exactly an
appropriate use of those funds”
Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. And six freak flag colors painted across the width of the street was actually cheaper than the white stripes that had been “severely degraded”. Soviet math rears its ugly head again.
“When we should be painting exclusive bicycle lanes, yes”
What’s the per copy cost of an ineffective sharrow? Who gets to pay for the “exclusive bicycle lanes”? Is Dow Vader going to wave his lightsaber around and “create” more space for bike lanes AND light rail simultaneously? If you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you can figure out motorists are paying for all this crap and suffering the loss of lane-miles to support it.
tensor says
Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. And six freak flag colors painted across the width of the street was actually cheaper than the white stripes that had been “severely degraded”. Soviet math rears its ugly head again.
There are brick cross-walks in Seattle, but you’ve not (yet) whined about those. (It’s great that our local pet red-baiter wants Seattle to become as dull and grey as any actual Communist metropolis ever was. Priceless!)
Is Dow Vader going to wave his lightsaber around and “create” more space for bike lanes AND light rail simultaneously?
King County pays for roads in Seattle?
You really don’t need to keep reminding us how well-informed you are about our government. We already know, trust me.
Biff says
“There are brick cross-walks in Seattle”
So what? What does that have to do with the crosswalks in question? None of the freak flag crosswalks are brick. They’re just unnecessarily painted with 6 colors of city money across the entire width of the street instead of the traditional white stripes all so Mayor “I’m gay” can have everybody celebrate his homosexuality if they want to or not.
tensor says
What does that have to do with the crosswalks in question?
Well, genius, what costs more — laying down paint or bricks?
… painted with 6 colors of city money across the entire width of the street …
So, in your world, a cross-walk should not extend “across the entire width of the street”? What purpose would that serve, exactly?
Biff says
“Well, genius, which costs more — laying down surface coatings, or digging up pavement to install bricks?”
Now you’re claiming bricks or freak flags are the only 2 possible options for crosswalks? Do you get dizzy from all that spinning? In my world, the real world, white grid lines, yes, spanning the entire width of the street, serve their purpose just fine. They don’t celebrate Mayor “I’m Gay”s homosexuality, though. Since Capitol Hill, Seattle’s homosexual neighborhood for decades where you “value diversity” and deviancy, rates freak flag crosswalks, when will Mayor “I’m Gay” order the painting of Swedish flag crosswalks in Ballard? After all, it’s been Seattle’s Scandinavian neighborhood for over a century. What a dolt. Copy and paste snippets of that, Comrade Context.
tensor says
Now you’re claiming bricks or freak flags are the only 2 possible options for crosswalks?
No, Skippy, I’m noting you didn’t moan and carp about an even more expensive alternative for marking crosswalks.
In my world, the real world, white grid lines, yes, spanning the entire width of the street, serve their purpose just fine.
And here in Seattle, the overwhelming majority of cross-walks are marked this way. A few are marked in more expensive ways, to suit the individual character of the local neighborhood. You’re not complaining about the speciality cross-walks in other Seattle neighborhoods, even where those cross-walks are marked in ways more expensive than rainbow surface coverings.
Since Capitol Hill, Seattle’s homosexual neighborhood for decades where you “value diversity” and deviancy, rates freak flag crosswalks, when will Mayor “I’m Gay” order the painting of Swedish flag crosswalks in Ballard?
I don’t know; go ask him. (Please note that such markings may be considered offensive, as national and state flags are not normally supposed to be trod upon.)
Biff says
I didn’t say anything about brick crosswalks because it’s totally irrelevant to the case at hand. The crosswalks in question, as you put it, are asphalt. They were never going to be brick. They were never going to be polished obsidian, either, which would be even more expensive. Brick crosswalks are just a red herring you lamely threw out to deflect from the fact that after the SCOTUS ruling, Mayor “I’m Gay” was so wrapped up in his homosexuality (his sole defining characteristic) that he inappropriately spent a considerable amount of city money so everybody could celebrate his lifestyle choice with him, if they want to or not.
You demand an “economic case” for a freeway in Spokane that everybody can use, yet when it comes to freak flag crosswalks, Mayor “I’m Gay” can make unilateral decisions without a peep from you about costs. Leftist hypocrite.
tensor says
… after the SCOTUS ruling,,,
Was issued on June 26th. The cross-walks in question were marked by June 23rd:
UPDATE 6/23/2015 7:00 AM: A project that will cover six intersections of Pike/Pine between 11th Ave and Broadway with rainbow crosswalks as a symbol of Gay Pride was unveiled early Tuesday morning.
(What would our national Supreme Court’s ruling have to do with Washington State? We voters legalized gay marriage years ago.)
Mayor “I’m Gay” was so wrapped up in his homosexuality (his sole defining characteristic) …
Mr. Murray has spent two decades in elected office, most of them in Olympia, working on issues as diverse as highway maintenance and education funding. If all you can see is his sexuality, that’s your problem.
… he inappropriately spent a considerable amount of city money …
Who says it’s “inappropriate”? You? You’ve gotten your basic facts wrong all the way through this thread.
You demand an “economic case” for a freeway in Spokane that everybody can use,
Everybody who has a vehicle and drives it in Spokane. Plenty of us taxpayers here in King County — who, according to the freeway’s legislative sponsor, will pay a large amount of the bill for it — do neither.
…yet when it comes to freak flag crosswalks, Mayor “I’m Gay” can make unilateral decisions without a peep from you about costs.
I think it is a great idea, combining required maintenance with public art to celebrate diversity in my neighborhood.
So, spending an extra 56 grand on making required civic improvements is an intolerable burden, but blowing a billion or so on yet more subsidies for automobiles was a really great decision. Good luck winning elections with that formula.
I think you’re just angry that Seattle’s government is spending Seattle’s taxpayer funds on improving life in Seattle, instead of using it to subsidize your personal lifestyle choices.
tensor says
Perhaps most alarming is the fact that Seattle fell second to last—just behind New York—in the road condition category.
Sounds like WSDOT should take the $820 million (plus over-runs) from building a new freeway in Spokane that nobody needs, and instead spend it on improving existing roads in Seattle.
Eastside Sanity says
U are a silly little fool.
Eastside Sanity says
What a dumb ass subject.