As a Whidbey Islander living in Langley, Wash., I won't be able to vote for the Sound Transit levy in November. But as somebody who uses mass transit whenever possible, I'm hoping it passes. I worked for Metro Transit three decades ago when voters turned down an important levy, one that could have changed the face of transportation in our region.
When I moved to the island, I dreamt about a train going directly from Mukilteo to downtown Seattle. That was in 1974. Now, 34 years later, it's real. Last month, Sounder began its run between Everett, Edmonds, and Seattle with an additional stop in Mukilteo. Although there are some glitches in the current schedule that mean a mad dash from the Clinton-Mukilteo ferry to the Mukilteo Station (they're adjusting it in September, plus adding an additional train), it's a smart way to get to town. Instead of playing bumper cars on Interstate 5, it's a scenic, $4 waterfront ride complete with seagulls, mountains, and free Wi-Fi. Plus, you arrive via Seattle's back door, slicing through the Olympic Sculpture Park and ending up at King Street Station. I can't vote, but for the $69 (about 23 lattes) it's going to cost each adult annually, it's a pretty sound deal.
