On Thursday, February 25th, at 7:00 P.M.,  at 824 12th Avenue there will be an opportunity to hear from and talk to Ethan Melone of the Seattle Department of Transportation about the First Hill Streetcar which will connect the Capitol Hill light rail station and the Union Station (5th/Jackson) light rail station.  Many have advocated for a route that includes 12th Avenue and early studies published by SDOT indicate a couplet (northbound on Broadway and southbound on 12th Ave.) is comparable in cost and ridership potential to another possible route — two-way on Broadway.

Some have questioned the impact on potential ridership numbers if two of the streetcar route’s northbound and southbound stops are separated by as much as three blocks — the distance between 12th and Broadway.  It’s feared that casual users will be discouraged from becoming riders by the separation.  Also, there is concern that those whose destination or place of origin is one of the two separated stops (these would be the stops on Broadway or12th at about Alder and Marion) would be discouraged from using the streetcar by the additional time that would be required if their travel goal is in the opposite direction from the direction of the streetcar on their street.  (That is, for example, if you were at Broadway and Marion and wanted to go to the Internation District on the streetcar, a couplet would require you to either take the streetcar northbound and stay on while it reversed its route southbound on 12th, or to walk to the stop at 12th and Marion.)  Come to the meeting and talk more about the pros and cons of the different streetcar route alternatives.

Also, Capitol Hill Community Council will present its impressive vision and plan for a “complete” street on Broadway north of E. Union Street to accommodate the streetcar.

And, there will be discussions about a proposed woonerf for E.James Ct. next to the park to be developed at James Ct. and 12th Ave.

Finally, the Parks Department will soon be looking for land to buy for another new park to serve the neighborhood.  Where should they look?  Which parts of the neighborhood are most in need of a park, or where are the best opportunities for acquisition?  Some possible ideas will be discussed, and your ideas are needed.