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skubly.bsky.social

@skubly.bsky.social
190 followers 62 following 350 posts
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/10/2026
Responses are in. Will @sound-transit.bsky.social share what they received? Have they given any thought in how they can translate ideas into action? They bungled this process But hope springs eternal. www.theurbanist.org/deadline-arr...
theurbanist.org
Deadline Approaches for Outside Ideas to Curb Costs on Ballard Light Rail
Transit advocates are criticizing Sound Transit's process to solicit outside ideas to reduce Ballard Link costs and accelerate the timeline. The Request for Information process was poorly publicized, ...
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I believe the correct response to elicit a laugh is 6 7
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Reposted by @skubly.bsky.social
Robert Cruickshank @robertcruickshank.com · 05/10/2026
Worth reading -- especially for @skubly.bsky.social arguing Sound Transit is not seriously interested in outside ideas, such as automated light rail. Or for the point that buying a 50-year old building is probably cheaper than tunneling deep under it.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I am hearing they extended the response period until 10/12. Didn’t do much to publicize. Did they notify potential respondents? www.theurbanist.org/deadline-arr...
theurbanist.org
Deadline Arrives for Outside Ideas to Curb Costs on Ballard Light Rail
Transit advocates are criticizing Sound Transit's process to solicit outside ideas to reduce Ballard Link costs and accelerate the timeline. The Request for Information process was poorly publicized, ...
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Yes sound transit applies a logarithmic scale to time. So yes. September is still early. Next question. What planet are they on? Because that also has implications for the length of the year (one revolution around the sun)
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
From a cost per rider perspective I believe this outperforms West Seattle. At least Juarez was able to get her project built.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
“Earlier that year, then-CEO Peter Rogoff hesitated to add what was called ‘Northeast 130th Station … Ridership seemed thin and construction difficult, and… adding a fifth station would jeopardize a $1 billion federal grant request.’” Regardless of project merit. The excuse is always the same.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Page 24 of 205 platform LOS during peak period calls for fully free movement. When you dive into STs standards what you realize is that the problem is baked into the DNA of the agency. www.soundtransit.org/sites/defaul...
soundtransit.org
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Conversely. That alignment work was needed for the main track. So how did costs get allocated. How much of that earthwork got allocated to the Lynnwood extension. C
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I think using Graham as a benchmark +$200M for an at-grade infill station is an even more damning example of STs inability to control cost
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I think there are valid reasons it cost more than Damen. But not $160m more. 1 data point. ST platforms are +22’ wide. damen ~12. Makes you wonder what else is supersized for Pinehurst.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Do you think there should be?
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
This is good to see and glad @wsdot.wa.gov stepping up. @mayor.seattle.gov @cmdanstrauss.seattle.gov SDOT has property right next door. Only half of which is used for a salt dome and snow equipment. The other half could increase capacity at Glassyard Commons www.theurbanist.org/seattle-brea...
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I beg to differ on the poetry. Even though Lake Washington Blvd summer streets should be year round. “Running south on Lake Shore Drive heading into town Just slippin' on by on LSD, Friday night trouble bound” m.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zb3...
m.youtube.com
Lake Shore Drive
YouTube video by Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah - Topic
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
SDOT could leap frog by opting for raised crosswalks over curb ramps whenever upgrading intersections. Better experience for pedestrians, slows down traffic, cheaper to install.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
If we could build at the Ballard and West Seattle at the cost of our global peers we could afford to grade separate this. Transit that costs too much has an opportunity cost… More and better transit.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Don’t be surprised to read that the results from their RFI validate their current approach.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Coincidentally they waited to share this until 6/12. 2 weeks after the board voted on realignment.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
It’s almost as if they don’t want serious responses. their staff wrote a memo in April reviewing our proposal. Tips their hand that they aren’t receptive to new ideas. TLDR: they agree ST costs out of whack with global peers but ST is too unique to learn from others docsend.com/v/2zkp2/boar...
docsend.com
DocSend - Simple, intelligent, modern content sending
DocSend helps you communicate more effectively by telling you what happens to content after you send them and letting you keep control in real time.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Friday news drop from Sound Transit. 3 months ago @transportreform.bsky.social and I recommended this and @saveballardrail.bsky.social push the agency to do it. Thursday before Labor Day they issue, wait 1.5 weeks to publicize, give 30 days to respond www.soundtransit.org/get-to-know-...
soundtransit.org
Sound Transit seeks cost-saving strategies for ST3 projects | Sound Transit
September 11, 2026 | Sound Transit opened a request for information (RFI) seeking responses from qualified sources on strategies that could reduce cost or speed delivery of ST3 proj
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
most schools adopted the whole language model which originated as a way to teach children with learning disabilities. In math we went the opposite direction and focused on conceptual vs procedural- which benefits high performing math students but hurts the average student.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
It’s impressive that Save Ballard Rail could get the board to act on an RFI. It’s disappointing that this is the level of effort and professionalism the agency is showing.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
This simple doc took them 90 days to produce and issue, and they give 30 days to respond.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Simple questions: 1. How many people/ firms outside of the current sound transit orbit did they consult pulling this together? 2. Have they done any outreach to prospective respondents to ensure the request is on their radar. 3. Do they have any outside experts advising them?
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
2 ways to interpret this: Cynical - the agency is sandbagging the RFI and checking a box on a board request and mollify advocates Charitable - the agency doesn’t know how to run an effective RFI
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A serious effort would have spent time socializing the concept with potential respondents, a longer response period (~90 day), an industry day to ensure questions were answered, a method of keeping proprietary information confidential. They would have an outside expert to manage the process.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Today @sound-transit.bsky.social published a Request for Information to solicit ideas for saving money on the Ballard link extension. Good right? Their approach is deeply flawed. Only 30 days to prepare responses, no industry day to answer respondents, to name a few docsend.com/v/2zkp2/rfi
docsend.com
DocSend - Simple, intelligent, modern content sending
DocSend helps you communicate more effectively by telling you what happens to content after you send them and letting you keep control in real time.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Once you realize these task forces are not about outcomes, they are about giving key supporters a seat on a committee and feel the importance of proximity to power it all starts to make sense.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
And even more annoying when you realize that it is taking money that could be spent on more transit projects.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
I think what this shows is that most BRT projects are stealth paving projects that leverage FTA dollars. As I recall the original rapid ride lines were $2-4m per mile. Not that bus riders don’t like smooth pavement. But fast, reliable and ubiquitous is more important.
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Reposted by @skubly.bsky.social
AMR - Alexis Mercedes Rinck @alexis4seattle.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Mayor Wilson, Councilmember Foster, Councilmember Saka and I are teaming up to ban surveillance pricing at grocery chains in Seattle. Surveillance pricing is a harmful practice where your data is weaponized against you to price gouge. (1/2)
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Check out the Riverwalk. NEPA was a categorical exclusion and it required an act of congress to narrow the navigable water way. $120M to build Lots of lessons there for ST
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Interesting side benefit. Beyond the clear safety benefit. Likely allows smaller tunnel. Reducing cost and improving constructability
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Reposted by @skubly.bsky.social
Marco Chitti @chittimarco.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
If you think about it, evacuating people from the end of a stranded open-gangway train into a 1.3 m track bed is obviously more effective than sending them in a single line over an elevated 70- 80 cm walkway with no railing. But somehow we convinced ourselves the opposite is true
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
This is also a clear byproduct of a one party town. The board is clearly more worried about the power of the political machine than the voter.
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Reposted by @skubly.bsky.social
Streetsblog NYC @nyc.streetsblog.org · 19/08/2026
The MTA could halve the $7.7 billion price tag for the planned subway extension along 125th Street — but only if its leaders have the will to use “cut-and-cover” techniques to build shallower and smaller stations more in line with peer cities. buff.ly/sH1eo4b
nyc.streetsblog.org
Shallower, Smaller Stations Could Cut 125th Street Subway Costs In Half: Report - Streetsblog New York City
The MTA could halve the $7.7 billion price tag for the planned 125th Street subway if it's willing to use "cut-and-cover" construction.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
How can you tell the board knew West Seattle was already delayed prior to their big vote in May and the shovel ready rah rah BS. Not a single board member has publicly expressed any disappointment or anger. The public is getting played
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Second point. A mayor is only guaranteed one term and the dot director tends to get the boot too. So do as much as you can as fast as you can.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Point is. It’s a city street. The city can do with it what it wants. Pedestrianizing it is literally the no brainerest of ideas in all of downtown.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
When I was SDOT director the ED told me that the market was open to pedestrianizing but it didn’t trust to execute. I offered to push a street vacation to the market. ED said intriguing but the road is not in good enough condition. I offered to repair and vacate. Bluff called. Didn’t want it vacated
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
If you have a cooler and dry ice please stop by www.hoeslysmeats.com and buy me as many pounds of kalberwurst as you can carry. They won’t ship it and you can’t get it anywhere else.
hoeslysmeats.com
Hoesly's Meats - Meat Processors | New Glarus WI
Hoesly's Meats is a family owned & operated company specializing in award winning meat processing. Experience our quality meat today! Call us!
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
This one aged well.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
“We NOW have a durable date for delivering light rail to one of the region’s most vibrant neighborhoods”, said Sound Transit CEO Dow Constantine Capitalization my own. Color me credulous. Question for @mayor.seattle.gov is this actual savings or shifting costs from ST to ratepayers
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
And this is surprising?
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Posted without a hint of self-awareness or acknowledgment that they spent 12 months gaslighting people.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
@mclindblom.bsky.social did anyone at ST explain why the schedule is slipping another 3 years? Also did they just learn this in the last 2 months? Or was “WS is shovel ready and any questions will delay it further” all theater? www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
seattletimes.com
Light rail arrival in West Seattle delayed again
The original target to open a new Sodo-to-West Seattle line was 2030, but inflation and previously overlooked challenges added time and costs.
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skubly.bsky.social @skubly.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Pin this In 2028 @sound-transit.bsky.social is going to propose raising their debt capacity to solve their funding shortfall. Imagine if they could just say this upfront.
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Reposted by @skubly.bsky.social
Robert Cruickshank @robertcruickshank.com · 14/08/2026
When we voted on ST3 in 2016, we were told light rail would reach Ballard in 2035. Now that's the yet-again-delayed date for West Seattle (originally 2030). Earlier this month ST said Ballard is delayed to *2060*. We need to completely change how ST is governed.
seattletimes.com
Light rail arrival in West Seattle delayed again
The original target to open a new Sodo-to-West Seattle line was 2030, but inflation and previously overlooked challenges added time and costs.
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