Helipads for everyone

Helipads for everyone

The Sounder, from Seattle to Everett, cost $316,000,000. With a flat 150 riders a day (since service started) the proportioned bill comes to $8426, per rider, per day, for the year.

Far be it from me to simply cavil and complain: unless I can offer a realistic, cost-efficient alternative, I ought to just sit back and take it, if I understand the sentiments of our legislators correctly.

I just looked into Classic Helicopter in Seattle. They underbid Sound Transit by $8212 per rider. A roundtrip commute between Everett and Sea-Tac would come to $642 for 3 passengers.

Of course, to be fair to Sound Transit, that's computed for the less expensive Robinson R44 Clipper II, not a Eurocopter AS350 B Astar, which is much bigger and faster.

"Ridership has not been as high as we expected," said Mark Olson, vice chairman of Sound Transit and an Everett City Council member, who added that the biggest complaint he hears is the lack of alternate train times. "It will be very interesting to see what happens when we add a second train in September."

Very interesting indeed. Almost as interesting as him NOT ALREADY KNOWING, based on statistical projections, before they increase the costs.