NHL Seattle to partner with monorail, offer free transit to home games
By KOMO News Staff, KOMO News
|Updated
Both monorail cars sit in their station at the Seattle Center before a tour in celebration of 55 years of service, on Friday, March 24, 2017.GRANT HINDSLEY/SEATTLEPI.COM
I'll be headed back to the Needle tomorrow for some daylight views, but in the mean time, I couldn't resist a trip on Seattle's monorail. It only has one stop, the end of the line about a mile from the Space Needle. Its design is delightfully Mid-century modern.
CBSI/CNET
The Seattle Center Monorail heads under MoPOP, on Friday, March 24, 2017.GRANT HINDSLEY/SEATTLEPI.COM
Seattle Monorail, still going.Ron Koeberer/Getty Images/Aurora Creative
Jayme Gustilo, a 27-year veteran of Seattle's monorail, gives a speedy, two-minute tour of Seattle's downtown from the monorail on Wednesday, March 23, 2017.GRANT HINDSLEY/SEATTLEPI.COM
Patrons listen to Dr. Eno Yliniemi, chief systems engineer for the Seattle Center Monorail, talk about the trains' systems during a tour in celebration of 55 years of service, at the Seattle Center, on Friday, March 24, 2017.GRANT HINDSLEY/SEATTLEPI.COM
Jayme Gustilo, 66, heads back to the ticket booth at the Westlake Station, on Wednesday, March 23, 2017.GRANT HINDSLEY/SEATTLEPI.COM
UNITED STATES - 2000/01/01: USA, Washington, Seattle, Seattle Center, Experience Music Project, Space Needle, Monorail. (Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images
Ride the Monorail. More impressive when you're a kid.Meryl Schenker/P-I file
The Seattle Monorail, Sept. 9, 2005. (Phil H. Webber/Seattlepi.com file)P-I File
The Seattle Monorail makes a run Friday, Sept. 16, 2005 near the Space Needle in Seattle. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels on Friday withdrew support for an expanded monorail, a system approved four times by voters but mired in mounting financial troubles.TED S. WARREN/AP
Construction of Seattle's monorail system began in April 1961. Sixty-two precast concrete piers support pairs of beams that hold the tracks . Here, in November 1961, the track beams have already been installed on the piers in the foreground. The photo looks north on Fifth Avenue. In the background, the exterior of the Space Needle is almost complete. The winged globe trademark of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer can be seen in the right background. Courtesy of MOHAIStaff Photographer/Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Seattle Monorail and Space Needle are pictured under construction in 1961.Seattle Post-Intelligencer archive, as preserved by the Museum of History & Industry
The Seattle Monorail under construction, pictured in 1961.Seattle Post-Intelligencer archive, as preserved by the Museum of History & Industry
The Seattle Monorail at Fifth Avenue and Battery Street, pictured Sept. 6, 1962.City of Seattle Municipal Archive
Then newly installed, the Fifth Avenue section of the Seattle Monorail is pictured Nov. 10, 1961.City of Seattle Municipal Archive
Elvis Presley giving a gift to then Gov. Al Rosellini at the end of the Seattle monorail line, Sept. 5, 1962. Col. Tom Parker, Presley's manager, is on Presley's left.
(seattlepi.com file/MOHAI)
Monorail. Eastman Color Film. [Century 21 / Seattle World's Fair] Date: 1962. Item No: 73122
Courtesy of the Seattle Municipal Archives
The Seattle Monorail, Sept. 9, 2005. (Phil H. Webber/Seattlepi.com file)P-I File
The Seattle Monorail, Sept. 9, 2005. (Phil H. Webber/Seattlepi.com file)P-I File
A 1962 Firestone illustration of the Seattle Monorail showing how the tires ride on the concrete tracks.
P-I File
A 1958 proposal of the Seattle Monorail track.P-I File
In this Feb. 18, 1962 photo, Barbara Bidstrup looks in at the Seattle monorail.P-I File
Mayor Greg Nickels, center, announced Friday that the Seattle Monorail is back on track after nine months and $4 million in repairs.Gilbert W. Arias/Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Elvis Presley presents a ham to Washington Governor Al Rosellini at the Westlake Avenue Monorail station in Seattle. Pictured in 1962.Seattle Post-Intelligencer archive, as preserved by the Museum of History & Industry
Monorail pillars erected on Fifth Avenue in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood. Pictured June 15, 1961.City of Seattle Municipal Archive
Hint: Think George Jetson. (Photo: June 20, 1961).
This idea for a hanging tube of a monorail was proposed in 1958 for the World's Fair, and rejected.Seattle Municipal Archives, Flickr
Yes. “A motorist can change lanes under the elevated monorail guideway along Fifth Avenue, but that said, it must be done with extra caution making sure that there are no vehicles approaching in the lane to which the driver is moving,” Department of Transportation spokeswoman Peg Nielsen said in 2009. “There is no specific language pertaining to the monorail, however, per the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) Title 11 part 5 and Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 46.61, a motorist can change lanes unless there are signs or roadway markings indicating that such a maneuver is prohibited.” Basically drivers have to be cautious. If a collision occurs, it could be argued that the driver changing lanes is at fault because his or her line of sight was impacted.
"A motorist can change lanes under the elevated monorail guideway along Fifth Avenue, but that said, it must be done with extra caution making sure that there are no vehicles approaching in the lane to which the driver is moving," Department of Transportation spokeswoman Peg Nielsen said.
"It's not impossible," Seattle Police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said of making the lane change safely. "You just have to be incredibly cautious." (seattlepi.com file)
The monorail buzzes over the Sounders' march celebrating their recent championship, on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2016.GRANT HINDSLEY/SEATTLEPI.COM
SEATTLE -- NHL Seattle is announcing a partnership with the Seattle monorail operator to provide transportation to hockey games at the new arena at Seattle Center.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
In addition, NHL Seattle announced Tuesday that all season tickets and single game tickets will include fully subsidized public transit, via ORCA, to NHL Seattle home games.
NHL Seattle pledged to make a capital investment of up to $7 million for upgrades to Westlake Station including improved platforms, modernized ticketing and additional elevator access.
"With this initiative, NHL Seattle becomes the first Seattle-based sports franchise and only the third professional sports organization in the U.S. to offer fully subsidized public transit as a benefit for fans," NHL Seattle said in a prepared statement.
Advertisement
Article continues below this ad
“We respect the history of the Monorail and want to remind people of its original intent. I couldn’t be prouder to align with a company that shares our values and ambitions.” said Tod Leiweke, CEO of NHL Seattle. “By offering embedded public transit we are making the right decision for our fans and for the city.”
“We expect around 25% of fans to use public transit in our first year,” said Rob Johnson, VP of Transportation for NHL Seattle. “The use of public transit can become a unique part of the fan experience and will likely be the quickest and most reliable way to get to and from our games. Our data shows that from Westlake Center fans can transfer from light rail to Monorail and be at the arena in as little as six minutes.”
![Monorail. Eastman Color Film. [Century 21 / Seattle World's Fair] Date: 1962. Item No: 73122](https://s.hdnux.com/photos/70/65/33/14898891/4/ratio3x2_1920.webp "Monorail. Eastman Color Film. [Century 21 / Seattle World's Fair] Date: 1962. Item No: 73122")
