How Would SkyLink Look vs. Light Rail?

This is SW Genesee St. looking west from Delridge Way SW, as it is today.

It is hard to imagine the impact of Sound Transit's plan for Light Rail in West Seattle by reading descriptions and looking at drawings. Here are visuals to help you see how dramatically the train will change the look of the neighborhood.

In this example, we're seeing it as it runs from Delridge Way, along SW Genesee St., and up the hill to SW Avalon Way. Above, you see the corridor as it is now.

This is a rendering of the same view from Sound Transit's WSBLE Draft Environmental Impact Statement (figure 2.7c) Note the loss of trees along SW Genesee St. The apartment buildings at the top of the hill are gone, too.

Here is the view looking east from Avalon Way, down SW Genesee, toward Delridge Way with gondolas overhead. (Rendering by framewiz)

Gondolas glide above SW Genesee heading toward downtown Seattle.

Note that with the gondola system no trees, buildings or green space are removed.

This is the same view, looking east, as depicted in Sound Transit's DEIS. The areas shown as green grass are the result of removing trees and buildings for the guideway construction.

Which view would you rather have?

Looking north along Avalon where it crosses Genesee:

Would you rather have SkyLink? (rendering by framewiz)

Or light rail: (from Sound Transit DEIS)

Note: the areas depicted as green grass in Sound Transit’s renderings are the result of demolishing buildings for the guideway construction.