[pitterpatter]

>the cultural animosity for cars has prevented effective expansions of the transit infrastructure

I'm not sure I understand this point? For one, if anything there's a clear preference for cars as the default mode of transportation.

[01100011]

Yes, a clear preference among the population. Yet the folks in power seem antagonistic to cars. Look at how the population of the area has grown and yet the freeway network is about the same as it was when I was a kid.

There are still many places in the region with only a single major north-south freeway. You can add all the lanes you want, but a single accident can take your 7 lanes of traffic out of commission. We need more transportation corridors to provide redundancy.

[lightrail123]

Building freeways induces demand for single occupancy vehicles. Building transit induces demand for transit.

If Seattle never build another freeway, but keeps building trains and bus rapid transit we'll come out WAY ahead.

[01100011]

That's how you make a region suck for decades while your transit dream matures.

Building freeways gives you room for HOV lanes and busses, and even rail if you plan it right. Not building freeways is a demonstrably failed policy in the Sea-Tac region.

It's like how SF suspended the traditional criminal justice system before they had a working replacement. Sure, they'll get it right someday but in the meantime you just have to put up with a few decades of crime. But hey, one day it will be perfect and ideologically pure.

[donarb]

Everybody wants more freeways, no one raises their hand when asked if they would give up their house for the right of way.