Monorail Mania

[mickymse]

So I promised I would get around to discussing stressful things...

The most paramount would be the Seattle Monorail Project, which could be facing a dead end (AP via The Guardian) after suddenly slipping into a coma about six weeks ago

Comments

[ciamar]

I haven't even read the posting yet, but I see the angry Mickey and the raging kitty, and I think: "Uh-oh!"

[mickymse]

*L*

contracts, etc.

[ciamar]

So what sort of creative financing are we talking about here? And why, if this is supposed to be a public utility, were the negotiations conducted in secret?

You can e-mail me the responses, but if the financing plan is that dodgy, then it seems like it would be better to scrap the thing and start over. You don't want to invest so much in this, then have it not work right, not go where it's supposed to, or, worse, stand incomplete because the authorities finally decide it's costing too much and have it be seen as a joke for posterity.

Take a lesson from the Scottish Parliament building project, and don't start to build something unless a) you're sure it's necessary (which it is, as Seattle's public transport is limited to the bus system), and b) it's going to be done right.

Re: contracts, etc.

[mickymse]

"Turbo" bonds? Let's just call them "junk"!

As for your other comments... In a word -- exactly!