Sometimes an idea takes on a life of its own and refuses to go away. The idea of elevated mass transit has been around in Seattle for close to a hundred years. However, it wasn't until 1961 that ground was broken for monorail under the guise of 1962 World's Fair "transportation of the future". Now, after much debate, it looks like that future has finally arrived: in November 2000, Seattle voters passed Initiative 53 "to cause a monorail system to be built."

Costs:
1961 = $3.5 million for 1.3 miles ($2.7 million per mile)
2002 = $1.75 billion for 14 miles ($125 million per mile)

It makes one wonder what Seattle would be like today had the monorail been built the first time the idea came up.

Early 1900's illustration showing monorail concept in downtown Seattle (4th & Westlake)
(photo: MOHAI)

Early 1900's illustration showing monorail concept in downtown Seattle (2nd Ave.)
(photo: MOHAI)

1962 Seattle World's Fair illustration showing proposed monorail
(photo: HistoryLink)

2001 photo taken in downtown Seattle showing original 1962 World's Fair monorail
(photo: the MONORAIL society)