Seattle Monorail Gets A Much-needed Upgrade After Decades

There's a lot of nostalgia for me when I think about the Seattle monorail system. It's not a particularly big system, especially now. It runs from the Seattle Center. To the Westlake Center, a very short trip. It was originally constructed for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair. And at the time it was quite an amazing sight. 

These days, it's a little worn down. 

The monorail terminal at the Seattle Center is showing its age. 

According to axios.com,
‘Seattle's aging monorail station at Seattle Center is getting a makeover.
The station doesn't meet modern safety and accessibility standards, project leaders say — plus, it can be hard for people to find amid the many attractions nearby.’ 

The Seattle terminal is really showing its age with rust, water intrusion. If they're not careful, it's not going to last very much longer. That's why it's important. For this upgrade. 

It's not like the system is just sitting around rusting, it's used quite a bit. Right now, the monorail system averages about 2 million riders a year. And they're anticipating that that ridership will only increase. 

Some of the things they'll be working on. 

They'll be reengineering the guardrails and the gate system to today's standards. (Back in 1962, it wasn't that strict.) They will also be working on making wheelchair access easier. (Right now, not so easy.) One of the largest upgrades will be the new entry. A new ramp system that will connect Thomas Street to the Seattle Center station. 

The price tag for this remodel is going to come in at about $23 million, and it will take about 15 months to accomplish. 

The plan is to start the work after the 2026 FIFA World Cup games conclude in Seattle. 

One of the perks of using the Seattle Center monorail system is it's easier to find parking. Parking around the Seattle Center has always been a bit of a nightmare. I found it easier to find parking near the Westlake Center and then ride the monorail into the Seattle Center. When my kids were younger, we used to do this all the time so we could go visit the Seattle Science Center. 

The Seattle Center Monorail system is a piece of history from 1962. Let's see if we can preserve it and maybe make it better.

Seattle Center monorail station is getting a $23M upgrade - Axios Seattle
The City of Seattle and the 1962 World’s Fair - CityArchives | seattle.gov