View source for Seattle Center Monorail

{{Short description|Monorail line in Seattle, Washington, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width       =
| name            = Seattle Center Monorail
| other_name      =
| color           =
| logo            = Seattle Center Monorail.svg
| logo_width      = 120px
| logo_alt        = The logo of the Seattle Center Monorail system, which consists of a circular badge with a stylized monorail train
| image           = Seattle monorail01 2008-02-25.jpg
| image_width     =
| image_alt       = A white-and-red monorail on an elevated guideway traveling over an empty city street and parking lot
| caption         = The red monorail train passing over 5th Avenue
| system          =
| type            = Straddle-beam [[monorail]]
| status          = <!-- Only use when line is not operating normally -->
| locale          = [[Downtown Seattle]], Washington, U.S.
| start           = [[Seattle Center]] (north)
| end             = [[Westlake Center]] (south)
| stations        = 2
| daily_ridership = 5,315 (2022)<ref name="FTA-2022">{{cite web |date=2022 |title=2022 Annual Agency Profile – City of Seattle dba Seattle Center Monorail |url=https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2022/00023.pdf |publisher=[[Federal Transit Administration]] |access-date=March 3, 2024}}</ref>
| ridership2      = 1,633,951 (2022)<ref name="FTA-2022"/>
| open            = {{start date|1962|03|24}}
{{Designation list
| embed           = yes
| designation1    = Seattle Landmark
| designation1_date = {{start date|2003|08|04}}<ref name="LandmarkOrdinance">{{cite web |author=Seattle City Council |author-link=Seattle City Council |date=August 13, 2003 |title=City of Seattle Ordinance 121240 |url=http://clerk.seattle.gov/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?s1=&s2=&s3=&s4=121240&s5=&Sect4=AND&l=20&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THESON&Sect3=PLURON&Sect5=CBOR1&Sect6=HITOFF&d=CBOR&p=1&u=/~public/cbor1.htm&r=1&f=G |publisher=Office of the City Clerk |access-date=March 6, 2013 |archive-date=March 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130306055129/http://clerk.seattle.gov/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?s1=&s2=&s3=&s4=121240&s5=&Sect4=AND&l=20&Sect1=IMAGE&Sect2=THESON&Sect3=PLURON&Sect5=CBOR1&Sect6=HITOFF&d=CBOR&p=1&u=%2F~public%2Fcbor1.htm&r=1&f=G |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}
| close           =
| owner           = [[Seattle|City of Seattle]]
| operator        = Seattle Monorail Services
| character       = Elevated
| depot           =
| stock           = 2 [[Alweg]] trains
| linelength      = {{convert|0.9|mi|km|1}}<ref name="Gordon11">{{cite report |last=Gordon |first=Karen |date=April 30, 2003 |title=Report on Designation LPB 107-1/03: Seattle Monorail |page=11 |url=http://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/Neighborhoods/HistoricPreservation/Landmarks/RelatedDocuments/seattle-monorail-designation.pdf |publisher=[[City of Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board]] |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120215542/http://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/Neighborhoods/HistoricPreservation/Landmarks/RelatedDocuments/seattle-monorail-designation.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| tracklength_mi  =
| tracks          = [[Double track|Double]]
| gauge           =
| minradius       =
| racksystem      =
| electrification = [[Third rail]], 700 [[Volt|V]] [[Direct current|DC]]<ref>{{cite web |date=June 2019 |title=2018 Rail Fixed Guideway Public Transportation System Safety Report |page=9 |url=https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019/09/19/2018-Rail-Fixed-Guideway-PTSS-Report.pdf |publisher=[[Washington State Department of Transportation]] |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229050853/https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019/09/19/2018-Rail-Fixed-Guideway-PTSS-Report.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| speed           = {{convert|45|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| website         = [https://www.seattlemonorail.com/ seattlemonorail.com]
| map             = {{Seattle Center Monorail|inline=1}}<br />{{collapsed infobox section begin|Interactive map|titlestyle=background-color:#eee}}{{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|frame-height=290|frame-lat=47.617|frame-long=-122.343|zoom=13|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Seattle Center Monorail}}}}
{{collapsed infobox section end}}
}}

The '''Seattle Center Monorail''' is an [[elevated railway|elevated]] straddle-beam [[monorail]] line in [[Seattle]], Washington, United States. The {{convert|0.9|mi|km|1|adj=mid}} monorail runs along 5th&nbsp;Avenue between the [[Seattle Center]] and [[Westlake Center]] in [[Downtown Seattle]], making no intermediate stops. The monorail is a major [[tourist attraction]] but also operates as a regular [[public transit]] service with trains every ten minutes running for up to 16 hours per day. It was constructed in eight months at a cost of $4.2&nbsp;million for the 1962 [[Century&nbsp;21 Exposition]], a [[world's fair]] hosted at the Seattle Center. The monorail underwent major renovations in 1988 after the southern terminal was moved from its location over [[Pine Street]] to inside the Westlake Center shopping mall.

The system retains its original fleet of two [[Alweg]] trains from the world's fair; each carries up to 450 people. It is owned by the city government, which designated the tracks and trains as a [[historic landmark]] in 2003. A private contractor has operated the system since 1994, when it replaced [[King County Metro]], the county's public transit system. The monorail carries approximately two&nbsp;million people annually and earns a profit split between the contractor and the city government. The monorail usually operates with one train per track, and the entire trip takes approximately two minutes. Several major accidents have occurred during the system's half-century in service, including a train-to-train collision in 2005 on a [[gauntlet track]] near the Westlake Center terminal.

Several government agencies and private companies have proposed expansions to the monorail system since its inception in the 1960s. The most prominent was the [[Seattle Monorail Project]], founded by a 1997 [[ballot initiative]] to build a citywide network that would expand coverage beyond the planned [[Link light rail]] system. The project ran into financial difficulties, including cost estimates rising to $11&nbsp;billion, before being cancelled by a city vote in 2005.

==Route and stations==
[[File:Seattle Center Monorail Ride from Westlake Cntr.webm|thumb|Video of a northbound trip on the monorail from [[Westlake Center]] to the [[Seattle Center]], filmed in 2015|alt=A video from the front cabin of the monorail, showing the tracks and scenery around the elevated guideway]]

The {{convert|0.9|mi|km|adj=mid}} monorail begins at a terminal at the [[Seattle Center]], a civic complex and park northwest of [[Downtown Seattle]].<ref name="Gordon11"/> The Seattle Center terminal is located at the Next 50 Plaza near the center of the complex, adjacent to the [[Space Needle]], [[Chihuly Garden and Glass]], and [[Memorial Stadium (Seattle)|Memorial Stadium]].<ref>{{cite map |date=April 20, 2019 |title=Seattle Center Campus Map |url=http://www.seattlecenter.com/Documents/Campus%20Map/Seattle_Center_Campus_Map_042019.pdf |publisher=[[Seattle Center]] |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307231532/http://www.seattlecenter.com/Documents/Campus%20Map/Seattle_Center_Campus_Map_042019.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> It is elevated above the south end of the plaza and consists of three platforms arranged in the [[Spanish solution]]: two [[side platforms]] for alighting and a [[center platform]] for boarding.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=14}} The monorail trains' maintenance facility is below the platforms at ground level in the Seattle Center station.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=14}}<ref name="Berger-2017">{{cite news |last=Berger |first=Knute |author-link=Knute Berger |date=May 28, 2017 |title=Don't rail on the Monorail, it might be our future |url=https://crosscut.com/2017/05/dont-rail-on-the-monorail-it-might-be-our-future |work=[[Crosscut.com]] |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229035917/https://crosscut.com/2017/05/dont-rail-on-the-monorail-it-might-be-our-future |url-status=live }}</ref> From the terminal, the tracks travel east and begin a wide turn to the south while passing through the [[Museum of Pop Culture]], which was designed around the existing tracks.<ref name="Times-40th">{{cite news |last=Broom |first=Jack |date=February 17, 2002 |title=The future at 40: Monorail zooms ahead, tugging tales—and scenes—from the past |page=J1 |work=[[The Seattle Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Enlow |first=Clair |date=July 12, 2000 |title=Design: Frank Gehry Rock Temple |url=http://www.architectureweek.com/2000/0712/design_1-1.html |journal=[[ArchitectureWeek]] |publisher=Artifice, Inc. |issue=9 |page=D1.1 |oclc=49808454 |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229035923/http://www.architectureweek.com/2000/0712/design_1-1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The monorail tracks cross over Broad Street and travel along the west side of 5th&nbsp;Avenue North for two blocks, passing the [[KOMO-TV|KOMO Plaza]] news broadcasting center. The tracks then begin a gradual southeastern turn over a small office building and auto repair shop toward 5th&nbsp;Avenue, which begins on the south side of [[Denny Way]] and [[Tilikum Place]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Miller |first=Brian |date=July 14, 2017 |title=Fat City site on Denny has sold for $8.1M |url=https://www.djc.com/news/re/12102259.html |work=[[Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce]] |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229035923/https://www.djc.com/news/re/12102259.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Tilikum Place |url=http://www.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=3909 |publisher=[[Seattle Parks and Recreation]] |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=October 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201017015112/http://www9.seattle.gov/parks/park_detail.asp?ID=3909 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[one-way street]] travels southeast through [[Belltown, Seattle|Belltown]] with southbound-only traffic, split into two sets of through lanes by the monorail's supporting columns.<ref>{{cite news |last=McNerthney |first=Casey |date=October 22, 2009 |title=Is it illegal to change lanes under the Monorail tracks? |url=http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/2009/10/22/is-it-illegal-to-change-lanes-under-the-monorail-tracks/ |work=[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]] |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229035930/https://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/2009/10/22/is-it-illegal-to-change-lanes-under-the-monorail-tracks/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Vehicular traffic is permitted to change lanes between the monorail columns despite the visual obstructions they create.<ref>{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Allison |date=November 13, 2023 |title=Can You Drive Between the Monorail Columns on Fifth Avenue? |url=https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2023/11/drive-between-monorail-columns-fifth-avenue-seattle |work=[[Seattle Met]] |accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref>

The monorail passes by several city landmarks, including the [[Amazon Spheres]] and [[Westin Seattle]] towers, eventually reaching [[McGraw Square]], where 5th&nbsp;Avenue makes a slight turn to the south. Before reaching the southern terminal at the [[Westlake Center]] shopping mall on [[Pine Street]], the monorail's tracks narrow into a set of [[gauntlet track]]s that are {{convert|4 to 5|ft|m}} apart, preventing two trains from using the station at the same time.<ref name="Times-Hazard05">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 28, 2005 |title=Monorail collision result of hazard created during 1988 track redesign |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20051128/monorail28m/monorail-collision-result-of-hazard-created-during-1988-track-redesign |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903033830/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20051128&slug=monorail28m |url-status=live }}</ref> The Westlake Center terminal is on the third floor of the mall and has a direct elevator to street level and the [[Westlake station (Sound Transit)|Westlake tunnel station]] served by [[Link light rail]] trains on the [[1 Line (Sound Transit)|1&nbsp;Line]]. The [[South Lake Union Streetcar]] also terminates at nearby McGraw Square, and several major bus routes run near the Westlake Center terminal.<ref name="FAQ">{{cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/faq/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191121044551/https://www.seattlemonorail.com/faq/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite map |date=October 2015 |title=Transit Tunnel: Westlake Station |url=http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/tunnel/pdf/WestlakeMap.pdf |publisher=[[King County Metro|King County Metro Transit]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181009004816/http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/tunnel/pdf/WestlakeMap.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2018 |access-date=February 28, 2020}}</ref>

==Service and fares==
[[File:Seattle Center Monorail - red train interior, 2020.jpg|thumb|right|Interior of the red train, parked on the outer track at the [[Westlake Center]] terminal|alt=The interior of a monorail train with a slightly curved ceiling, large windows and doors on both sides, and red seating in the middle that face towards the camera and the sides]]

The monorail takes approximately two minutes to travel between the Seattle Center and Westlake Center terminals, which are located {{convert|0.9|mi|km}} apart.<ref name="Gordon11"/> Trains depart from each terminal approximately every 10 minutes, with a single train running continuously. The service has two seasonal schedules, with trains in the autumn and winter (September to May) operating for 13–14 hours per day from Monday to Saturday, ending at 11:00&nbsp;p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 12 hours on Sundays, ending at 9:00&nbsp;p.m. The summer schedule is in use from May to September and has weekday trains operating for 16 hours and weekend trains for 15 hours, with service ending at 11:00&nbsp;p.m. every day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tickets, Hours & Information |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/information/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190516215455/https://www.seattlemonorail.com/information/ |archive-date=May 16, 2019 |access-date=February 28, 2020}}</ref> Monorail service is typically reduced on [[Public holidays in the United States|national holidays]] and closed entirely on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 10, 2012 |title=Seattle Monorail Holiday Schedule |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/events-and-news/seattle-monorail-holiday-schedule/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=September 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925040823/https://www.seattlemonorail.com/events-and-news/seattle-monorail-holiday-schedule/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> During special events at the Seattle Center and [[Climate Pledge Arena]], operating hours are extended and train frequencies are increased to every four minutes by using both trains in the fleet.<ref name="FAQ"/><ref>{{cite web |date=September 24, 2024 |title=Extended Hours of Operation 2024 |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/extended-hours-of-operation/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |accessdate=September 26, 2024}}</ref>

[[Fare]]s for the monorail are paid at [[turnstile]]s at either terminal using an [[ORCA card]], a smartphone app, or paper tickets bought from a [[ticket vending machine|vending machine]] with credit/debit cards, or mobile payments.<ref name="Times-Renovation2021">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=October 9, 2021 |title=Renovated Seattle monorail station opens Monday to serve arena crowds |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/renovated-seattle-monorail-station-opens-monday-to-serve-arena-crowds/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=October 9, 2021}}</ref> {{As of|2025}}, one-way fares are $4 for adults, $2 for youths aged 6–18, and $2 for people qualifying for the reduced rate, including [[Discounts and allowances#Senior discount|senior citizens]] 65 years and older, disabled individuals, persons with [[Medicare (United States)|Medicare]] cards, and [[active duty]] members of the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. military]] carrying their identification cards. Round-trip fares are twice the price of a one-way fare; monthly passes are also offered at adult and reduced rates.<ref name="Tickets">{{cite web |title=Ride with Us |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/ride-with-us/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |accessdate=March 6, 2025}}</ref><ref name="FareIncrease">{{cite press release |date=November 13, 2024 |title=2025 Fare Increase for Seattle Center Monorail |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/2025-fare-increase/ |publisher=Seattle Center Monorail |accessdate=March 6, 2025}}</ref> Children aged five and under are able to ride free.<ref name="Tickets"/> In October 2019, the monorail began accepting ORCA cards, the regional transit payment system, after five years of negotiations and a study over fare integration;<ref name="Times-ORCA2019">{{cite news |last=Baruchman |first=Michelle |date=September 5, 2019 |title=Seattle Center Monorail riders could soon pay fares with an ORCA card |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-center-monorail-riders-could-soon-pay-fares-with-an-orca-card/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328171452/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-center-monorail-riders-could-soon-pay-fares-with-an-orca-card/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="PI-ORCA2019">{{cite news |last=Guevara |first=Natalie |date=October 7, 2019 |title=For tourists or commuters? Seattle Monorail to begin accepting ORCA Card payments Oct. 7 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/For-tourists-or-commuters-Seattle-Monorail-to-14493781.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=October 7, 2019 |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007053615/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/For-tourists-or-commuters-Seattle-Monorail-to-14493781.php |url-status=live }}</ref> since May 2023, youth ORCA cards are charged a $0 fare on the monorail as part of a statewide program to provide free transit for riders aged 18 years or younger.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 2023 |title=Free Youth ORCA Rides at Seattle Center Monorail |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/free-youth-orca/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |accessdate=July 5, 2023}}</ref> Free fares have also been provided to attendees of all public events at Climate Pledge Arena through a mobile app since January 2023 after an existing program for the [[Seattle Kraken]] and [[Seattle Storm]] was expanded.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zavala Magaña |first=Daisy |date=January 11, 2023 |title=Free transit passes now available for all Climate Pledge Arena events |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/free-transit-passes-now-available-for-all-climate-pledge-arena-events/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=July 5, 2023}}</ref> Fares are adjusted by the city government and Seattle Monorail Services to cover operational costs and remain in line with consumer inflation.<ref name="FareIncrease"/>

==Operations==

A private contractor, Seattle Monorail Services (SMS), founded in 1994, and currently owned by former [[Port of Seattle]] commissioner [[Tom Albro]], operates the Seattle Center Monorail.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Geoff |date=March 24, 2017 |title=Port of Seattle's Tom Albro removed himself from arena discussions, citing conflict of interest |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/port-of-seattles-tom-albro-removes-himself-from-arena-discussions-citing-conflict-of-interest/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229051238/https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/nba/port-of-seattles-tom-albro-removes-himself-from-arena-discussions-citing-conflict-of-interest/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Before 1994, the monorail was jointly operated by the Seattle Center and [[King County Metro]], the county's public transit agency.<ref name="Times-SMS94">{{cite news |last=Lilly |first=Dick |date=April 28, 1994 |title=Private firm to take over monorail operation |page=B4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail receives no operating funds from public sources, with costs covered by fares and federal grants for capital projects; the service is unusual among [[Public transportation in the United States|U.S. public transport systems]] because it makes an operating profit.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=3}}<ref>{{cite web |author=Seattle City Council |date=February 26, 2014 |title=CEN Monorail Agreement FISC: Fiscal Note for Non-Capital Projects |url=http://clerk.seattle.gov/~public/fnote/118280.pdf |publisher=Office of the City Clerk |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229051249/http://clerk.seattle.gov/~public/fnote/118280.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="SMS-About">{{cite web |title=About Seattle Monorail |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/about-seattle-monorail/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=September 25, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925040834/https://www.seattlemonorail.com/about-seattle-monorail/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The contract between SMS and the city government is renewed every ten years and includes an even split of profits between the two parties.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beekman |first1=Daniel |last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |date=December 3, 2014 |title=ORCA fare card for Monorail wins backing |page=B2 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/orca-fare-card-for-the-monorail-wins-backing/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122040306/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/orca-fare-card-for-the-monorail-wins-backing/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="NYT-2006">{{cite news |last=Yardley |first=William |date=September 25, 2006 |title=In Seattle, a Dream From the Past Has a Hazy Future |page=A23 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/us/25monorail.html |access-date=December 13, 2009 |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812154450/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/25/us/25monorail.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2022, the Seattle Center Monorail carried approximately 1.6&nbsp;million passengers, averaging 3,898&nbsp;passengers on weekdays and 6,023&nbsp;passengers on weekends.<ref name="FTA-2022"/> Following declines due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], ridership rebounded in 2022 and 2023 with the opening of [[Climate Pledge Arena]], where event tickets include free transit fares.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kroman |first=David |date=May 24, 2023 |title=Seattle monorail rides the Kraken wave to higher ridership |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-monorail-rides-the-kraken-wave-to-higher-ridership/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=June 1, 2023}}</ref> The service generated $4.3&nbsp;million in fare revenue and received approximately $1.68&nbsp;million in capital funds from local and federal governments in 2022.<ref name="FTA-2022"/> During the [[Century&nbsp;21 Exposition]] from March to September 1962, the monorail carried over 90&nbsp;percent of World's Fair visitors and had a total ridership of 7.4&nbsp;million.<ref name="Times-40th"/>{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=3}}

===Rolling stock and guideway===
[[File:Seattle Monorail driver controls.JPG|thumb|An [[LCD]] monitor used by monorail drivers|alt=A bright LCD screen with several buttons]]

The straddle-beam monorail is entirely [[elevated railway|elevated]] and uses a series of 68 hollow support [[column]]s up to {{convert|30|ft|m}} above street level.<ref name="Alweg-1962">{{cite book |year=1962 |title=Alweg Monorail: The fascinating story of the world's most modern transportation system |format=pamphlet |pages=9, 12–13 |publisher=Alweg Rapid Transit Systems |oclc=15288631 |url=https://cdm16118.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15015coll3/id/588 |via=Seattle Public Library Special Collections Online |access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref> The two parallel tracks are carried on [[prestressed concrete]] beams that are approximately {{convert|70|ft|m|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|5|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall, and {{convert|3|ft|m|abbr=on}} wide.<ref name="PopMechanics">{{cite magazine |last=Bell |first=Joseph N. |date=December 1963 |title=Monorails: Will They Ever Get Off the Ground? |pages=69–74, 191–193 |magazine=[[Popular Mechanics]] |volume=120 |issue=6 |url=https://archive.org/stream/PopularMechanics1963/Popular%20Mechanics-12-1963#page/n67/mode/2up |via=The Internet Archives |access-date=March 3, 2020}}</ref><ref name="SMS-System">{{cite web |title=System Description |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/about-seattle-monorail/system-description/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229053115/https://www.seattlemonorail.com/about-seattle-monorail/system-description/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Several sections use split or one-armed columns that carry one track because of a lack of space on curves;<ref>{{cite news |date=October 4, 1961 |title=Monorail: Builder Explains One-Armed Pylon |page=35 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> the guideway passes over one building at the intersection of Denny Way and 5th&nbsp;Avenue as part of a long curve in the tracks.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Bob |date=February 6, 1962 |title=Rock 'n' Roll or Soft Music? Firm Under Monorail Waits |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The system's maintenance and operations base is underneath the platforms at the Seattle Center terminal.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=14}}

The system has two [[aluminum]] trains, named the "Blue Train" (originally ''Spirit of Seattle'') and "Red Train" (originally ''Spirit of Century 21'') for their original paint schemes,<ref name="Times-Feature1982">{{cite news |last=Collins |first=Alf |date=April 18, 1982 |title=The Monorail: It was one of the wonders of the fair |page=E1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> which are each assigned to a single track and travel [[Bi-directional vehicle|bidirectionally]].<ref name="SMS-System"/>{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|pp=12, 17}} They were constructed in 1962 by [[Alweg|Alwac International]] in [[West Germany]] and have remained in operation on the line since then, undergoing a major renovation in 2009 and 2010.<ref name="SMS-System"/><ref>{{cite news |date=May 25, 2010 |title=Monorail's red train is back |page=B2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Each train is {{convert|122|ft|m|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|10|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}} wide, and {{convert|14|ft|m|abbr=on}} tall, with [[articulated vehicle|articulating joints]] between sections.<ref name="PI-Nowhere91">{{cite news |last=Conklin |first=Ellis E. |date=May 13, 1991 |title=Fast track to nowhere: In 29 years, the monorail really hasn't gone very far |page=C1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> They each have 124 seats and a capacity of 450 passengers with standing room, with an estimated maximum throughput of 10,800 passengers per hour.<ref name="PI-Nowhere">{{cite news |last=Conklin |first=Ellis |date=May 13, 1991 |title=Fast track to nowhere |page=C1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=12}} The trains have built-in emergency ramps to transfer passengers between trains if stopped between stations.<ref name="Times-Trial62">{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=February 26, 1962 |title=Monorail Trial Run Saturday |page=6 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

Each train rides on a set of 64 pneumatic rubber tires arranged into eight [[bogie]]s: 16 are load-bearing tires arranged in pairs on top of the beam and have a diameter of {{convert|39.5|in|cm|abbr=on}}; the remaining 48 tires are used to guide the train on the side of the beam and have a diameter of {{convert|26|in|cm|abbr=on}}.<ref name="SMS-System"/>{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=12}} The system was designed for automated driving, but operators control the trains using a [[joystick]] and [[LCD]] monitors that display technical information.<ref name="Berger-2017"/> The trains typically coast without power for the latter half of their journey and switch to [[dynamic braking|dynamic brakes]] when approaching a station.<ref name="Alweg-1962"/>{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=13}} The system uses a [[third rail]] for electrification, with 700 volts {{Abbr|DC|direct current}} that feed eight electric motors.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=12}} Originally, the trains could reach speeds of up to {{convert|60 to 70|mph|kph}}, but this has since been reduced to {{convert|45|mph|kph|abbr=on}} for normal operations.<ref name="PI-Nowhere"/>{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|pp=11–12}} During severe winter weather, the trains deposit [[de-icing]] chemicals and [[road salt|salt]] on the tracks to allow for normal speeds.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=January 3, 2004 |title=Monorail could deal with ice, report says |page=B1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20040103&slug=monorail03m |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=March 5, 2020}}</ref>

==History==

===Early proposals and planning===
[[File:Seattle - Westlake monorail station, 1963.gif|thumb|upright|left|South terminus of the monorail in 1963|alt=An overhead view of the monorail terminal with a large roof, and a stairway leading down to a checker-patterned plaza with a car lane and bus shelter]]

Several small-scale proposals for [[monorail]] systems in the Seattle area were published in the early 20th&nbsp;century, but they were never realized. William H. Boyes, a New York City inventor, was photographed with a replica of his monorail in 1910, with plans to build a line from Seattle to [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]]. A year later, another Boyes proposal earned an operating franchise from the city government of [[Edmonds, Washington]], but never proceeded beyond the early stages of construction.<ref name="Morgan-1995">{{cite news |last=Morgan |first=Murray |author-link=Murray Morgan |date=September 7, 1995 |title=Since 1892, rapid transit plans have been up in the air |page=FP15 |work=[[The News Tribune]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86821653/since-1892-rapid-transit-plans-have/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=October 10, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Times-Airport63">{{cite news |last=Miletich |first=Matt |date=February 24, 1963 |title=Seattle's Dreams of a Monorail System Reach Far Back in the City's History |pages=12–13 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Another plan from the Universal Elevated Railway Company in 1918 envisioned an elevated monorail system that would run along [[Westlake Avenue]] in Seattle (near the modern-day monorail terminal), replacing the private [[Seattle Municipal Street Railway|streetcar network]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Scigliano |first=Eric |date=June 7, 2018 |title=The Seattles that might have been |pages=12–13 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/the-seattles-that-might-have-been/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191207122046/https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/the-seattles-that-might-have-been/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sherrard |first=Jean |date=January 19, 2023 |title=Single-track minds envisioned a Seattle monorail a century ago |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/single-track-minds-envisioned-a-seattle-monorail-a-century-ago/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 19, 2023}}</ref> After the streetcars were acquired by the city government in 1919, its lobbying for a monorail system ceased.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fish |first=Byron |date=May 4, 1959 |title=Denny Farm Keeps Reappearing in City |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Doig |first=Ivan |date=December 21, 1969 |title=Seattle's Monorail Plan–1918 |page=4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Other plans for monorail systems were submitted to the Seattle city government in 1930 and 1955, the latter as part of the [[Interstate 5 in Washington|Everett–Seattle–Tacoma Tollway]] (modern Interstate&nbsp;5).<ref>{{cite news |date=May 27, 1955 |title=Monorail For Tollway Here Under Study |page=2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The Seattle city government, supported by civic boosters and the [[Washington State Legislature|state legislature]], began planning for its second [[World's Fair]] in 1955 to celebrate the 50th&nbsp;anniversary of the 1909 [[Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition]].<ref name="HL-Part1">{{cite web |last=Stein |first=Alan J. |date=April 18, 2000 |title=Century 21 — The 1962 Seattle World's Fair, Part 1 |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/2290 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200307233042/https://www.historylink.org/File/2290 |url-status=live }}</ref> A monorail was suggested in 1957 to connect the proposed fairgrounds in [[Lower Queen Anne, Seattle|Lower Queen Anne]] to auxiliary parking lots in [[Interbay, Seattle|Interbay]] and attractions on [[Elliott Bay]].<ref>{{cite news |date=December 19, 1957 |title=City to Study Expanded $47,000,000 Civic Center–World Fair Quickly |page=14 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=September 20, 1957 |title=Interbay May Be World Fair Parking Lot |page=31 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The Seattle Transit Commission ordered a study into a monorail between Downtown Seattle and the proposed fairgrounds in April 1958, after hearing proposals from private operators who also offered [[New Orleans]] and [[Houston]] their own systems.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 3, 1958 |title=Monorail to Begin Within Two Weeks |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 18, 1958 |title=Steps Taken For Monorail System Here |page=9 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Among the proposals was a "[[carveyor]]" from the [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company]] with small pods connecting downtown to the fairgrounds and a {{convert|5|mi|km|adj=mid}} loop between Interbay, the fairgrounds, and downtown.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 21, 1958 |title=Monorail Studied By Transit System |page=34 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=June 3, 1958 |title=City Studies Carveyor, Monorail Rival |page=22 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail proposal was later scaled back to a {{convert|1.2|mi|km|adj=mid}} route on 5th&nbsp;Avenue connecting downtown hotels to the fairgrounds that would cost $5.39&nbsp;million to construct (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|5390000|1958}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}<ref>{{cite news |date=July 10, 1958 |title=Fair Monorail Offered for $5,385,240 |page=25 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=January 27, 1959 |title=Proposed Monorail System For Century 21 Described |page=14 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

===Bidding and proposals===

The [[Seattle Transit System]] opened up bids for monorail design and construction in December 1958, receiving proposals from the [[Lockheed Corporation]], [[St. Louis Car Company]], General Monorail of San Francisco, and the German firm Alwac International, which had begun installing the [[Disneyland Monorail]] in California.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 11, 1958 |title=2 More Firms To Submit Monorail Bids |page=20 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 8, 1959 |title=S. F. Monorail Firm Submits Proposal for Century 21 |page=12 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The [[Northrop Corporation]] presented its own proposal in February, using an unconventional [[gyroscope]] and generator that would not require a third rail or [[overhead catenary]].<ref>{{cite news |date=February 24, 1959 |title=Monorail With Radical Power Idea Proposed for Exposition |page=17 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> In April 1959, the Seattle Transit Commission chose Lockheed to build the $5&nbsp;million monorail system, which would travel along 5th&nbsp;Avenue from Pine Street to the fairgrounds and open in 1961.<ref name="Times-Lockheed59">{{cite news |date=April 29, 1959 |title=Monorail Will Be Built From 5th and Pine to Fair |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Lockheed's design featured a straddle-beam monorail with three [[streamliner|streamlined]] trains that resembled [[jetliner]]s.<ref name="Times-Lockheed59"/><ref>{{cite news |date=January 28, 1959 |title=Monorail Eyed for Fair |page=2 |work=[[The Pasadena Independent]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45902992/monorail-eyed-for-fair/ |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301055546/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45902992/monorail-eyed-for-fair/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The monorail was seen as a centerpiece to the planned Century&nbsp;21 Exposition and as a catalyst for future development of a citywide [[rapid transit]] system, but would use no local transit funding.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 29, 1959 |title=Monorail May Insure Success Of Exposition |page=12 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref name="Times-Expansion61">{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=April 23, 1961 |title=Monorail Seen As Possible Transit Answer |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The operating costs were expected to be paid through fare recovery, while other options were considered for capital funding, including Lockheed buying back the system after the world's fair.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 30, 1959 |title=Talks on Monorail Financing Planned |page=18 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 8, 1959 |title=Lockheed Would Buy Back Monorail After Century 21 Exposition |page=9 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Lockheed entered into final negotiations with the city and exposition organizers in late 1959, but the transit commission lost interest in running the system after the world's fair was shortened to six months instead of the original eighteen.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 21, 1959 |title=Century 21 Still Hopes For Monorail |page=2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The system's uncertain financing, not including engineering costs incurred by Lockheed, remained a major concern for the city government as negotiations continued into January 1960.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 31, 1960 |title=Monorail Has Been Off Again, On Again |page=18 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

Alwac International, which had previously estimated it would cost $3.5&nbsp;million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|3,500,000|1960}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to install their Alweg monorail system, submitted a proposal in February 1960 to finance and build the project themselves at no cost to the city or exposition organizers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=February 2, 1960 |title=Swedish Firm Would Build Century 21 Monorail Free; Offer Made to Transit System |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times |edition=Night Sports Final}}</ref> The firm would collect monorail fares and revenue from terminal [[Concession stand|concessions]], and a surcharge on fair tickets, and transfer the system to the city government if the full $3.5&nbsp;million cost was repaid; in the event that the system did not recoup the investment, it would have been dismantled and removed.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 3, 1960 |title=Transit Commission, Fair Officials To Confer on Monorail |page=37 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 29, 1960 |title=Contract For Fair Monorail Expected Soon |page=44 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Lockheed responded by presenting a modified bid to the transit commission in March with a $1&nbsp;million buyback option, but they were dropped in favor of a new round of bidding by Alwac and the French engineering firm [[SAFEGE]].<ref>{{cite news |date=March 7, 1960 |title=Decision On Monorail Due in Week |page=17 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=March 25, 1960 |title=Monorail Decision Due In 30 Days |page=7 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The Century 21 Steering Committee, serving as the exposition's main organizers, took over negotiations from the transit commission and signed a preliminary construction contract with Alwac on May 20, 1960.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 11, 1960 |title=Preliminary Pact on Monorail to Be Signed May 20 |page=2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 13, 1960 |title=Green Light Given on Monorail Pact with Alwac |page=10 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail would run along 5th&nbsp;Avenue from the fairgrounds to the intersection of Pine Street and Westlake Avenue, which would be converted into a permanent [[pedestrian mall]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=September 13, 1960 |title=Final '21' Monorail Contract Due to Be Signed Next Month |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times |edition=Night Sports Final}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 30, 1960 |title=Association Seeking Permanent Mall in Westlake |page=C10 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Alwac representatives signed the design contract on December 22, 1960, with a revised cost of $4.2&nbsp;million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|4200000|1960}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} to accommodate larger trains and stations.<ref name="IPT-1961">{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=December 17, 1961 |title=Seattle World's Fair to Be Monorail Test Site |pages=[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45905566/seattle-worlds-fair-to-be-monorail/ A1], [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45905571/fair-in-seattle-to-test-monorail-part/ A14] |work=[[Press-Telegram|Independent Press-Telegram]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45905566/seattle-worlds-fair-to-be-monorail/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-date=March 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302052232/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45905566/seattle-worlds-fair-to-be-monorail/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=December 22, 1960 |title=Monorail Stations, Cars to Be Bigger |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The final construction and operations contract was signed on May 13, 1961.<!--Other sources say March--><ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Greg |date=January 17, 1999 |title=Seattle's Monorail construction contract is signed on May 13, 1961. |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/719 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218074241/https://www.historylink.org/File/719 |url-status=live }}</ref> Century 21 announced plans in April 1961 to build a small-scale [[people mover]] around the fairgrounds that would use a [[suspended monorail]], but they were dropped five months later after the bidding firms were unable to obtain financing.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=April 21, 1961 |title=100 Small 'Space Cars' To 'Orbit' Century 21 |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times |edition=Night Sports Final}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=September 27, 1961 |title=No Monorail To Be Inside Fairgrounds |page=55 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

===Construction and preparations===
[[File:Seattle Monorail under construction - 1961.jpg|thumb|right|Column construction for the monorail at 5th Avenue and Virginia Street, June 1961|alt=Construction crews look on as a mobile crane hoists a Y-shaped concrete column into the middle of a city street.]]

In March 1961, the city's Board of Public Works approved the construction and street use permits for the monorail project, which Century 21, Alwac, and local contractor [[Howard S. Wright Companies|Howard S. Wright Construction Company]] would undertake.<ref name="Times-Permit61">{{cite news |date=March 2, 1961 |title=Permit For Monorail Work O. K'd |page=34 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Wright was also named a financing partner for the monorail, contributing $375,000 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|375000|1961}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and went on to build the Space Needle and [[Seattle Center Coliseum]].<ref>{{cite news |date=January 3, 1962 |title=Monorail Financing Agreed Upon |page=4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=November 8, 1961 |title=Challenge Thrills Construction Firm |page=68 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The construction permit included a requirement to remove the monorail within six months of the exposition's end, but Alwac had announced their intention to sell the Alweg system to the city government if they desired.<ref name="Times-Permit61"/><ref>{{cite news |date=October 10, 1961 |title=Civic Center Speeded Up 25 Years by Fair, Braman Declares |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Alweg representatives unveiled the finalized design plans for the monorail later that month, while the two railcars were under construction at the [[Linke-Hofmann-Busch]] factory in West Germany.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=March 13, 1961 |title=Century 21 Monorail Unveiled |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times |edition=Night Sports Final}}</ref> Century 21 broke ground on the monorail in a ceremony at the Westlake Mall on April&nbsp;6, 1961, which was declared "Monorail Day" and featured the [[Seattle Symphony Orchestra]], a speech from Senator [[Warren G. Magnuson]], and free monorail tickets for the 500 people in attendance.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 6, 1961 |title=Monorail Day Marked by Music And Speeches |page=19 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 5, 1961 |title=500 to Get Free Rides On Monorail |page=14 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Becker |first1=Paula |last2=Stein |first2=Alan J. |author3=HistoryLink Staff |year=2011 |title=The Future Remembered: The 1962 Seattle World's Fair and Its Legacy |page=39 |publisher=[[Seattle Center Foundation]] and HistoryInk/HistoryLink |isbn=9780615469409 |oclc=759609759}}</ref>

The wooden forms for the first of 80 monorail columns were laid in early May, and concrete pouring for the first column began on May 23 between Virginia and Lenora streets.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 10, 1961 |title=Monorail-Pillar Forms Erected |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 23, 1961 |title=Monorail Concrete Poured |page=6 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> A crane lifted the Virginia–Lenora columns, each weighing {{convert|54|ST|kg}}, onto a prepared concrete footing on June&nbsp;15.{{sfnp|Becker|Stein|HistoryLink Staff|2011|p=44}}<ref>{{cite news |date=June 15, 1961 |title=Monorail Column Put in Place |page=9 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Concrete pouring at the Westlake Mall terminal began in late June, with plans to build the station platforms {{convert|25|ft|m}} over Pine Street.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 28, 1961 |title=Concrete for Monorail Piers |page=55 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail's {{convert|60|ST|kg|adj=mid}} precast concrete beams were assembled in Tacoma and trucked up to Seattle, with special permission from the [[Washington State Highway Commission]],<ref>{{cite news |date=April 14, 1961 |title=Hauling of Monorail Beams Approved |page=36 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> and the first was installed on September&nbsp;21 between Virginia and Stewart streets before advancing northwards.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 21, 1961 |title=Concrete Beam for Monorail Placed |page=B |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=September 30, 1961 |title='Rails' Put in Place for Monorail |page=B |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Column construction and girder installation took approximately eight months, with at least three lanes of traffic on 5th&nbsp;Avenue remaining open during most periods.<ref name="Alweg-1962"/>

The steel girders at the Westlake Mall terminal were installed in October, followed by work on the Seattle Center terminal.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 26, 1961 |title=Girders for Monorail Terminal |page=B |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> By December 1961, most of the work on the tracks and 54&nbsp;percent of work on the stations was complete,{{sfnp|Becker|Stein|HistoryLink Staff|2011|p=59}} using {{convert|14,700|ST|kg}} of concrete and {{convert|970|ST|kg}} of steel.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=15}}<ref>{{cite news |date=December 8, 1961 |title=Two Monorail Trains to Be Shipped Soon |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The last of the 138 guideway beams was hoisted and installed on January&nbsp;9, 1962, near Denny Way to complete {{convert|5,200|ft|m}} of track.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 10, 1962 |title=The End: Last Beam Laid For Monorail |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 8, 1962 |title=5,200-Foot Trip |page=C19 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> In February 1962, the Seattle Transit Commission approved a contract with Century&nbsp;21 to allow its employees to operate the monorail trains.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 21, 1962 |title=Contract For Monorail Jobs Approved |page=46 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Monorail personnel, including drivers and ticket booth attendants, wore blue-and-white [[poplin]] uniforms designed for the exposition.<ref name="Times-Carpet62">{{cite news |date=April 8, 1962 |title=Rapid Transit On Trial: Monorail Is Magic Carpet to Fair |page=C20 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=January 15, 1962 |title=Monorail Uniform Modeled at Show |page=9 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The first monorail train, later named the "Blue Train", was shipped in four sections from [[Bremen]], West Germany, to [[Newark, New Jersey]], and transported by train to Seattle.{{sfnp|Becker|Stein|HistoryLink Staff|2011|p=65}}<ref>{{cite news |date=February 6, 1962 |title=Seattle Fair Train Here From Bremen |page=48 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1962/02/06/archives/seattle-fair-train-here-from-bremen.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-date=March 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302072518/https://www.nytimes.com/1962/02/06/archives/seattle-fair-train-here-from-bremen.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It arrived on February&nbsp;19, 1962, and was lifted onto the trackway later that day.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 19, 1962 |title=First Monorail Train Arrives |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail completed its first test run on March&nbsp;3 and continued with several tests at reduced speeds.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=March 4, 1962 |title=Magic Carpet: Monorail Makes Trial Run |page=C1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>{{sfnp|Becker|Stein|HistoryLink Staff|2011|p=66}} Jim West, a former [[Cable car (railway)|cable car]] operator on the [[Yesler Way]] line who later drove the city's streetcars, [[Trolleybuses in Seattle|trolleybuses]] and motor buses, drove the first test run.<ref>{{cite news |last=Reddin |first=John J. |date=April 9, 1962 |title=Faces of the City: Monorail Fans Keep Gripman On The Jump |page=A |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Several test runs were made into special occasions, including a trip that was televised live by [[KING-TV]] and a preview ride for 175 dignitaries after a [[ribbon cutting]] at the Westlake terminal on March&nbsp;12.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 4, 1962 |title=TV Camera To Preview Ride On Monorail |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=March 12, 1962 |title=Officials See Monorail Train Tested |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The second train, later named the "Red Train", arrived on March 27 and was installed on its track at the Seattle Center terminal.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 27, 1962 |title=Monorail Train Finds Its Mate |page=B |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> It made its first test run on April&nbsp;10 and entered passenger service to replace the Blue Train temporarily before the beginning of the fair.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 10, 1962 |title=Second Monorail Train (Red) Makes Test Run Successfully |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 11, 1962 |title=Monorail Trains Meet |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

===World's Fair===
[[File:Seattle Monorail at downtown station, 1962.gif|thumb|left|The Westlake Mall terminal, seen from a nearby building in 1962|alt=A monorail train departs from the covered south terminal as seen from a nearby rooftop.]]

The monorail and Space Needle opened for a public preview on March&nbsp;24, 1962, a month before the formal start of the Century&nbsp;21 Exposition.<ref name=":0" /> The inaugural monorail trip from the Westlake terminal carried 130 passengers who received commemorative medals, including the first riders, who had lined up several hours early.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Ken |date=March 25, 1962 |title=Monorail Opens Doors To Crowds |page=1 |url=https://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/files/2011/05/March-25-1962-Monorail-opening-article-P-I.pdf |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 2, 2020 |archive-date=March 31, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331210327/http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/files/2011/05/March-25-1962-Monorail-opening-article-P-I.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="PI-History16">{{cite news |last=McNerthney |first=Casey |date=August 11, 2016 |title=Seattle's Monorail: a history beyond the World's Fair |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattle-history/article/Seattle-s-Monorail-a-history-beyond-the-World-s-4381056.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 2, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303074316/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/seattle-history/article/Seattle-s-Monorail-a-history-beyond-the-World-s-4381056.php |url-status=live }}</ref> An estimated 9,600 people rode the Blue Train on the monorail's first day, as did 24,000 over the preview weekend; service on the first day was suspended an hour earlier than scheduled because of a mechanical issue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=March 25, 1962 |title=Needle Thrills Thousands on Opening Day |page=C1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=March 26, 1962 |title=Needle, Monorail Lure Many |page=19 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Government officials and civic leaders officially christened the monorail on April&nbsp;19. 179,000 passengers had boarded the trains during preview rides.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=3}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=April 20, 1962 |title=World's Fair Toasted |page=2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The Century&nbsp;21 Exposition formally opened on April&nbsp;21. Monorail fares during the fair were set at 50 cents one-way and 75 cents round-trip for adults and 35 cents one-way and 50 cents round-trip for children.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 12, 1961 |title=Times Answers Questions About Fair |page=19 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Trains operated from 8:45&nbsp;a.m. to 12:15&nbsp;a.m. during the fair, taking 96&nbsp;seconds to complete each trip.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 6, 1962 |title=Your Twelfth Week at the World's Fair |page=C4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> It carried 7.4&nbsp;million passengers, about 90&nbsp;percent of fair attendees, from April&nbsp;21 to October&nbsp;21.<ref name="Times-40th"/> Astronaut [[John Glenn]] rode the monorail on May 10, shortly after his return from orbit on [[Friendship 7]]; the red train was temporarily renamed "Friendship 21" in his honor and also carried Governor [[Albert D. Rosellini]], Senator [[Warren G. Magnuson]], and NASA rocket scientist [[Wernher von Braun]].<ref>{{cite news |date=May 10, 1962 |title=Crowd at Fairgrounds Puts Glenn in 'Pied Piper' Role |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Dunsue |first=Charles |date=May 11, 1962 |title=Crowds Green Glenn At Fair |page=1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> After the fair, the monorail operated with a reduced schedule, from 11:00&nbsp;a.m. to 11:00&nbsp;p.m. It was limited to one train over the winter months but averaged 1,200 daily passengers.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 13, 1963 |title=Big Magnets Of Fair Are Drawing 'Em In as Before |page=21 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 25, 1962 |title=Changes Set In Operation Of Monorail |page=18 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

Fare box revenue generated from March&nbsp;24 to September&nbsp;17 fully covered the system's $4.2&nbsp;million construction costs.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=3}}<ref name="PI-Nowhere91"/> Alwac retained temporary ownership of the monorail system after the fair contracted to end on April&nbsp;21, 1963.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=January 22, 1963 |title=Monorail Rolls On Amid Questions As to Its Future |page=27 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The city government was tasked with deciding whether the monorail should be demolished or sold to a public or private operator.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 10, 1962 |title=City Is Asked For Monorail Decision |page=A |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Alwac was granted an extension of its existing street use permit to operate trains until October.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=March 17, 1963 |title=End of Line?: Deadline Near For Decision On Monorail |page=C1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=December 3, 1962 |title=Decision on Monorail Due April 1 |page=17 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Among the proposals considered was [[Samuel J. LeFrak]]'s plan to sell the system to [[New York City]] for the [[1964 New York World's Fair|1964 World's Fair]] in [[Flushing Meadows]].<ref>{{cite news |date=January 30, 1963 |title=Seattle's Monorail Urged in N.Y. |page=14 |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]}}</ref>

Alwac agreed to transfer the entire system, including the terminals and offices, to Century&nbsp;21 Center, Inc., the operator of the fairgrounds, on June&nbsp;3, 1963. The transfer came at no cost to Century&nbsp;21 and allowed the monorail to remain in operation and included an extension of agreements with the city government and Seattle Transit System.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=May 22, 1963 |title=Alweg Gift: $4.5 Million Monorail Given C-21 Center |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=June 3, 1963 |title=Center Corp. Takes Over Monorail |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

===Ownership transfer and early years===

Century&nbsp;21 Center, Inc. ran into financial difficulties in late 1964, with $2&nbsp;million in outstanding debt (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|2000000|1964}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and began negotiating a takeover of all fairground operations by the city government, which already owned the Seattle Center property.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=September 13, 1964 |title=City, Century 21 Corp. In Life-or-Death Talks |page=1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> As part of cost-saving measures, in October 1964 monorail ticket booths were eliminated and replaced with onboard attendants to take fares.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 16, 1964 |title=Innovation: Ticket-Takers On Monorail Trains |page=4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Century&nbsp;21 Center offered to sell the monorail to the city government for $600,000 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|600000|1964}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} as part of resolving its debts to the city and entering liquidation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=December 8, 1964 |title=C-21 Corp. Plagued by Finances, Other Problems |page=7 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Lacking an operating franchise, the corporation's liquidation trustees declined to take the [[title (property)|title]] of the monorail system in December, and elected not to pay $200,000 for demolition.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=December 28, 1964 |title=Official Ending: Liquidating Trustees To Give Final Report On World's Fair |page=32 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Negotiations continued for several months until the city government agreed in April to terminate its contracts with Century 21 and take over the fairground facilities. The monorail was transferred to the city government in May at a cost of $775,150 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|775150|1965}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} of which $414,128 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|414128|1965}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} was in the form of debt forgiveness.<ref>{{cite news |last=Patty |first=Stanton H. |date=April 6, 1965 |title=City Sets Stage For Center Change-Over |page=18 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 5, 1965 |title=Greater Seattle Takes Over Center's Promotional Activity |page=12 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The Seattle Center reopened for the summer season on June&nbsp;1, 1965, with monorail fares lowered the following day to 25&nbsp;cents for adults on a one-way trip to attract more patrons.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 30, 1965 |title=Center Will Open Tomorrow; Monorail Fare Cut Tuesday |page=11 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail's operating hours were extended to midnight on weekdays and Saturdays, and ridership in the first week of June doubled compared to the prior year.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 8, 1965 |title=Monorail Thrives On Lower Fares |page=43 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> A group of property owners along the monorail route sued the city government in 1965 over the loss of views and other livability concerns stemming from the construction of the line.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moody |first=Dick |date=February 14, 1965 |title=Counsel Reports Monorail Purchase Won't Affect Suits |page=10 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The city settled the lawsuit in 1968 at a cost of $776,249 (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|776249|1968}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} for light and air easements on 82 parcels of property.<ref name="Times-Feature1982"/><ref>{{cite news |date=June 8, 1968 |title=Monorail Cost City $776,249 |page=12 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

By the end of the 1960s, the monorail was averaging 10,000 passengers on weekdays and 14,000 on weekends during the peak summer season.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 19, 1969 |title=Monorails Near 400,000-Mile Mark |page=32 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The Seattle Transit System remained the contracted operator of the monorail until January&nbsp;1, 1973, when the [[Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle]] (Metro Transit) absorbed it to form a countywide transit system. The Seattle city government retained ownership of the monorail and awarded an operating contract to Metro Transit using funding from the Seattle Center department.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=3}}<ref>{{cite news |date=December 8, 1972 |title=Metro OK's contracts with two transit lines |page=E7 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Under Metro Transit, the monorail vehicles were renumbered 6201 and 6202 and given a new paint scheme in 1978, including the repainting of the red train to the green train.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=17}}<ref name="Times-Paint78">{{cite news |date=June 18, 1978 |title=Monorail spruceup: Trains, terminal to get paint job |page=C1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The arrival of a [[Exhibitions of artifacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun|traveling exhibition]] with artifacts from the tomb of Pharaoh [[Tutankhamun]] at the Seattle Center spurred the repainting.<ref name="Times-Paint78"/> The exhibition caused a surge in monorail ridership, which reached 2.8&nbsp;million in 1978.<ref name="Times-Feature1982"/>

===Renovations and preservation===
[[File:Old downtown Seattle monorail terminal over Pine St from east in 1982.jpg|thumb|right|The old monorail terminal over Pine Street, as seen from the east in 1982|alt=A white-and-green monorail train hangs over a city street with several cars.]]

The southern terminus at Westlake Mall was originally a large station that straddled Pine Street along a section of Westlake Avenue that had been converted into a public plaza. The terminal had a sloped [[moving walkway]] between street level and the three elevated platforms<ref name="Times-Carpet62"/> covered by a "scalloped" roof.<ref>{{cite news |last=Davies |first=Lawrence E. |date=February 25, 1962 |title=Seattle Gives Monorail A Trial |page=X23 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1962/02/25/archives/seattle-gives-monorail-a-trial-feature-of-worlds-fair-to-test-rapid.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 3, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303082052/https://www.nytimes.com/1962/02/25/archives/seattle-gives-monorail-a-trial-feature-of-worlds-fair-to-test-rapid.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Times-Westlake67">{{cite news |last=Willix |first=Douglas |date=December 28, 1967 |title=Advertising Benches at Bus Stops Rejected by Public Works Board |page=11 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The plaza at Westlake Mall was sought as the location of an expanded downtown park, leading to a major renovation of the monorail terminal that began in January 1968 and completed in April 1968.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 24, 1968 |title=Work Begins On Monorail Terminal |page=18 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 12, 1968 |title=Central Association Report Lists 61 Major City Projects |page=C6 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Reduced monorail service continued while the terminal was shrunk with the removal of the outer platforms deemed unnecessary for post-fair demand and the replacement of the roof with a simpler design.<ref name="Times-Westlake67"/><ref>{{cite news |date=March 11, 1968 |title=Monorail Terminal Is Getting Smaller |page=51 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=January 5, 1968 |title=Work to Begin On Monorail Terminal |page=4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> An emergency repair to the Westlake terminal was made in 1974 at a cost of $100,000 to replace metal shields that caught debris dropped by passengers on the platform.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 3, 1974 |title=Fast action hoped for repair of terminal |page=A4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=July 4, 1974 |title=Close Seattle's Monorail? But the Passengers Are Piling On |page=A5 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

A larger renovation was completed in 1988 to accommodate the downtown park, later named [[Westlake Park (Seattle)|Westlake Park]], and the adjacent Westlake Center shopping mall and office complex.<ref name="HL-Westlake">{{cite news |last=Dougherty |first=Phil |date=January 10, 2008 |title=Westlake Center opens in downtown Seattle on October 20, 1988. |url=https://historylink.org/File/8458 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-date=February 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229152035/https://historylink.org/File/8458 |url-status=live }}</ref> The old terminal had been viewed as a "blight" on the area, which the city government sought for redevelopment as the center of Downtown Seattle's retail core beginning in the late 1960s.<ref name="HL-Westlake"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Polly |date=May 23, 1971 |title=Pine Street: open or shut case? |page=D1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The city considered several proposals for a shopping mall on the block on the north side of Pine Street in the 1970s, including hotels, movie theaters, a potential home for the [[Seattle Art Museum]], and a new monorail terminal, but they were never realized.<ref name="HL-Westlake"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Rinearson |first=Peter |date=October 23, 1979 |title=Council clears mall plan, with a hitch |page=A14 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> After several years of litigation led by preservation activists, a new proposal from [[The Rouse Company]] and a local developer was approved for construction in late 1985.<ref name="Times-Snag85">{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=May 20, 1985 |title=Monorail snags Westlake Mall plans |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref name="NYT-Westlake">{{cite news |last=Turner |first=Wallace |date=February 1, 1986 |title=Seattle Redevelopment Plan Aims at Downtown |page=14 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/02/us/seattle-redevelopment-plan-aims-at-downtown.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 3, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303082050/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/02/us/seattle-redevelopment-plan-aims-at-downtown.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The new proposal included demolition of the monorail terminal to make way for a public park, while trains would terminate at a new station integrated into the shopping mall.<ref name="Times-Snag85"/><ref name="NYT-Westlake"/> The relocation of the station was initially rejected in 1985 after engineers had discovered that the monorail tracks would require significant reconstruction to make the necessary turn into the station.<ref name="Times-Snag85"/> The city government proposed moving the columns onto the sidewalk on 5th&nbsp;Avenue instead and creating a gauntlet track, which would prevent the two trains from using the Westlake terminal at the same time. City councilmember [[George Benson (American politician)|George Benson]] suggested using a retractable ramp to access the outer track.<ref>{{cite web |last=Crowley |first=Walt |author-link=Walt Crowley |date=November 2, 2004 |title=George Benson: Seattle's Favorite Unpolitician |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/7115 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-date=December 17, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217222716/https://www.historylink.org/File/7115 |url-status=live }}</ref> A temporary station would be used during mall construction to allow the monorail to continue operations.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=June 29, 1985 |title=Plan puts monorail plan back on track |page=A7 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail relocation project was estimated to cost $19&nbsp;million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|19000000|1985}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} with heavy reliance on a federal grant that was initially denied by the [[Urban Mass Transportation Administration]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=August 7, 1985 |title=Failure of monorail measure puts projects in jeopardy |page=A10 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Maier |first=Scott |date=January 16, 1986 |title=Grant to overhaul monorail is denied |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The city considered several options, including running a single train, selling the system to Tacoma or demolishing the monorail entirely.<ref>{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Herb |date=July 14, 1985 |title=Tear it down? The 'unthinkable' monorail option |page=A22 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Maier |first=Scott |date=February 20, 1986 |title=One-train monorail studied |page=A10 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> In March 1986, it chose to keep the system and spend $2.7&nbsp;million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|2700000|1986}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} on the initial planning for the station overhaul and other renovations.<ref>{{cite news |last=Maier |first=Scott |date=March 6, 1986 |title=Monorail plan rolls past a key roadblock |page=D1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

[[File:Seattle monorail temporary downtown terminal at 5th & Stewart, August 1987.jpg|thumb|left|The temporary downtown terminal at Stewart Street, pictured in 1987 after the southern section of guideway had been demolished|alt=A city street with the elevated monorail guideway, cut short to display the hollow steel tracks. A temporary stairway and elevator structure had been erected to the side to provide access.]]

The federal government awarded a $5.6&nbsp;million grant (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|5600000|1986}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} for the relocation project in late July, two months after construction began on a temporary terminal at 5th&nbsp;Avenue and Stewart Street.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=David |date=June 4, 1986 |title=Westlake Mall 'off and running' |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=July 25, 1986 |title=Seattle gets grant to move the monorail |page=D1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The old terminal at Westlake Mall closed permanently on September&nbsp;1, 1986, and was demolished over the following two months.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 1, 1986 |title=Monorail to close for two weeks |page=D1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Fair |first=Don |date=September 6, 1986 |title=Monorail station won't fall easily—or cheaply |page=A3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The temporary terminal and its {{convert|140|ft|m|adj=mid}} platform opened on September&nbsp;17, 1986, allowing monorail service to resume after a two-week suspension.<ref>{{cite news |date=September 18, 1986 |title=Monorail gets rolling once again |page=B2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> It was built one block to the north at Stewart Street, next to the western track, and only served the blue train.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|p=16}} The city council finalized a $7&nbsp;million spending package (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|7000000|1987}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars){{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} in March 1987 to construct the permanent terminal, which would begin after work on Pine Street for the [[Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel]] advanced beyond the excavation stage.<ref>{{cite news |last=Maier |first=Scott |date=March 10, 1987 |title=Westlake foes dealt a setback |page=D1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Carlton |first=Debera |date=May 13, 1987 |title=The bite of Seattle: below us monsters will roar |page=A8 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

The monorail project included improvements to the electrical systems and an expansion of the Seattle Center terminal, and work on the two trains.{{sfnp|Gordon|2003|pages=15–17}} An extensive interior refurbishment was cut after the monorail project trended $1.7&nbsp;million above budget (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|1700000|1987}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} and was later reduced to new paneling and floorboards.<ref>{{cite news |last=Maier |first=Scott |date=November 10, 1987 |title=Monorail job $1.7 million over budget |page=B3 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 16, 1988 |title=Monorail service set to resume |page=D5 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The Westlake Center shopping mall was opened to the public on October&nbsp;20, 1988, with the new monorail terminal on the third floor used temporarily for one day before it closed for additional construction.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hunt |first=Judi |date=October 18, 1988 |title=Officials promise Westlake Center will open on time, finished or not |page=C1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> Several days before the scheduled opening, engineers discovered the west track was {{convert|2|in|mm|sigfig=1|spell=in}} too close to the platform and mall building, preventing its use.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gorlick |first1=Arthur C. |date=October 20, 1988 |title=A tight spot for monorail: Surprise, surprise! It's 2 inches too close to the Westlake Center |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The discovery was made when a retractable boarding ramp at the terminal scratched the blue train during a test run; a hinge pin that failed to fold properly was identified as the cause for the misalignment.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Polly |date=October 20, 1988 |title=Westlake Center station proves tight fit: It scratched the monorail |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The ramp was fixed in November, but other technical glitches and extended safety testing delayed the opening of the new terminal station for four months.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wallace |first=James |date=November 11, 1988 |title=Monorail project back on track – Westlake Center platform fixed, but waterfall plans spring leak |page=B2 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wallace |first=James |date=January 13, 1989 |title=Engineers still on a glitch-hunt at Westlake Center monorail station |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The new Westlake Center monorail terminal opened on February 25, 1989, alongside the return of the red train to service.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 25, 1989 |title=Westlake monorail opening |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

In 1994, a private company replaced Metro Transit (later King County Metro) and the Seattle Center as the monorail's operator, signing a ten-year contract with the city.<ref name="Times-SMS94"/> Metro had previously provided drivers and maintained the trains, while the Seattle Center employed ticket-takers and janitorial staff.<ref>{{cite news |last=Angelos |first=Constantine |date=December 1, 1993 |title=Private monorail could bring city $74,000 in a year |page=B3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Near the northern end of the line, the [[Experience Music Project]] building (now the Museum of Pop Culture) was constructed over the monorail tracks from 1998 to 2000.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brady |first=Noel S. |date=May 5, 1998 |title=EMP challenge: turning sculpture into a building |url=https://www.djc.com/special/constequip98/10038832.htm |work=[[Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce]] |access-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-date=August 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805020013/http://www.djc.com/special/constequip98/10038832.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The building was designed so that the tracks would pass through a valley at the center of the structure, with windows from the exhibit spaces facing the guideway.<ref>{{cite news |last=Parvaz |first=D. |date=September 2, 1999 |title=A new level of experience: Paul Allen's high-tech rock 'n' roll museum is really taking shape |page=E1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Nance |first=Darrell |date=June 15, 2000 |title=How to drive a monorail through the EMP |url=https://www.djc.com/special/emp2000/monorail.html |work=Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce |access-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-date=March 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302062606/https://www.djc.com/special/emp2000/monorail.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The monorail tracks and vehicles were declared a [[historic landmark]] by the [[Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board]] in April 2003 amid plans to demolish or replace the line as part of a [[Seattle Monorail Project|citywide monorail expansion]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Murakami |first=Kery |date=April 17, 2003 |title=Monorail is declared historic |page=B2 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Old-monorail-is-declared-historic-ugly-columns-1112458.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 5, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303213131/http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Old-monorail-is-declared-historic-ugly-columns-1112458.php |url-status=live }}</ref> In July, the city council passed the landmark ordinance to provide protections to the two Alweg trains, but excluded the guideway to support its reuse for the expansion project.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murakami |first1=Kery |last2=Hadley |first2=Jane |date=August 5, 2003 |title=Monorail to ride into the sunset |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Monorail-to-ride-into-the-sunset-1120972.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=March 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200302063851/https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Monorail-to-ride-into-the-sunset-1120972.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

The monorail began a long-term closure on March&nbsp;16, 2020, due to decreased demand amid the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in the Seattle area.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 16, 2020 |title=Effective March 16, 2020 at 7pm, Monorail Temporarily Closed |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/events-and-news/march-2020-closure/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |access-date=March 16, 2020 |archive-date=April 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401230637/https://www.seattlemonorail.com/events-and-news/march-2020-closure/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> It reopened on May&nbsp;28 with limited service and suspension of cash ticket sales, but was closed again over the weekend because of [[George Floyd protests|protest activity]] in Downtown Seattle.<ref>{{cite news |last=Charles |first=Alfred |date=May 29, 2020 |title=Seattle's iconic monorail service, halted because of COVID-19, running again |url=https://komonews.com/news/local/seattles-iconic-monorail-service-halted-because-of-covid-19-running-again |publisher=KOMO News |access-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-date=May 29, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529210648/https://komonews.com/news/local/seattles-iconic-monorail-service-halted-because-of-covid-19-running-again |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 27, 2020 |title=Seattle Center Monorail Reopening Information |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/events-and-news/monorail-reopening-info/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |access-date=May 30, 2020 |archive-date=June 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615174504/https://www.seattlemonorail.com/events-and-news/monorail-reopening-info/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Ridership in 2020 declined to 300,000 total, approximately 15&nbsp;percent of the 2019 total.<ref name="Times-Ridership23">{{cite news |last=Kroman |first=David |date=May 24, 2023 |title=Seattle monorail rides the Kraken wave to higher ridership |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-monorail-rides-the-kraken-wave-to-higher-ridership/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=January 25, 2024}}</ref>

===Station expansions===

The monorail was integrated into the regional fare system in October 2019 with the acceptance of mobile tickets and later the ORCA card.<ref name="Times-ORCA2019"/><ref name="PI-ORCA2019"/> As part of preparations for the opening of [[Climate Pledge Arena]] in 2021 at the renovated KeyArena for a [[National Hockey League]] team (later named the [[Seattle Kraken]]), Seattle Monorail Services announced a renovation of the monorail terminals in February 2020 to handle larger crowds. The Westlake Center terminal was to be expanded to accommodate 6,000 people per hour with new fare gates and [[ticket vending machines]] for ORCA cards and tickets. The NHL team would also fund free transit passes for attendees before and after games to reduce the number of car trips to the arena.<ref>{{cite news |last=Groover |first=Heidi |date=February 25, 2020 |title=Free transit passes, monorail improvements aim to entice Seattle hockey fans to leave their cars at home |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/free-transit-passes-monorail-improvements-aim-to-entice-seattle-hockey-fans-to-leave-their-cars-at-home/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226040920/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/free-transit-passes-monorail-improvements-aim-to-entice-seattle-hockey-fans-to-leave-their-cars-at-home/ |url-status=live }}</ref> A proposed second phase of the expansion program would have included a covered walkway and second entrance at the Westlake Center terminal with access from the Pine Street plaza and the transit tunnel station, but it was later abandoned.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=June 5, 2018 |title=Station expansions can double Seattle monorail capacity, new report says |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/station-expansions-can-double-seattle-monorail-capacity-new-report-says/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226040929/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/station-expansions-can-double-seattle-monorail-capacity-new-report-says/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Times-Remodel21">{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=April 5, 2021 |title=Monorail remodel gets underway before the release of the Kraken hockey team at Seattle Center |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/monorail-remodel-gets-underway-before-the-release-of-the-kraken-hockey-team-at-seattle-center/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=April 7, 2021}}</ref> NHL Seattle, the Kraken's ownership group, also announced that it would purchase a 50&nbsp;percent stake in Seattle Monorail Services.<ref>{{cite news |last=Merten |first=Paxtyn |date=February 25, 2020 |title=NHL Seattle becomes part owner of monorail operations firm |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2020/02/25/nhl-seattle-becomes-part-owner-of-monorail.html |work=[[Puget Sound Business Journal]] |access-date=March 1, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120135224/https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2020/02/25/nhl-seattle-becomes-part-owner-of-monorail.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Construction on the remodeled stations began in April 2021 with the demolition of the station interiors,<ref name="Times-Remodel21"/> which required a full suspension of monorail service for several weeks.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 23, 2021 |title=Temporary Closure for Construction: April 12–May 5, 2021 |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/events-and-news/temp-closure-construction-april-12-30-2021/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |access-date=July 12, 2021}}</ref> Another month-long closure began in September to finish construction of the expanded Westlake terminal ahead of the first arena events in late October.<ref>{{cite news |last=Day |first=Dalton |date=September 10, 2021 |title=Seattle's Monorail is still here, and it's taking you to Climate Pledge Arena |url=https://mynorthwest.com/3139814/seattles-monorail-is-still-here-and-its-taking-you-to-climate-pledge-arena/ |work=MyNorthwest.com |access-date=October 5, 2021}}</ref> The monorail reopened on October 11, 2021, with work completed on the renovated Westlake Center terminal, which is planned to handle up to 3,000 passengers per hour during events. The project was primarily funded by $6.6&nbsp;million in private spending and a $5.5&nbsp;million grant from the Federal Transit Administration. The Seattle Center terminal is planned to be renovated at a later date.<ref name="Times-Renovation2021"/>

Since the opening of Climate Pledge Arena, monorail ridership has recovered to its pre-pandemic levels with more use outside of the peak tourist season.<ref name="Times-Ridership23"/> On June 29, 2023, a set of 16 monorail columns on 5th Avenue between Olive Way and Vine Street were painted with portraits of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) players and local sports fans. The murals by artist Brady Black were commissioned by tourism agency [[Visit Seattle]] to celebrate the [[2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2023 MLB All-Star Game]], which Seattle hosted in July. Black and several volunteers painted the portraits onto mural cloth and transferred them to vinyl to be installed by crane on the columns.<ref>{{cite news |last=Grossman |first=Sophie |date=July 3, 2023 |title=The story behind Seattle monorail pillars' MLB All-Star murals |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/visual-arts/the-story-behind-seattle-monorail-pillars-mlb-all-star-murals/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=July 5, 2023}}</ref> An additional 14 columns were decorated in 2024 with [[linocut]] artwork from local students that depict local events and attractions in Seattle.<ref>{{cite web |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Monorail Column Mural Project |url=https://www.seattlemonorail.com/monorail-murals/ |work=Seattle Center Monorail |accessdate=June 27, 2024}}</ref>

==Expansion proposals==

The monorail has been the subject of several expansion proposals, with the primary goal of expanding it into a citywide rapid transit system. In 1961, businessman Ben B. Ehrlichman proposed that the then-unfinished monorail be extended north to [[Alderwood Manor, Washington|Alderwood Manor]] or [[Mountlake Terrace, Washington|Mountlake Terrace]] and south towards [[Seattle–Tacoma International Airport]], [[Kent, Washington|Kent]], and [[Renton, Washington|Renton]]. The initial system would have cost $60&nbsp;million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|60000000|1961}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} while a second line serving the [[Eastside (King County, Washington)|Eastside]] region would be built separately using a new [[Pontoon bridge|floating bridge]].<ref name="Times-Expansion61"/> Former Seattle Transit System manager Marmion D. Mills proposed his own monorail system in 1963 that would connect Seattle to Mountlake Terrace, Kent and the airport. Mills argued that a conventional subway system would be too expensive for Seattle and that the other alternative would be an expanded [[freeway]] network.<ref>{{cite news |last=Miletich |first=Matt |date=February 24, 1963 |title=Seattle's Dreams of a Monorail System |pages=12–13 |work=Charmed Life Magazine, The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The [[Forward Thrust]] program included a ballot measure that would build a conventional rapid transit system serving [[King County, Washington|King County]] with federal funding, but voters rejected it in 1968 and 1970.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kershner |first=Jim |year=2019 |title=Transit: The Story of Public Transportation in the Puget Sound Region |pages=71–75 |publisher=HistoryLink, Documentary Media |isbn=9781933245553 |oclc=1084619121}}</ref> The designers of the rapid transit proposal considered extending the monorail across a regional network, but found it would not have the capacity or flexibility provided by conventional trains.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 8, 1968 |title=Forward Thrust Forum: Monorail Presents Problems |page=3 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> In 1976, ABAM Engineers drew up a regional monorail plan for the [[Puget Sound Council of Governments]], the regional planning authority. The firm, which designed the [[Walt Disney World Monorail System]] in Florida and several [[automated people mover]] systems for U.S. airports, envisioned an {{convert|83|mi|km|adj=mid}} network with 41 stations and 700 monorail vehicles that would cost $500&nbsp;million to build (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|500000000|1976}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Rowe |first=Cliff |date=February 23, 1976 |title=Not now; maybe later? |page=A13 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The PSCOG did not submit the proposal for further consideration.<ref name="Times-Plan79">{{cite news |last=Reiner |first=Cathy |date=August 8, 1979 |title=Rapid-transit plan rises from the dust |page=H1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The city government announced its own plan in 1970 to extend the monorail to a parking garage on [[Mercer Street (Seattle)|Mercer Street]] near the site of a [[Kingdome|proposed stadium]], but it was shelved after a different site was chosen for the stadium.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 13, 1970 |title=City to Offer Traffic Plan |page=A9 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Rockne |first=Dick |date=July 26, 1970 |title=Stadium Proposal Resubmitted |page=C5 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The Seattle city government commissioned a new study in 1979 to examine improvements to the monorail system, including a closed loop around the Seattle Center campus and an [[infill station]] in the [[Denny Regrade, Seattle|Denny Regrade]] neighborhood.<ref name="Times-Plan79"/> A full conversion into an automated people mover with smaller vehicles was also studied as part of the improvement program.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 18, 1977 |title=City wants Metro OK of Monorail extension |page=A9 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lane |first=Bob |date=January 6, 1978 |title=People mover: Seattle invited to seek planning grant for Monorail |page=B2 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The [[1970s energy crisis]] and subsequent availability of federal funding for transit projects sparked a revived interest in the monorail, but the Urban Mass Transit Administration rejected the Seattle proposals.<ref name="Times-Feature1982"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Fancher |first=Michael R. |date=March 1, 1979 |title=Monorail perks planners' interest again |page=B5 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

===ETC and Seattle Monorail Project===
{{see also|Seattle Monorail Project}}

The [[Sound Transit|Regional Transit Authority]] (later Sound Transit) was formed in 1993 to create a regional [[light rail]] plan that was ratified by voters in November 1996. Taxi driver Dick Falkenbury conceived a separate proposal in 1996 to build a citywide monorail system and submitted a [[ballot initiative]] after a signature-gathering campaign.<ref>{{cite news |last=McDermott |first=Terry |date=July 4, 1996 |title=A gridlocked city could take the monorail to new lengths |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> Falkenbury's proposal envisioned an X-shaped system with service from Downtown Seattle to [[Ballard, Seattle|Ballard]], [[Lake City, Seattle|Lake City]], the [[Rainier Valley, Seattle|Rainier Valley]], and [[West Seattle]], which would cost $850&nbsp;million to construct (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|850000000|1996}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Godden |first=Jean |date=November 8, 1996 |title=Monorail X plan is still RTA plan B |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Modie |first=Neil |date=November 14, 1996 |title=Monorail extension up for vote |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> 53&nbsp;percent of voters approved the monorail plan, named Initiative&nbsp;41, in a general election on November&nbsp;4, 1997, creating the Elevated Transportation Company (ETC) to seek financing.<ref name="HL-1997">{{cite news |last=Crowley |first=Walt |date=April 14, 2003 |title=Seattle voters approve Initiative 41 Monorail plan on November 4, 1997. |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/2525 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=March 3, 2020 |archive-date=December 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218052701/https://www.historylink.org/File/2525 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The city government appointed a board for the ETC (later renamed the Seattle Monorail Project) and funded early planning work, but did not agree to fund a $4&nbsp;million feasibility study in 2000.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murakami |first1=Kery |last2=Foster |first2=George |date=May 31, 2000 |title=City council kills monorail vote |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The original monorail initiative was repealed and replaced by a new plan approved by voters in November 2000, which included $6&nbsp;million for a study.<ref>{{cite news |last=Garber |first=Andrew |date=November 9, 2000 |title=Voters seem ready to hop on buses and monorail |page=B7 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The first corridor, the {{convert|14|mi|km|adj=mid}} "Green Line" from West Seattle to Ballard, was estimated to cost $1.75&nbsp;billion; a [[motor vehicle excise tax]] would fund it. The tax was adopted through a ballot measure that voters narrowly approved in the November 2002 election, creating the Seattle Popular Monorail Authority to manage the program.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 24, 2002 |title=Follow the Green Line: SPMA gears up for building the 14-mile, $1.75 billion system |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The monorail project initially attracted two bids led by [[Hitachi Monorail|Hitachi]] and [[Bombardier Innovia Monorail|Bombardier]], but both pulled out in April 2004 over cost concerns and the availability of local contractors.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=April 19, 2004 |title=Monorail team hit by firms' pullout |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-team-hit-by-firms-pullout-1142684.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321055219/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-team-hit-by-firms-pullout-1142684.php |url-status=live }}</ref> The project was stymied by tax revenue that was lower than expected and design changes to keep construction costs within the proposed budget and open by 2009—a two-year delay from the original plan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Skolnik |first=Sam |date=July 15, 2004 |title=Monorail opening is delayed |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-opening-is-delayed-1149372.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321055220/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-opening-is-delayed-1149372.php |url-status=live }}</ref> A [[Recall election|recall measure]] on the November 2004 ballot aimed to prevent monorail construction, but voters rejected it, allowing the expansion project to continue.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=November 3, 2004 |title=Monorail recall: Support lines up for monorail |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Support-lines-up-for-monorail-1158377.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321055218/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Support-lines-up-for-monorail-1158377.php |url-status=live }}</ref> The monorail operator reached a tentative agreement with Cascadia Monorail to build the system in June 2005 but had not published the full financial analysis required by the city government before construction was permitted to begin.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=June 3, 2005 |title=Monorail agency reaches a deal with builders |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-agency-reaches-a-deal-with-builders-1175090.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321055218/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-agency-reaches-a-deal-with-builders-1175090.php |url-status=live }}</ref> A revised cost estimate of $11&nbsp;billion, including debt payments until 2050, was unveiled later that month and withdrawn by the Seattle Monorail Project after public criticism from elected officials.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hadley |first=Jane |date=July 1, 2005 |title=Monorail financing plan killed |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-financing-plan-killed-1177395.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321055219/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-financing-plan-killed-1177395.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

The monorail project, including a $4.9&nbsp;billion financing plan for a {{convert|10|mi|km|adj=mid}} line, was abandoned after a fifth ballot initiative in November 2005, when 64&nbsp;percent of voters rejected it.{{sfnp|Kershner|2019|pages=144–145}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=October 25, 2005 |title=Short monorail to cost $4 billion to $5 billion |page=B1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref> The Seattle Monorail Project was formally dissolved in January 2008, having spent $124.7&nbsp;million on planning and property acquisition.<ref>{{cite news |last=Murakami |first=Kery |date=January 17, 2008 |title=Monorail agency officially dissolves; cost taxpayers $125 million |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-agency-officially-dissolves-cost-1262011.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321055325/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-agency-officially-dissolves-cost-1262011.php |url-status=live }}</ref> The "Green Line" corridor from West Seattle to Ballard was later included as a light rail project in the [[Sound Transit 3]] ballot measure, which was passed by voters in 2016.<ref name="Times-LightRail">{{cite news |last=Baruchman |first=Michelle |date=January 7, 2021 |title=Cost of building light rail to West Seattle, Ballard is much higher than first estimated |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/cost-of-building-light-rail-to-west-seattle-ballard-is-much-higher-than-first-estimated/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref> The light rail line, scheduled to open in the 2030s, incorporated some elements from the monorail plan into its early project feasibility studies.<ref name="Times-LightRail"/><ref>{{cite web |date=February 2018 |title=West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions: Summary of Previous Studies and Plans |pages=13–14 |url=https://www.soundtransit.org/sites/default/files/project-documents/west-seattle-ballard-link-summary-of-previous-plans-studies.pdf |publisher=Sound Transit |access-date=March 4, 2021}}</ref>

==Accidents and incidents==
[[File:SeattleMonorailAccident.jpg|thumb|right|Aftermath of the November 2005 collision near the Westlake Center terminal in Downtown Seattle|alt=Nighttime view of two monorail cars that collided with each other on a gauntlet track]]

On October&nbsp;20, 1962, the penultimate day of the Century&nbsp;21 Exposition, the red train struck a [[Buffer stop|bumper stop]] at the Westlake terminal—the first accident on the monorail system. None of the 400 passengers were injured, but the train's window and nose were damaged, requiring a patch and two hours of repairs before returning to service.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 21, 1962 |title=Loaded Monorail Train Hits Bumper |page=12 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The red train was damaged in a similar manner on August&nbsp;14, 1963, striking the Westlake terminal's bumper while on a test run after the first set of brakes failed.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 15, 1963 |title=Bumper Bumped: Repairs Rushed on Monorail Train Damaged in Crash |page=31 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

The first major accident involving the monorail occurred on July&nbsp;25, 1971, when a brake failure on the red train caused it to strike a girder at the end of the track in the Seattle Center terminal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stover |first1=Ed |last2=Works |first2=Martin |date=July 26, 1971 |title=Monorail Crashes At The Center, 27 Injured |page=1 |url=https://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/files/2011/07/1971-Monorail-crash-story-P-I-300-dpi.pdf |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=March 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316103007/http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/files/2011/07/1971-Monorail-crash-story-P-I-300-dpi.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The train struck the girder at {{convert|15 to 20|mph|kph|abbr=on}}, injuring 26 of 40 passengers.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Phil |date=December 1, 2005 |title=Monorail crashes into steel girder at Seattle Center injuring 26, on July 25, 1971. |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/7561 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=April 12, 2011 |archive-date=October 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019085654/http://www.historylink.org/File/7561 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Henderson |first=Paul |date=July 26, 1971 |title=26 hurt as Monorail train crashes |page=A1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The red train was lifted off the track and moved to a Seattle Transit System maintenance facility in August for a complete rebuild of the front car at a cost of $100,000 (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US-GDP|100000|1971|r=-3|fmt=c}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars).{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} This was completed in June 1973 with the help of translated [[blueprints]] from Alwac.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 6, 1973 |title=Monorail's red train goes back on track |page=B4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=April 30, 1972 |title=Red Monorail train may be out til September |page=B6 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> One maintenance worker was killed during the repairs after falling into a pit under the vehicle.<ref>{{cite news |date=March 10, 1972 |title=Mechanic hurt in Monorail fall, dies |page=A14 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref>

A similar incident on the blue train occurred on May&nbsp;21, 1979, injuring 15 people at the Seattle Center terminal. The monorail's brake system was not found to be at fault, but the disabling of the onboard speed control system was criticized by city officials.<ref>{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Wendy |date=May 23, 1979 |title=Monorail brake system to be inspected |page=A14 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Gilmore |first=Susan |date=June 8, 1979 |title=Monorail speed-control device designed, never used |page=A6 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The monorail struck a bumper at the temporary downtown terminal on August&nbsp;27, 1987, causing no injuries but breaking the glass window, which fell onto a parked car below. The incident was later blamed on driver error.<ref>{{cite news |last=Morrow |first=Theresa |date=August 28, 1987 |title=Bang! Monorail hits wall with shower of glass |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=September 5, 1987 |title=Metro blames driver for monorail accident |page=A1 |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer}}</ref>

On May&nbsp;31, 2004, a fire broke out on the blue train as it passed through the Experience Music Project with 150 people aboard; eight suffered minor injuries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Turnbull |first=Lornet |date=June 1, 2004 |title=Fire shuts down monorail; riders flee smoke-filled train |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20040601&slug=monorailfire01m |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=March 5, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120135306/https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20040601&slug=monorailfire01m |url-status=live }}</ref> Passengers were evacuated using ladders deployed by the [[Seattle Fire Department]] to the red train, which traveled back to the Seattle Center terminal. The fire was determined to have been caused by a snapped [[drive shaft]] that damaged a [[current collector|collector shoe]], which began to [[short circuit]]. The electric current melted through the shoe's aluminum housing and arced, causing sparks that ignited the undercarriage's grease and oil, creating a fire that entered the interior and ignited the seat cushions.<ref name="HL-Fire04">{{cite web |last=Burrows |first=Alyssa |date=July 10, 2005 |title=Fire halts the Seattle Monorail's "blue train" and passengers are evacuated on May 31, 2004. |url=https://historylink.org/File/7369 |work=HistoryLink |access-date=March 5, 2020 |archive-date=March 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328165635/https://www.historylink.org/File/7369 |url-status=live }}</ref> The red train re-entered service on December&nbsp;16, while the blue train returned on May&nbsp;2, 2005, after extensive repairs.<ref name="HL-Fire04"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=December 17, 2004 |title=The old monorail rides again |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/The-old-Monorail-rides-again-1162203.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 5, 2020 |archive-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128141428/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/The-old-Monorail-rides-again-1162203.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

The two monorail trains clipped one another on the curve above 5th&nbsp;Avenue and Olive Way near the Westlake Center terminal on November&nbsp;26, 2005, at around 7:10&nbsp;p.m. The southbound blue train's driver caused the collision when they failed to yield while entering a gauntlet track north of Westlake created by the 1988 renovation.<ref name="Times-Hazard05"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=November 29, 2005 |title=Monorail's two trains pulled apart by crane |page=B4 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The two trains carried 84 passengers who were evacuated using firetruck ladders, including two people hospitalized with minor injuries.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Phillips |first1=Cheryl |author-link=Cheryl Phillips (journalist)|last2=Lindblom |first2=Mike |last3=Carter |first3=Mike |date=November 27, 2005 |title=Monorail trains collide |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/20051127/monorail27m/monorail-trains-collide |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303212947/http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20051127&slug=monorail27m |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=April 12, 2011}}</ref> Within a week, the trains were separated and towed via crane to the Seattle Center terminal to undergo extensive repairs that cost $4.64&nbsp;million (${{Format price|{{Inflation|US-GDP|4640000|2006}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}} dollars),{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}} funded through an insurance payout and contributions from the federal government and the private monorail operator.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=January 4, 2006 |title=Monorail damage more than just dents |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-damage-more-than-just-dents-1191815.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=April 12, 2011 |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812050030/http://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Monorail-damage-more-than-just-dents-1191815.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=April 5, 2006 |title=Monorail needs TLC to tune of $15 million |page=B1 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> Instead of using a traditional contractor, the [[Seattle Opera]] props department constructed a new set of nine aluminum doors—eight for the red train and one for the blue train—at their Renton warehouse.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lindblom |first=Mike |date=May 19, 2006 |title=Unlikely monorail-door maker: the opera |page=A1 |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20060519&slug=operamonorail19m |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120135324/https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=20060519&slug=operamonorail19m |url-status=live }}</ref> The monorail was expected to resume service on July 18, 2006, but problems found during last minute testing delayed the resumption of service to August&nbsp;11.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lange |first=Larry |date=July 18, 2006 |title=Monorail buildup becomes letdown over safety issues |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Monorail-buildup-becomes-letdown-over-safety-1209256.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120135307/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Monorail-buildup-becomes-letdown-over-safety-1209256.php |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Phuong Cat Le |date=August 12, 2006 |title=Seattle Center key attraction back in action: Monorail again on track |page=B1 |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Seattle-Center-Monorail-back-in-action-1211525.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |access-date=March 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120135216/https://www.seattlepi.com/local/transportation/article/Seattle-Center-Monorail-back-in-action-1211525.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

On July 31, 2023, a male 14-year-old from [[Phoenix, Arizona]], was fatally struck by the monorail near the intersection of 5th Avenue and Denny Way around 9:00{{nbsp}}p.m.<ref>{{cite news |last=Phair |first=Vonnai |date=July 31, 2023 |title=14-year-old struck, killed by Seattle monorail |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/man-struck-killed-by-seattle-monorail/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sepulveda |first=Laura Daniella |date=August 7, 2023 |title='He had his whole life ahead of him': Mother mourns Phoenix teen killed by monorail in Seattle |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2023/08/07/mother-mourns-phoenix-teen-killed-by-monorail-in-seattle/70545887007/ |work=[[The Arizona Republic]] |url-access=subscription |accessdate=August 16, 2023}}</ref> According to the [[Seattle Police Department]], security footage showed he had been [[Tagging (graffiti)|tagging]] an adjacent building from a roof when he was struck, which caused him to fall.<ref>{{cite news |last=Goodwillie |first=Kristin |date=August 3, 2023 |title=Mother of teen struck, killed by Seattle monorail speaks out |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/mother-of-teen-struck-killed-by-monorail-speaks-out/281-bb4da146-63cd-44c3-a82c-f3fb46332e7c |publisher=[[KING-TV|KING 5 News]] |access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>

==In popular culture==

Along with the Space Needle, the Seattle Center Monorail is considered an iconic landmark of the city of Seattle and is among the most popular [[tourist attraction]]s in the state.<ref name="NYT-2006"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Van Bronkhorst |first=Erin |date=August 26, 2013 |title=List: The 25 most attractive tourist attractions in Washington |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/08/23/the-list-top-tourist-attractions-in.html |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |access-date=March 11, 2020 |archive-date=July 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719052707/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/08/23/the-list-top-tourist-attractions-in.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It was featured in the 1963 musical film ''[[It Happened at the World's Fair]]'', which starred [[Elvis Presley]] and was filmed during the Century&nbsp;21 Exposition.<ref name="Times-40th"/> The monorail and Space Needle were depicted on the cover of ''[[Life (magazine)|Life]]'' magazine and on commemorative stamps and coins issued during the world's fair in 1962.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 15, 1962 |title=Space Needle, Monorail Are On Seattle World's Fair Stamp |page=19 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 3, 1962 |title=National Magazine Again Features Fair |page=A |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> The [[Monorail Espresso]] coffeehouse was named in honor of the monorail and originally began under the Westlake terminal in 1980 as the first downtown [[Food cart|coffee cart]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kugiya |first=Hugo |date=April 28, 1996 |title=Downtown fax |page=24 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Allison |first=Melissa |date=February 23, 2010 |title=Last call for coffee carts |page=A1 |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/one-sidewalk-coffee-stand-left-in-seattle-year-round/ |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=March 7, 2020 |archive-date=March 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324061338/https://www.seattletimes.com/business/one-sidewalk-coffee-stand-left-in-seattle-year-round/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Transportation in Seattle]]
* [[List of monorail systems]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |author=University of Washington Civil Engineering Department |date=October 1962 |title=Seattle Monorail: A Mass Transportation Demonstration Study |publisher=[[Housing and Home Finance Agency]] |url=https://cdm16118.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15015coll3/id/139 |via=Seattle Public Library Special Collections Online |access-date=March 6, 2020}}
* {{cite report |url=https://archive.org/details/engineeringstudy00kais/ |title=Engineering Study: Seattle Monorail |author1=Keiser, Charles E. |author2=Anthon, Harold S. |author3=Wolf, Carl W. |author4=Keevil, Charles |author5=Gaul, Dave Q. |date=August 1963 |publisher=Chicago Transit Authority |access-date=January 18, 2022}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML}}
* {{Commons category-inline|Seattle Center Monorail}}
* [https://www.seattlemonorail.com/ Official website]

{{USpplmver}}
{{Puget Sound Transit}}
{{Seattle Center}}
{{Portal bar|1960s|Architecture|Trains}}
{{Authority control}}

{{featured article}}

[[Category:1962 establishments in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Alweg people movers]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Century 21 Exposition]]
[[Category:Landmarks in Seattle]]
[[Category:Monorails in the United States]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1962]]
[[Category:Rapid transit in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Seattle Center]]
[[Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Seattle]]
[[Category:Transportation in Seattle]]
[[Category:World's fair architecture in Seattle]]
[[Category:Metro lines with only two stations]]