By ALEX SILVERMAN
KIRO Radio

Nearly 3 years ago, the South Lake Union streetcar made its first trip from Westlake Center to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.

"In 2008, we were estimating approximately 350,000 riders. We blew by that by a hundred thousand riders," said SDOT spokesman Rick Sheridan. "Ridership has been steadily rising since."

SDOT measures streetcar ridership using sensors above the doors that count heads as they board. In July, the system hit an all-time high with an average of 2,193 weekday boardings, more than double the estimated ridership when the streetcar was in its planning stages.

Sheridan says most of the usage is during the morning and afternoon rush hours. "It's not unusual to see the streetcar going by and wonder where the riders are," said Sheridan. "The numbers are strong, and will continue to grow as more businesses move into South Lake Union."

I took a ride on the streetcar during the afternoon rush to see for myself.

"I know a lot of people don't think so, but I think it's pretty great," said Taylor Hain, who rides the streetcar to work a few times a week. "The commuting hours, it's packed, like people are standing room only."

It wasn't quite that full, but as the trolley turned down Westlake Avenue, a steady stream of passengers bustled on and off. "The last couple of months there's been a lot more people riding the train," said one rider, sitting atop his bike in the center of the car.

"I think it's just great," said another. They all claimed to have paid, but I had to take their word for it.

"It's the honor system," said Sheridan. "You're supposed to buy a ticket." King County Metro Transit enforcement officers patrol the cars, according to Sheridan, but I didn't observe any ticket checks.

The SLU line has been so popular, Sheridan said, another streetcar line is planned, linking First Hill, Capitol Hill, and the International District. "An alignment has been selected, and at this point we're working on design."

Katie Gipson lives in the burgeoning South Lake Union neighborhood. "It adds character," she said. "But there are just as many buses to take you downtown."

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