Some of the wildest threats and accusations were bandied about last week during three public hearings on the monorail and the contract that had become the flash point for all of those who have hated even the bare mention of the word "monorail."

The uncontrolled outrage of a third of each of the three meetings overshadowed those who remain in support of a monorail, just not the way its financing worked out. Still others seemed not to know what to think and often repeated individual problems of the monorail passing their homes or businesses.

Despite the obvious disaster of the $9 billion, 50-year financing plan cobbled together by former monorail Executive Director Joel Horn and board President Tom Weeks, the idea of a monorail soaring over clogged intersections still resonates with this newspaper.

That $9 billion interest bill, added to the $2 billion cost to actually build the monorail, became the $11 billion death sentence to the project as it was presented to the Seattle Monorail Project board and the public. The outrage was voiced at hearings planned in advance to hear particulars of the contract as tentatively agreed to by monorail and Cascadia Monorail Co.

We must point out that the angry, sometimes highly ill informed opponents to monorail, had no positive ideas other than to kill it.

"Turn this project down," said one. Another said he once supported it, but has "fallen out of love as time has gone on."

A very bellicose resident at the West Seattle hearing dramatically pointed to all the board members and staff on the stage, thundering "Someone is gonna be doing time behind bars."

Others made fun of the idea of financing a mass transit plan with a tax on automobile licenses. What will happen to car usage when "we hit $5, $6, $7 a gallon for gas," the man asked.

We still do not understand the bait-and-switch accusation of some residents. Yes, some specific changes were made, but no monorail official every promised the exact Green Line that was portrayed in artist drawings and general proposals. Once architects finish with lofty pillars and sweeping arcs of guideways, engineers then must deal with actual stresses and weights of cars moving on an elevated track.

The monorail board must do everything it can to find a new future. We believe that future should include a new bidding process, with additional bidders. Bombardier, which left the bidding process in a dispute with monorail, must be included in the new round of bidding.

A monorail is the absolute only way that West Seattle will ever get more than buses and cars stalled on Fauntleroy Way and every other jammed roadway and intersection. More cars and more buses are not the answer.

Sound Transit, with its street crossings, is just another way to clog roads and intersections.

That future is unacceptable, so get to work monorail board, and come up with an affordable plan and do it in double quick time. We are counting on you.