Folks in Atlanta are looking at a massive transit program to build out their system called Concept 3, but how are they going to get $40 billion dollars?
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Congressman Oberstar has our back. He wants to spend more on transit, and if the highway junkies don't like it, tough.
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Ahem. Advocates are not split Boston Globe. We want transit, walking, and biking projects. There is no dichotomy of we have to build roads because they will create jobs and the other projects won't. That is complete and utter bs.
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Tunnel lovers just won't give up (I wish there was a tunnel). Shouldn't this project have been built years ago? Get it started already!
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The Cinci NAACP is opposing a streetcar project complaining about potholes in neighborhoods. Seems to me like they should be opposing all those suburban road projects. This is exactly how the Madison streetcar died, except that time, it was police coverage. The trade off shouldn't be transit or streets or police.
3 comments:
This quote in the Boston Globe article is a joke coming from AASHTO, which lobbies in Washington on behalf of *state*, not local officials: "voters and elected officials know better their special circumstances community by community than these self-appointed folks back here in Washington who are trying to decide things for them."
Most of the progressive transportation advocates would be happy to see communities be able to make decision for themselves, rather than have highway-happy state officials dictate the use of their funds! I know my state officials, who's offices are in far-flung suburbs and downstate Illinois, do not understand the transportation needs of my urban neighborhood in Chicago, as evidenced by their attempts to prescribe suburban-style streets regardless of the negative impact this approach has on neighborhood commerce or quality of life.
Please do bypass the state officials and give the transportation funds directly to the cities and towns so they can spend it on what they actually need. I'd challenge AASTO to put their money where their mouth is. Considering how out of touch they are, AASHTO would be surprised at how many localities would choose to spend the money on transit.
What's even more frustrating about the NAACP vote in Cincinnati is that it appears to be nothing more than an attention-grabbing effort on the local chapter's part. If it is not then I expect them to oppose every single roadway project that comes out of the capital budget for the City.
I just don't see how you can grow your city by attempting to simply maintain the status-quo. The NAACP should be more concerned with creating new job opportunities within the inner-city. Something that a streetcar system will do in terms of maintenance jobs, some light manufacturing, and of course the service jobs it provides. Roadway projects provide an initial temporary job and nothing more.
good to hear that from oberstar, he probably has more say than lahood
transit in cincinnati seems to have the worst luck, yet the city is pretty transit oriented and one of the few cities that still has a downtown shopping core which says something about the health of the downtown and inner city areas.
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