tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post8697048248131345227..comments2024-01-12T00:32:20.149-08:00Comments on The Overhead Wire: United States Fixed Guideway Capital Costs EstimatedPantograph Trolleypolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-46270737070170631132008-10-29T12:48:00.000-07:002008-10-29T12:48:00.000-07:00I'm guessing the $248 billion is with the FTA mand...I'm guessing the $248 billion is with the FTA mandated inflation rate of 2.7% which is now causing most projects to cut costs to an extreme with the most basic platforms, maintenance facilities, etc. considering the construction cost inflation is in the 10-15% range. It will be over $500 billion by the time all of that gets built even if that happens in the next 10 years (if miracles are possible).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-35334054831195889562008-10-20T17:36:00.000-07:002008-10-20T17:36:00.000-07:00Boston's backlog:(1) A problem dating back over a ...Boston's backlog:<BR/>(1) A problem dating back over a century: the northern and southern long-distance rail terminals aren't connected.<BR/>(2) A problem dating back decades: the streetcar system was largely dismantled and needs to be reinstated through old, very high density neighborhoods. This is very expensive, though still a lot cheaper than the Silver Lie BRT proposals. The most important transit projects in Boston are the Green Line extensions to Somerville and Medford.<BR/>(3) A more recent and very common problem: there's a substantial deferred maintenance backlog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-25775610471070815602008-10-16T16:46:00.000-07:002008-10-16T16:46:00.000-07:00Thelonious, all cities in the US have underinveste...Thelonious, all cities in the US have underinvested in transit. The one that has invested the most, New York, still lags behind Europe and East Asia in transit modal share.Alon Levyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12195377309045184452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-90562443246262547832008-10-16T15:56:00.000-07:002008-10-16T15:56:00.000-07:00I'm still pissed that BRT is even being given legi...I'm still pissed that BRT is even being given legitimacy. Why aren't we like the Europeans? And why should we even spend the money on bus tunnels?<BR/><BR/>I'm still pissed that a "rapid bus" is counted as a "fixed guideway". It's not. Furthermore, there should not be any more busways. I know, because in these situations, I clearly prefer rail, not an imitation that's "rail on rubber tires" and "just like rail, but cheaper".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-9121652522881419462008-10-16T12:04:00.000-07:002008-10-16T12:04:00.000-07:00Yeah. The report says that $248 is just for expan...Yeah. The report says that $248 is just for expansion. It also states more is needed for rehabilitation and expanding bus services. I don't think we've even scratched the surface of how much is REALLY needed.Pantograph Trolleypolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-71279602822457637542008-10-16T11:57:00.000-07:002008-10-16T11:57:00.000-07:00I thought 5.7 Billion for Chicago is about what is...I thought 5.7 Billion for Chicago is about what is needed just to bring the CTA's current 100 year old L system up to a state of good repair. Don't they need twice that to even begin thinking about expansion?Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05795913506189517374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-64346914534649707512008-10-16T11:36:00.000-07:002008-10-16T11:36:00.000-07:00In the report Loren there is a comparison between ...In the report Loren there is a comparison between a highway project and a rail project that started at the same time. The road project is under construction and the rail project is still in alternatives analysis.Pantograph Trolleypolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-18817861902640855662008-10-16T11:35:00.000-07:002008-10-16T11:35:00.000-07:00Boston has plans on the books to build a connectio...Boston has plans on the books to build a connection between North and South Station under Boston but also plans for the Silver Line Busway tunnel. Those are two large projects they believe are needed but also cost a LOT.Pantograph Trolleypolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17833159138533550544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-192876870063264772008-10-16T10:52:00.000-07:002008-10-16T10:52:00.000-07:00Has anyone tried to compare the amount of process ...Has anyone tried to compare the amount of process demanded by the Federal Transit Agency to the amount demanded by the likes of the Federal Highway Agency?<BR/><BR/>With that sort of cumbersome process, it's not surprising that some transit-line builders have gone the earmark route, which makes them seem like pork barrel. John McCain famously got indignant as to how Minneapolis's Hiawatha Line got funded, which was partially by earmark.Lorenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13984896453534621864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-43367593335025164372008-10-16T08:35:00.000-07:002008-10-16T08:35:00.000-07:00Compare the due diligence for transit funding with...Compare the due diligence for transit funding with the due diligence for say... oil wars and bank bailouts.fpteditorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04620275872850435922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-38362644692573475682008-10-16T07:11:00.000-07:002008-10-16T07:11:00.000-07:00Note that $248 billion is just about one five-year...Note that $248 billion is just about one five-year highway bill. And yes, it'd definitely true that the FTA's long, complicated bureaucratic process often increases the cost of a project significantly by adding delays and lots of studies.crzwdjkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06394805356595604336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6609536178570975752.post-82534213672852370452008-10-16T06:58:00.000-07:002008-10-16T06:58:00.000-07:00I can understand why LA, Atlanta, and Seattle are ...I can understand why LA, Atlanta, and Seattle are so high on the list--they're large cities that have underinvested in mass transit in the past and need to expand their systems dramatically. But why is Boston so high up--#2, with $17b (is that number right?) in requests? That seems like it would translate into 3-5 new lines. Can that be right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com