New Poll: Worst Rail Project in Planning

Thanks for all the input. It seems like we have a few projects that are pretty bad. Again I'm not going to let you choose more than one. You have to choose what you think is the worst. So here are the contestants based on feedback. I added in two specifically nefarious BRT projects as well.

BART to San Jose
NJ Access to the Regions Core
LIRR East Side Access Project
San Francisco Central Subway
Montreal Train de l'est
LA Gold Line to Montclair
Toronto Spadina Extension
NY Subway 7 Line Extension
Metro to Dulles (Silver Line)
MBTA BRT Silver Line Phase 3
US 36 Denver BRT
Miami Metrorail North
Anacostia Streetcar

So those are the list. Usual week for voting applies. Vote for Other if there is a project not listed.

Space Race Poll Result: Dallas Fort Worth Region

So it looks like we have a winner. You all believe that the next region to up the ante in the Space Race will be Dallas/Fort Worth. Now my North Texas friends will kill me for not putting Fort Worth in the poll with Dallas, but we all know which city is cooler. It looks though like the Norfolk region was a close second. It will be interesting to see what happens there as well.

So the new poll will be up soon.

The Next Poll: Bad Rail Projects

So these polls seem to be popular. I think the next one will rank the worst rail or fixed guideway projects that are in planning. But you all have to help me out and list some in the comments so I can put them in the poll. The current poll ends tomorrow so vote up if you haven't already.

Tolls Would Pay for BRT

Does anyone feel like if they tolled downtown San Francisco, that BRT would be able to carry the load on Geary that would swell with new riders? It already seems like a sardine tin. I hope Tom's comments pertain also to Geary, not just the Muni Metro tunnel.

Drivers interviewed said that better transit service will be necessary if the plan is to work. Tom Radulovich, a BART director from San Francisco, told the board that trains are already crowded and urged investments in BART and Muni Metro as part of the plan.

"We've already reached our design capacity," he said, "and are going to need to make investments in expanding rail capacity."

Do You Have Friends in Cul De Sacs?

They probably have lots of friends! According to a study in the UK, the less traffic you have, the more friends you have.

Expanding or Contracting?

Two articles in two separate Denver papers paint somewhat different pictures of what is going on with the Fastracks program. One discusses the exponential cost increases that have occured on the Northwest rail line. The usual libertarians are given a voice are calling for the line to be cancelled because in their view it was a worthless investment anyway. Losing out on direct transportation from the center of cities is not a proposition the proponents want to consider, since they had hoped to develop centers around the stations, something the opponents don't think is important. It shows thier true colors really. They don't believe that climate change is a problem and they don't really believe in the true conservative idea of saving infrastructure money by building centers instead of furthe sprawl.

Instead, Calongne says, the debate centers less on transportation and more on lost opportunities for development near rail stations. "If there's no train, then a train won't go through downtown Louisville or the south part of Westminster," she said. "That's what this is about." Officials agree that's a big part of the push for rail. "

FasTracks allows all of us to develop our urban centers," said Louisville Mayor Chuck Sisk. "Transit-oriented development keeps our population densities in the core areas," he said. "We made choices not to expand and grow our population outward, and this transit piece is the important part of growing and developing our cities."

But then there is the other article from the Denver Post. It states that the cost projections are all messed up by the global economic slowdown. Sure sales taxes have taken a hit, but so have commodity prices.

Pointing to the volatility of some commodity prices, Heimowitz presented a chart showing the price of steel (using an index cost of 100 for January 2001 as the base) bouncing from 252 last year to a high of 507 in June before tumbling to 384 in September, 257 in October and 144 on Nov. 14. "People were completely apoplectic about the price of steel four months ago," Heimowitz said, "and here we are, it's a whole other world."

If it continues this way, it could be a real boost to the program and lower construction costs, especially since fuel costs are down. And a stimulus boost would probably help even more, getting these projects moving faster. So what will happen? It would be nice to say that things will continue to go down, but we know that is bad for the overall economy. Perhaps some simple balance of the two would be best. But for now, we'll have to wait and see the true effect.

Amtrak Names New Chief

Got the news today that Amtrak named a new CEO, Joseph Boardman. It seems like he has rail experience but much of it recently has been with the Federal Railroad Administration. They haven't been too accommodating or friendly to passenger rail lately, especially light rail lines that run next to freight. They have also been averse to DMU commuter lines such as in Austin.

Much has been written about this and I'll refer you to this article by Light Rail Now! on the FRA's past and current issues with passenger rail. All first impressions lead me to believe that Boardman will be good, but we'll know when we get there. Perhaps the Kerry bill will push folks forward as well.

More Savannah Streetcar

I received this comment from Gary L. (Maybe this Gary L?) on the last Savannah post tonight but thought it would be of interest to everyone.

Savannah first began talking about a streetcar on River Street when the waterfront was rebuilt in 1975. They actually acquired the former Norfolk Southern freight branch trackage in 2001. About that same time they bought Melbourne W-5 car 756 from Gale Creek Enterprises. The car was delivered back to Savannah on Wednesday afternoon Novemeber 19th. It unloaded itself under power off of the trailer onto tracks at the Roundhouse Museum.

Training of motormen will take place next week, with operations on River Street to start around December 10th.

This is to our knowledge the only self powered hybrid streetcar in existence. It is 21st century technology packed in a 62 year old body. It can accelerate as fast as a PCC car and has been set up with a top speed of 28 mph. This is because on River Street it will not be save to travel even that fast. Tests so far have seen it use less than 1.5 gallons per hour.

It is fully ADA compatible with two wheelchair lifts installed in the stairwells.

Here's a video of the Melbourne vehicle:

Protect Traditional Sidewalk Values

Keep those freshman off the sidewalk!

H/T Americablog

Streetfighter!

Now that's the framing I like. I don't know if JSK is up on the list for Transportation Secretary, but she should be. I'd love to see her and Ma Peters in a match too. I suggest the read even if Dana Goldstein doesn't know what high speed rail is.