Poll Results: Stop the Silver Lie

Wow. You guys really don't like the Silver Line Phase 3 BRT project or as locals like to call it, the Silver Lie. I know its not a rail project but I thought it was an appropriate project to throw into the mix. Second was BART to San Jose and third was the San Francisco Central Subway which unfortunately for the project opponents got one step further to Federal Funding at the FTA with environmental clearance today.


I saw a few other poll ideas in the last poll series so I'll bring those up soon. I'll probably wait a few days as tonight is a pretty busy news night.

"A" Smart Switch

About a year ago when I heard that the A's were thinking about moving down to Hayward and far away from the BART station I thought they were crazy. Like location efficient housing where transportation was more expensive, they were just making their lives harder and profits smaller by deciding to locate so far away from the station. In fact they would have had to spend money on buses to bring people from the other side of the freeway to the stadium, or make their fans pay yet another fee to avoid the traffic.

Yet today they got a little smarter. I said a little because they were just talking about it instead of just doing it. Perhaps they were waiting for BART to San Jose to pass but this would really be a win win for everyone except of course the namesake of Oakland who loses the A's. As reported by SF Chron:

Here's a possible game changer - the Oakland A's will sit down this week with BART officials to discuss moving the team's proposed Fremont ballpark to within walking distance of the planned Warm Springs BART station.
...
Even Fremont Mayor and ballpark booster Bob Wasserman says he and his City Council colleagues "definitely" have to look at the idea, now that the tanking economy has forced the A's to put the rest of their "ballpark village" plan for 3,000 apartment and townhouses on ice.

Personally I think they should build the stadium on Broadway in Oakland along Auto Row. That whole area is just an explosion of redevelopment waiting to happen. Too many cars and too many parking lots on prime real estate. Anyone have money they can lend my development firm that doesn't exist yet???

Rail Advertisement Fail

Got a kick out of this one...

Paying the Rent

Insurance, depreciation and financing charges are major costs. "If you have two cars sitting in the garage, you can sell one for eight grand and that will help pay the mortgage,"

Who knew transit made money for you? The Washington Post has an article that in tone belays the shock that while gas prices are dropping, people are still taking transit. There are many who have known the benefits for years. It's like finding Narnia or something for those on the outside of urbanism though.

$600 Million for Streetcars?

Perhaps in Seattle soon. Maybe they'll beat out Portland or Minneapolis for first streetcar network. Fort Worth is hot on the heels as well. It seems to me that this would be a really long term bonus project with new jobs coming from the construction of the line and the densification that will come along the lines for years after construction.

Streetsblog.net Launches

For fans of our City Transit Advocates blog, you'll love Streetsblog.net.

Things Getting Heated in Denver

United we stand, divided we fall. Worried about how to pay for all the corridors, Mayors in Denver are worried that their city will get cut out and lines will drop off the list.

When RTD consultant Julie Skeen started to explain the assumption was simply for purposes of doing the analysis and didn't reflect the RTD staff's position on how the money should be divided, Tauer cut her off.

"Would you please let me finish because we don't trust you," he said. "This is about how we are going to cut up the pie." Denver Public Works Manager Bill Vidal urged the group to focus on finding a way to complete all the corridors. "Every time we talk like this it just ends up dividing us," he said.

Monday, This Is What We're Up Against

This never should have happened.

Based on Milwaukee's northwest side, the company makes rail cars for freight railroads and commuter rail systems.

"In the past few months, we have seen dramatic and unprecedented reductions and cancellations of orders by our customers in the freight locomotive, transit and transportation sectors of our business," the company's statement said. "Without substantial new orders, we cannot sustain the employees at the plant beyond the time frame outlined above."

It seems crazy that a business like this could be going under right before demand could kick in.

Tell Em Whats Up

The Roadbuilders are looking for some stim. If so inclined, tell them about transit instead.

Missing Something?

Something is missing from all this talk of Climate. We keep talking about it but how can we educate the rest of the country that just building electric cars is not going to solve their problems. Grist has a post up on the Grand Climate Plan. See what's on the list.

1. Carbon pricing
2. Efficiency standards
3. Carbon-free electricity
4. Smart electrical grid
5. Electric cars

The author, Adam Stein notes there are gaps. Most glaring to me, nothing about land use or transit. Nothing about walking or cycling. These are some of the best ways you can personally reduce your carbon footprint. I personally drive only once a week now to visit my Grandmother. When I lived in Austin I drove three or four times a week even though I lived next to the Number 1 bus, the most frequent in the city. Land use matters. But what happens when everyone gets electric cars. Are the freeways all going to suddenly free up?

But how come no one talks about it? Is it really because its not that sexy as Rachel Maddow thinks it is?



Or is it something more? What is the deep seeded want not to take transit or build denser? Part of it I know is our entrenched non market based land use system. It's not like your ultimate mobility is compromised by driving less and walking/biking more with optimal land use. Why are the livable community groups so separated from the enviros on this? I can't quite make it out.