Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Rail From the Dead

It's been a long time since the year 2000, but we're starting to see some deja vu and some longer range thinking. Here comes the rail plan revival train.

1. San Antonio. The Express News has an editorial discussing bringing light rail back to the polls.
A proposal, no matter how thoroughly defeated at the polls, is likely to resurface when the timing is right. Is the timing right for light rail in Bexar County? County Judge Nelson Wolff thinks it is.Announcing his goal to promote light rail during a recent event marking the start of ozone season, Wolff said the system would help the area meet tougher environmental standards imposed by the federal government, the Express-News reported. The new standards mean the region, which barely avoided costly sanctions for ground-level ozone pollution last year, may not be so lucky in 2010, when regulators compile their new list of "bad air" cities.In politics, there is no such thing as a dead issue.
2. Norman Oklahoma. They are trying to steal the Supersonics. Not Cool. That might give them an opportunity to build a rail line. Cool. Every story has two sides, this one just might end up in alternative transportation. Though the article says light rail, its highly doubtful thats what they mean when they say they will look at using existing tracks.
Collins, speaking to a Norman Chamber of Commerce legislative breakfast Friday, said he was able to raise the issue of light rail with the owners of the Seattle SuperSonics. He said they seemed interested in promoting rail using existing lines and stations.

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