Posted: 02/24/12 17:31, Edited: 02/27/12 16:16
by Dave Mindeman
As we tear our collective hair out over rising gasoline prices, we continue to stall, bloviate, expound, raise red flags, reasses, regurgitate, criticize, bureaucratize, and blow environmentally unfriendly smoke over mass transit.
I have been waiting and watching my hair turn increasingly gray over the promise of new and better methods of our collective commutes.
In my own city of Apple Valley, I have followed the tortuous path of Bus Rapid Transit. A supposed means of moving more people quickly along the Hwy 77 (Cedar Ave) corridor.
For about two decades I have watched our local GOP politicians (this area is dead red), agonize over costs....block original funding...and call for more study. Finally, ever so slowly, the BRT broke through and got Federal and State funds to move ahead.
Then our pork barrel averse Congressman Kline lumped this, the final funding package of this important project, into his ever expanding pile of waste and left the project short of full funding.
Then when a way was developed to work around that, they realized they didn't have money to buy the buses. Imagine that....a Bus Rapid Transit system short on buses.
Again, after that delay, that problem was resolved....and buses are in the works. But, of course, that is not the end of it. The next issue was an argument over the COLOR of the buses!
Oh my....
And the delays are just as persistent for light rail. The new Southwest Corridor Light Rail Project is up for review and the Republican controlled committees want "more information". We have been ruminating, excoriating, and vascillating on light rail projects for decades as well. I understand the need to be sure that funding is in its proper place, but come on....
GET ON WITH IT!
If we truly want to ease the gas price situation.... if we are really and seriously wanting to reduce petroleum demand, then let's move these projects with the priority they deserve.
The rail lines that have been built have exceeded expectations. Sure they are heavily subsidized, but so are roads and bridges. But rail reduces pollution, has fewer accidents, and has fewer delays.
This argument about mass transit is over. We need some leadership to finish the job.
And the sooner the better.
