October 2008

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Freedom and Roads

By Frank on October 30, 2008

In the article I linked below, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said, “this is the sound of freedom we hear,” referring to the massive 18-lane highway below him.

But of course, roads are the farthest thing from freedom. They’re massive social engineering projects that tell people where to go and where not to go. The U.S. Highway System offers no more “freedom” than the average Habitrail offers your pet hamster.

This becomes very clear when watching this time lapse video of a Toronto intersection (via Streetsblog):


Scramble from Sam Javanrouh on Vimeo.

The people, the cars, the buses: they’re all moving where they’re told, when they’re told. The system isn’t as apparent when you’re sitting behind the wheel, but it’s there all the same, whether you’re on the road, on foot, or on a train. There are small differences, to be sure, in when you can leave, how long it takes to get there, etc. But they’re small when you consider the controls imposed by the overall system.

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The Metaphysics of Earmarks

By Frank on October 30, 2008

Several bloggers are noting the opening of the 18-lane Katy Freeway in Texas, which will feature tolls, HOV lanes, and probably enough poured concrete to blot out the sun, but no fixed rail transit.

According to Rep. John Culberson, that’s a feature, not a bug. Hilarious contradictions ensue:

Culberson said the job was completed in five years and four months, compared to a likely 10 years or more with conventional funding.

“And without a single federal earmark,” he added.

…

But Culberson, whose ability to get federal dollars was crucial to the widening project, pledged not to give up a single freeway lane for Metro rail.

Apparently earmarks are a bad thing, but having a congressmen set aside money from the federal budget to build an infrastructure project in his home district is a good thing. The difference between the two eludes me. But then, that’s why they pay Culbertson the big bucks.

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Blumenauer

By Frank on October 29, 2008

I’m wary of jinxing the election by talking about the Obama presidency a week before the election, but I have to pass on this nugget from one of Marc Ambinder’s readers:

One name I keep hearing from the DC transportation world for Sec. of Transportation is Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer. He was an early Obama endorser and has done a lot of work on metropolitan transportation issues and infrastructure financing. His name was also discussed for this post in 2004, as I remember.

It makes me giddy. Read Blumenauer’s bill from this past congressional session to see why.

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Prop. 1 Is Good For You

By Frank on October 27, 2008

The latest from the campaign:

Seattle—Across the region, business, labor and opinion leaders are urging greater investment in our transportation system by passing Proposition 1.

These leaders understand the nexus between economic development and transit expansion. Proposition 1 funds more buses, adds more commuter rail, and builds 36 miles of light rail. While our polls have been very positive, the numbers bump higher when people hear the price. For a 5/10 of one percent sales tax increase, we get a 100-year mass transit system, a boost in economic development, and good jobs that will plow investment back into our community.

Here’s what people are saying:

“As a region and state, we are entering a very troubled period when many companies here face serious challenges. At such times, the need to invest in our infrastructure, create jobs, and plan for our region’s economic recovery and long-term competitiveness is more important than ever.”
-Tayloe Washburn, chair, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce

“Construction represents 6 percent of the state’s workforce but 16 percent of the economy. The jobs created by Proposition 1 will grow the state’s middle class and put us back on the road to economic recovery.”
-Daren Konopaski, business manager, International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 302

“Our ability to grow and thrive as an urban center is linked to accessibility. We approached this decision asking, ‘What’s best for Downtown Bellevue?’ Connecting downtown with the region through safe and reliable mass transit is essential to our community’s future success.”
-Jill Ostrem, chair, Bellevue Downtown Association

“Proposition 1 is a key part of dealing with gridlock and traffic. It will be an economic stimulus providing good paying jobs, and boosting the economy.”
-Mike Sells, Secretary-Treasurer of the Snohomish County Labor Council

“The first priority in this economy must be the creation of good-paying jobs and voting yes on Proposition 1 will do just that. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said the project would create at least 66,000 direct and indirect jobs. But that figure could be conservative. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 47,500 jobs are created for every billion dollars invested in transportation projects.”
-Seattle Post Intelligencer editorial board, Oct. 17, 2008

“And this is also a good time to engage in some serious infrastructure spending, which the country badly needs in any case. The usual argument against public works as economic stimulus is that they take too long: by the time you get around to repairing that bridge and upgrading that rail line, the slump is over and the stimulus isn’t needed. Well, that argument has no force now, since the chances that this slump will be over anytime soon are virtually nil. So let’s get those projects rolling.”
-Paul Krugman, columnist, New York Times, Oct. 16, 2008

For more information:
International Union of Operating Engineers: 206-251-5399
Bellevue Downtown Association, Patrick Bannon, 425-453-3113
Snohomish County Labor Council: 425-259-7922
Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Christina Donegan: 206-389-7241

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Docklands Light Rail and Mall

By bgtothen on October 27, 2008

Dockland Light Rail and Mall

I read the strangers coverage of last week’s debate between crazy Kemper and the Mayor and it prompted me to post this picture from London. 20 years ago this area was an industrial wasteland and now it is the financial hub of the UK. And guess what it is served by a light rail system. You can see it right outside the door (it is red).

So see Kemper you can make money off of transit. Lots of money. I bet the average income of everyone is this photo is significantly higher than Bellevue Square.

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California High Speed Rail

By serial catowner on October 24, 2008

One race we’ll be watching a week from Tuesday is California HSR. These are a few comments from reading I did earlier this year and haven’t the time to link to now-

It’s a bond issue. If it passes construction begins, albeit probably at a glacial pace.

The reason for HSR in California isn’t understood by a lot of people. The reason is that with anticipated growth of the Californian population, today’s transportation would in the future exceed emissions limits. HSR can provide transportation to the additional numbers within the emission limitations.

This math is familiar to us, but not in a familiar way. The LINK line is all about providing a new transportation corridor for anticipated increases in our population. The predictions don’t need to be exact and in fact we’re a lot better at predicting a general 2% increase in population than we are at putting each lemonade stand in just the right place.

And that’s why a failure this year won’t kill HSR in California. The need will still exist and the line will be built. It’s just a question of when.

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Election Endorsements

By Frank on October 23, 2008

Outsourcing this one to Seattle Transit Blog.

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Making the Tube Map

By Frank on October 21, 2008

Here’s a sweet documentary about the development of the London Underground map. The map was something of a revolution because it emphasized clarity over geographical accuracy. One goal was to get people to use the system on evenings and weekends, when it was underutilized. so they made the stations appear equidistant, and released a series of promotional posters, which you may have seen in the Columbia City/Hilltop/74th Street Ale Houses.

(via Confabulum, via Ryan Avent)

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Amtrak Bill Signed into Law

By Frank on October 21, 2008

Finally:

The legislation, pushed by New Jersey Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg, would allocate $1.6 billion for rail safety, renew and expand the Federal Railroad Administration, and invest nearly $13 billion over the next five years to expand and upgrade passenger rail in the U.S.

Of that $13 billion, Amtrak would get about $1.6 billion a year — $300 million more than what it now receives — for operations and capital projects like replacing tracks and repairing tunnels. States would also receive funding to

$13B over five years is a drop in the bucket, obviously, but it’s a start. Amtrak Cascades should benefit handsomely from this bill.

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Service Changes

By Frank on October 20, 2008

Erica Barnett ends her exhaustive accounting of Metro service changes in SE Seattle by noting:

Is it me, or does an awful lot of service on Rainier [Avenue S.] get eliminated under Metro’s plan?

I wonder if this has anything to do with the planned “road diet” for Rainier Ave., which Barnett noted back in February, between Columbia City and Rainier Beach. If the road goes down to one lane in either direction, then buses will start to really back up traffic (can’t drive around a bus if there’s only one lane) on that corridor.

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