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YouTubeIn 2009, the State of Ohio will spend $12 million to cut the grass along its Interstates. That’s more than the $10 million Ohio will spend to support public transit and its 250,000 daily users.
Columbus Underground Messageboard » General Columbus Discussion » Transit
$12 million for grass, $10 for transit
[47 posts] [24 contributors]
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lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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We could probably save money by letting a herd of goats trim the grass on state property and sell the milk and cheese...
Posted 2 years ago # -
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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howatzer wrote >>
Isn't this simply because public transit:
1. tends to be locally funded? (i.e. cota)
2. raises it's own revenue? (i.e. bus passes)
If we could only figure out a way to make the grass pay for the cutting....Goats, man. I'm telling you.
And when they get old you turn them into goat loaf for the prisons...
Posted 2 years ago # -
ehill27
Short North
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joev wrote >>
Gas, equipment, transportation - $12 million makes sense, even with <$1/hr. labor.I believe the point is that we're underspending on transit, not really the other way around.
Plus, I think this factoid is a little misleading. There's $250 million in the biennial budget for the 3C Startup rail plan.
That's a big IF right now, and directly related to the argument at hand.
Posted 2 years ago # -
ehill27
Short North
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howatzer wrote >>
Isn't this simply because public transit:
1. tends to be locally funded? (i.e. cota)A key point in the article is that local systems are in jeopardy due to the lack of state and federal funding.
2. raises it's own revenue? (i.e. bus passes)
Ahh... a great argument for shifting some highway funding to mass transit. (Nearly all) Ohio roads/highways = $0 revenue.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Tigertree
771 N. High St.
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I actually like the longer grass better. My folks live in Illinois where they eliminated mowing for much of their interstate system due to budget concerns last year. I didn't just think the lack of mowing wasn't a big deal, I found it more pleasant. I was then left angry at how much money we spend on such a useless action.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Kirk
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ehill27 wrote >>
howatzer wrote >>
Isn't this simply because public transit:
1. tends to be locally funded? (i.e. cota)A key point in the article is that local systems are in jeopardy due to the lack of state and federal funding.
2. raises it's own revenue? (i.e. bus passes)
Ahh... a great argument for expanding mass transit investment over roads. (Nearly all) Ohio roads/highways = $0 revenue.Not really, we have gas tax that funds roads. The revenue from the gas tax that goes to ODOT is about 1 billion dollars annually. The rest of that money goes to local governments to take care of roads and bridges.
So you can't say there's no user fee.Posted 2 years ago # -
Kirk
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I agree with tigertree about the mowing. I've always felt that was a huge waste. We should do what they do in Texas and plant wildflowers along our roads. If you've never been to Central Texas in April to see the bluebonnets in bloom you don't know what you're missing. I also feel like we should have a much higher penalty for littering. Ours is only like $500, cross the border down to West Virginia and that goes up to $20,000. They do the wildflower thing there too and its beautiful throughout the entire summer.
Posted 2 years ago # -
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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Tigertree wrote >>
@kirk I have noticed a huge raise in bulk litter lately. I see at least one or two new trash bags along 670 on my way into work every day. What sort of redneck actually throws bags of trash out of their car on a freeway?Could they be from the work crews? I think I've seen this on 33 sometimes. You'll see the crew out doing litter clean up and an hour or two later there is a line of bags just off the shoulder. Kind of like when we do the bike path clean ups and they instruct us to pile the bags in a specific location for later removal.
Posted 2 years ago # -
jpizzow
580 N. Park St.
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A good portion of highway trash comes from garbage trucks and open bed trucks. A construction worker throws his McDonald's cup in the back of the truck, takes off down the highway, and the right gust of wind pulls in right out. I've seen it and dodged it plenty of times.
Posted 2 years ago # -
roy
Downtown
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jpizzow wrote >>
A good portion of highway trash comes from garbage trucks and open bed trucks. A construction worker throws his McDonald's cup in the back of the truck, takes off down the highway, and the right gust of wind pulls in right out. I've seen it and dodged it plenty of times.If you witness littering consider reporting it by calling 871-5322. They'll ask you the license plate and location.
Posted 2 years ago # -
kcrissinger
Brookshire
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Kirk wrote >>
I agree with tigertree about the mowing. I've always felt that was a huge waste. We should do what they do in Texas and plant wildflowers along our roads. If you've never been to Central Texas in April to see the bluebonnets in bloom you don't know what you're missing. I also feel like we should have a much higher penalty for littering. Ours is only like $500, cross the border down to West Virginia and that goes up to $20,000. They do the wildflower thing there too and its beautiful throughout the entire summer.You're both right. We should let these areas naturalize (with a little help at the beginning) Letting the area naturalize would also keep the geese away.
Posted 2 years ago #
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