cbradkee wrote >>
So it sounds like any such light rail would have to be awfully comprehensive given the hub and spoke design of the city. Yes, perhaps not all at once, but eventually. Wouldn't this be unbelievably expensive given the sheer amount of land that would need to be bought plus the construction itself?
Others can better answer this, but i believe that there are plans out there that already maximize the use of existing right of way..
cbradkee wrote >>
Seems like an awfully big gamble considering it all hinges on people fundamentally changing their transportation habits. Not that it isn't possible, but I don't think we are in any financial position to be making these kinds of bets.
Perhaps not so big of a "bet" considering the world use of fossil fuels are increasing and the cost of extracting said fuels are rising..
On top of this we have an aging population that will still need to get around even if they are unable to drive for health reasons..
I'd say this is not so much of a "bet" as "insurance"..
cbradkee wrote >> It's as if despite Rome burning we want to build MORE public works before we put the fire out.
Well, I'd hope that if there's no fire department we'd build that if "Rome is burning" as you say.
I think the days of $4/gal. gas (or more) will be back soon enough.. That's going to be the wrong time to build a rail system..
cbradkee wrote >> Personally I would most likely never use a light rail system anyway.
You might not but others may.. In addition, you might be surprised how much you would actually use a functional system.. If for no other reason than to quickly get up to the short north without having to drive...
cbradkee wrote >> Even the most seemingly reasonable one -- between downtown (where I live) and the airport (which I use often). Parking to the light rail terminal will not be free. No way government will let that potential revenue slip between their fingers. Riding the light rail will not be free. Then, the thought of dragging my luggage on and off a train. I can get to the airport in 10 minutes with the worst of traffic. I can park for $15 a day right in the terminal building. I have the freedom to leave when I want and get straight in my car with no delays or waiting for a scheduled stop. But that's just me.
This strikes pretty close for me as I travel quite a bit for work.. I used to drive and park, but now I generally cab it to the airport and back..
The prime parking at CMH at $15/day (last I checked) is not cheap, but it's way better than the shuttle buses CMH uses for the other lots.. If I'm out for a week, this adds up.. I get to expense this, but in this day an age I like to minimize what I have to expense.
I can cab it to the airport, but that costs about $22 there and $25 back.. If there was light rail I'd just cab it to the light rail station and save the extra $10 each way.. If I lived downtown I'd just walk to the light rail station and not even have to expense it..
As far as dragging luggage on and off the train, if we have a system like Portland, you just walk off the plane, out to the luggage claim and at the end of the luggage claim you walk on the train..
At the other end you walk off the train onto the platform and down the ramp to the sidewalk. I have to wrangle more luggage when I get on the Hertz bus..
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