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Charlotte grade separations to cost as much as $43 million
What is the other $26 million being used for?
The only money is probably for design and land acquisition.
No problema! Guess where Sec. of Transportation Foxx is from. Bridges over “future tracks” reminds me of the Interstate exit ramps-to- nowhere. in New Orleans. Ain’t Democrats wunnerful?
William D Hays, it’s always better to build for the future than live in the past. Ever wonder why there isn’t enough rail capacity in MT? Especially along the BNSF and thru the oil fields.in eastern MT and the Dakota’s. As for Democrats, which would you rather do, borrow the money and spend it like the Republicans or pay taxes now and then spend the money in hand like the Democrats?
Gee, if Foxx was from the moon some of you folks would claim that that was to only reason NASA ever went there. Get a life.
The future tracks are for the SE rail corridor plan, to separate future passenger tracks from the NS freight tracks when the time comes. If you go back to the NC Rail plans for the area you would find this project in planning in the early '90s long before Foxx was even o the City Council. The construction of the CATS Blue line extension has triggered the need to construct the bridge at this time, not to mention the fact that its been one of the highest train/vehicle crash locations for years. It’s easy to make a bridge wider in the future- its impossible to make a bridge longer after its built, so build it long enough now.
Mr. Haws,
I’m inclined to agree with your comment, as far as the first sentence anyway.
As far as your second sentence goes, let me guess, the railroad builders and good citizens of these states didn’t have a 'crystal ball ', right ?
As far as your comments on ’ politics ', you best keep them out of your remarks, caws ya’ll don’t know what the h— you’re talking about
Figures the only inane comment comes from a republican.
Robert Klippel, up until the current POTUS was elected to office, my statement about funding was the way both political parties operated. With the current POTUS and the need to infuse the US economy with large amounts money that method wasn’t available to him, he had no choice but to do the Republican thing and CONTINUE to borrow money just like his predecessor did. You do remember how the deficit was when POTUS Bush took office, right. And what he did with the surplus, right. Then all the tax cuts that followed, right? Or perhaps not, as most of my fellow US citizens suffer from CRS. As for the crystal ball, it’s never been of any use and it doesn’t work in a Capitalistic country anyway. Demand and supply economics rules, not supply and demand which is what POTUS Reagan preached.
Excellent point Mr. Haws. Nice to see someone get history correct once in awhile.
BNSF, and CP, are increasing capacity in ND and MT. CP is installing CTC, which BNSF did east of Minot. BNSF has two-main tracked from Minot, ND to Snowden, MT (except for the Gassman Coulee trestle) and are continuing on west towards Havre at this time. With luck, the entire MT Division will be 2MT, with some exceptions in the mountains (at trestles and the 7.0 mi. Flathead Tunnel), which is partially 2MT, shortly.
This is not ‘easy-build’, like in the rust belt, where the tracks were dismantled and the ROW remains. This 2MT addition is for, mostly, new traffic.
Elections have consequences. Have you ever heard that? And fortunately for rail enthusiasts the party in power is the one that at least sees a glimmer of light regarding rail traffic, freight and passenger. Thus, Mr. Foxx was picked as transportation secretary, a demonstrated choice in rail passageways. Makes sense to me. Furthermore it makes sense that he would wish to see improvements in his old stomping grounds. I get it. Anybody else in that post would likely want the same. He’s applying muscle to correct a situation that will only cost more lives in the future if somebody doesn’t fix it. And yes, I certainly agree with the philosophy of paying more in taxes to have what’s needed in hand to pay the bills when a need presents itself. I also have a memory of the year 2001 when the nation’s indebtedness was already erased, only to have it reversed quickly by politicos who were putting themselves ahead of our national interests. Millions of us watched in disbelief.