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Minneapolis gives tentative approval for streetcar plan
Technical reports on this have discussed the major challenge of grade level freight crossings on this route, as well as bridges with grades steeper than can be accomodated, so don’t know how these routes can be going forward. We are still grappling with major routing obstacles on the SW line, which was green lighted and supposedly cleared technically, based on a hack report doctored to please political patrons.
Technical reports on this have discussed the major challenge of grade level freight crossings on this route, as well as bridges with grades steeper than can be accomodated, so don’t know how these routes can be going forward. We are still grappling with major routing obstacles on the SW line, which was green lighted and supposedly cleared technically, based on a hack report doctored to please political patrons.
Technical reports on this have discussed the major challenge of grade level freight crossings on this route, as well as bridges with grades steeper than can be accomodated, so don’t know how these routes can be going forward. We are still grappling with major routing obstacles on the SW line, which was green lighted and supposedly cleared technically, based on a hack report doctored to please political patrons.
Technical reports on this have discussed the major challenge of grade level freight crossings on this route, as well as bridges with grades steeper than can be accomodated, so don’t know how these routes can be going forward. We are still grappling with major routing obstacles on the SW line, which was green lighted and supposedly cleared technically, based on a hack report doctored to please political patrons.
Two stories today, and one letter missing the target.
The Norfolk story…seems to me that highway congestion has driven, no pun apology, people to the rail alternative…I tried driving into Midtown Manhattan in the mid-fifties; 17 miles in 40 minutes then 20 minutes finding parking priced to teenagers’ budgets.
Versus: 33 minutes from Rockville Centre to Penn Station on the LIRR, and the Long Island Expressway, multi-laned limited access from its opening became ‘the biggest, longest parking lot…"
Parking: Aghast that my bro’ couldn’t have a car in 1980’s Tokyo W/O proof of a renting a ($1200 a month) parking space…his son spent that much on the upper East-Side, a block from MOMA and Central Park----what my nephew spends since he’s moved his family to Chelsea, closer to work, I dunno.
Congestion, giant-multilane highways, no parking when you get there, rental for a parking space greater than my PITI for a half acre and 2600 sq foot house…
Boondoggle (Where’d that word come from?) I ponder. People need to get around.
One nice thing about electric is the cost of electricity is a lot more stable than diesel.
Electric vehicles use no fossil fuel? Really? Unless the power source is nuclear, of which Minnesota has very little, or hydro, again, very little, the favored odds are for coal burning electric power generating plants. Last time I checked, Minnesota has lots of those. So do neighboring states. Once again the eco-terrorist religion depends on the fantasy of pink bunnies and unicorns showing up if we would only stop using fuel. If the eco-terrorists really want to go down that road, I suggest they lead by example and walk as their only means of transportation. After all, even horses emit noxious fumes. At least all the horses I ever met, did.
On the practical economic side, I didn’t check the numbers, but based on other cities operations, odds are excellent for the existing bus system to be a money loser requiring a huge provider class subsidy to remain operational. It was put in place because the pre-existing electric operations lost even more money and required an even larger provider class subsidy. Now somehow using socialist financial magic, which always failed according to the historical records, the electric operation of transit will somehow require a much smaller theft from the provider class.
I do have to give the socialists and their buddies, the eco-terrorists credit. They are very consistent. Completely wrong, mathematically messed up, scientifically disabled, but consistent. Oddly, the city is being somewhat honest about admitting it will need to redirect property taxes from the provider class. Which means eventually the property taxes will increase due to the deficit elsewhere in the budget.
This is great news for Minneapolis. Cities that invest in livable networks like this will enjoy great benefits when the fossil fueled music stops.
The expansion of light rail is great news as electric trains do not expel diesel fumes like buses. People are more inclined to use light rail than buses. The ride is smoother, quieter, and quicker because trains are not subjected to gridlock and signal stops as buses are. Thus, street traffic is reduced by the appeal and convenience of light rail.
As a Minneapolis resident, one who pays significant property taxes, I have to say that this is a boondoggle of the worst sort. It will serve no useful purpose beyond what is already in place with bus service. Now if this was going to be an extension of light rail, it would be a different story. This is only window dressing for the city and an unnecessary burden to those of us who pay property taxes.
I think the goose has been looking up too long at tea bags.
History repeats, 1954 street car system abandonment because the cities would not grant fare increases, buses took over, management went to jail. 1964 Interstate system was started due to traffic congestion, huge amount of taxable property was removed from the tax rolls to make way for the Interstate system. 2004 Hiawatha Line opened to relieve congestion. Northstar line completed to the Northwest. The nearly complete line linking the downtowns to relieve traffic congestion, the Southwest line given the green light. Now, Central Ave. NE through downtown on the Nicollet, (rebuild the Nicollet Mall) South on Nicollet. The grades will be no problem the routes are nearly the same as they were prior to the 1954 street car system abandonment. Not keeping up on the Southwest line, is the depression from West of Hennepin Ave to Hiawatha been considered, it’s all ready there and was a rail line.
The only rail line in Minneapolis run by the Met Council called by a non-color name is the Northstar line to Big Lake. The line to the Mall of America is now called the Blue Line, not the Hiawatha Line as stated in the story. The soon to be opened line to St. Paul is called another color, as will be the new line to the west side. Even the just opened ‘Rapid Transit’ line to Apple Valley from the Mall of America is called the Red Line (when I rode it, it was just an ‘upgraded’ Met Council bus line.)
Goosie, I think you have breathed in too much horse flatulence.