Ah the Choo-Choo!
Once again, it's time to discuss light rail in the Northeast corridor.
Last year I attended an MPO meeting where the glory of rail transit was endlessly touted. After the meeting, I spoke with the project consultant from HNTB. He admitted the best we could hope for with this rail system was a 3% reduction in traffic in the Northeast corridor. Now friends, is a 3% reduction really worth billions of dollars?
A recent Indystar editorial suggests the "First leg of the rail system must avoid misstep." I agree, and placing it in the Northeast corridor is a huge misstep. If you want to add a rail system, let's add a line from the new and improved airport to the, soon to be, bigger and better convention center.
Plain & Simple: The goal is to reduce traffic in the Northeast corridor, not to spend billions of dollars. I've advocated focusing on the growing telecommuting trend which would reduce traffic throughout the state. Check out Connecticut's telecommuting initiative. This program has had a great impact on employers and employees alike. Personally, I favor facilitating social trends, rather than forcing expensive (taxpayer-funded) options whenever possible.
Last year I attended an MPO meeting where the glory of rail transit was endlessly touted. After the meeting, I spoke with the project consultant from HNTB. He admitted the best we could hope for with this rail system was a 3% reduction in traffic in the Northeast corridor. Now friends, is a 3% reduction really worth billions of dollars?
A recent Indystar editorial suggests the "First leg of the rail system must avoid misstep." I agree, and placing it in the Northeast corridor is a huge misstep. If you want to add a rail system, let's add a line from the new and improved airport to the, soon to be, bigger and better convention center.
Plain & Simple: The goal is to reduce traffic in the Northeast corridor, not to spend billions of dollars. I've advocated focusing on the growing telecommuting trend which would reduce traffic throughout the state. Check out Connecticut's telecommuting initiative. This program has had a great impact on employers and employees alike. Personally, I favor facilitating social trends, rather than forcing expensive (taxpayer-funded) options whenever possible.
Light rail isn't even the best use of the Nickel Plate Corridor. It ranks about third, in my estimation.
The best use would be to convert it to a greenway and trail, like the Monon Trail.
The Monon improved property values in the area considerably, encourages a healthy lifestyle, and is remarkably free of air pollution and noise pollution.
Light rail will do the opposite of these things. As someone who lives 1,000 feet from the Nickel Plate, I would greatly prefer a greenway to a light rail system. I would use the greenway regularly. I would rarely, if ever, use the train.
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