Last week, we welcomed a new president, but there was a fair bit of transportation news as well.
- On Sunday, I stated a couple of problems with the stimulus package as I saw them.
- On Tuesday, we discussed whether the Mercer Mess Fix and the Spokane Street viaduct were good stimulus projects or not.
- Wednesday, Martin showed us some early details on Ballard Rapid Ride, including routings!
- Thursday we talked about the deferred Boeing Access Road and came up with a lot of reasons to build it, which is easy when you don’t have to come up with the money.
- Friday Martin gave us even more details on Rapid Ride, this time about the system’s payment and station information.
- Friday afternoon, I asked for help finding books about transit and urban planning to read on my upcoming sojourn in Japan.
“were good stimulus projects on not.”
Andy, I am going to re-post this comment from yesterday’s thread…I think this is interesting news that could have great impact, although perhaps it is only news to me…
Obama’s People Turn To EU Bank For Inspiration
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/obamas-team-turn-to-eu-bank-for-inspiration-1514983.html
President Obama mentioned transit in yesterday’s weekly address:
Those are words. The stimulus package does provide enough money to keep major agencies from cutting service, much less providing new transit options for millions.
Have the words ‘rail’ and ‘Amtrak’ actually passed the President’s lips yet?
Reviewing the past week, I think we did come up with lots of valid reasons to build the deferred Boeing Access Road Station. Sure there is no money for it, but aren’t we about supplying a vision for the future and leaving it to others to cherry pick our visions in line with whatever funds they can ‘beg, steal, or borrow’ for? Well, not steal, but you know what I mean as for the other two. I see building a station at the BAR to be just as important as building a Sounder Station in Ballard and also at Broad. It is up to those with the purse strings to weigh in on the distribution of the available funds. We are just simply giving them thinks to think about and our reasons for them. Like Becky Sharp in Vanity Fair, it is fun to live on air but she still made it – sort of.
Andrew, I hope you have a fun two months away – we’ll still have the same old issues to be arguing about for when you return – the viaduct won’t be decided upon, and neither will the 520 replacement. Some of us will still be looking for work, but hey, we will be that much closer to Light Rail opening in July and consider yourself lucky that you are married to someone who allows you to take books on public transport away on vacation. My wife, displays no interest at all if I so much as enthuse over 554 buses eventually coming to Issaquah every 15 minutes and by-passing most of the long route through Eastgate in the process.
ooh well…. have fun in Japan!
Tim