How do I convince local officials that commuter trains will increase development?

[Anonymous]

Commuter trains are put in after there has been development and traffic has gotten out of hand. But what if the region needs a shot in the arm to get it going? If a new highway can bring growth how would a new passenger service do that? Smart Growth is the new buzzword. We need Progress and quit listing to these hypocratic no-growth liberals.

[dldance]

Start by looking for successful projects in other areas. For example the Portland OR light rail success in stimulating new develop has Austin TX trying to imitate them.

dd

[ajmiller]

Try a hunger strike.

[Anonymous]

First convince yourself.

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ajmiller

Try a hunger strike.

[;)]

[Overmod]

Almost all the time, there'd be no point in acquiring, running, etc. an expensive rail system in an area that is only being developed up to the kind of density that would require it.

You start with bus or paratransit service, if you want to build reliance on mass transit rather than car or van pooling, "slugging", etc. In some areas (my old home towns of Englewood and Tenafly, NJ, for example) you have a couple of bus companies running mutually 20 minutes apart, from 6 in the morning until 2 the next morning, and off went the trains in '65...

When you actually decide to phase in rail (either cost-effectively as an alternative to anything that runs on rubber tires, either on roads or dedicated 'busways' instead of steel rails), you have to consider lighter transit instead of commuter trains: it's going to be more convenient to have a bunch of single cars or articulated cars, spaced on 'transit' headways, instead of One Big Train that suits very few people's real schedules. (This being the approach that we're apparently going to get for a return of passenger service on the ex-Northern Branch to the above-mentioned towns...)

Providing heavy rail to developing areas almost always would involve demonstrating there's an established base TODAY for a meaningful density of traffic. It would be a hard, hard, hard sell to get any transit authority to subsidize millions of dollars worth of underutilized (and, relatively speaking, resource-intensive per actual passenger-mile) trains for the years it might take Until They Come, otherwise...

[Anonymous]

Go to college, get a degree in Planning. Get a job with an MPO in a large metro area. Work there for 10 years planning busses, then switch to light rail. After a couple more years suggest a commuter rail study. Then, when the study is approved, quit and become a consultant and make big bucks performing the useless study and retire.

LC

[ericsp]

Don't change names 10 times during the meeting.

[daveklepper]

Again, look at successful illustrations of what you are trying to accomplish, inlcuding Portland, Denver, Salt Lake City, possibly the Hew Jersey Transit Diesel Light Rail River Line.

[Mookie]

Dan - did you write this name down on your list?

[dealemeout]

Well if you want to convince only the local officials that commuter rail is needed, you use the same method you would to talk any politician into doing anything. Tell them if they support rail you'll give them lots and lots of money that can't be traced.

[Anonymous]

Well it seems that the Asphalt people have plenty of goombas to get there point across. Rail needs its own set of goombas to bribe politions and whack those that get out of line. Is it any wonder that many of the asphault and road contracters have Italian last names. Maybe it was because the Romans were such great road builders[8D]

[gabe]

I think your problem is the way you are approaching the argument.

Look at major projects that are undertaken by local entities. They are not done by saying we need to raise taxes so we can buy something. No huge projects are paid for out of the general fund anymore.

For instance, in Indianapolis, everyone knows that we need a new football stadium if we want to keep the Colts. Most people in the know know that we need to keep the Colts. Although I am a huge college football fan, I could care less about the NFL. Yet, I know we need to keep the Colts, not just because of the revenue it produces for the downtown area, but it also attracts (and keeps) big business for many reasons.

Yet, anyone dare propose a direct tax to build the new stadium they would be instantly voted out of office. But, an indirect tax (even though it would really cost more money) everyone is fine with.

In short: look how other major projects are funded in your area--federal subsidation, indirect taxes, user fees, etc. If you can show whomever is in charge that there is a way to pay for light rail without raising taxes for the general fund (and gauranteeing the politicain responsible being elected out of office) you will at least get them to listen to your argument.

Gabe

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Peterson6868

Well it seems that the Asphalt people have plenty of goombas to get there point across. Rail needs its own set of goombas to bribe politions and whack those that get out of line. Is it any wonder that many of the asphault and road contracters have Italian last names. Maybe it was because the Romans were such great road builders[8D]

Apparently someone's been watching "The Soprano's" at the shelter again.......

[Anonymous]

Raise or divert money from the Turnpike? Title fees on cars? dog tax? ciggarette tax? Condom tax?( hey if we are going to tax sin we might as well go all the way).
Assesments on new development generated by the rail system.?

[Wdlgln005]

Find out who OWNS the track that go from A to B. Find out what trains use that line & when. A Class 1 won't bother with a commuter that gets in the way of the freight. They may not even run Amtrak on time! If it's a short line, find out the track speed. Millions may be required to get it up to passenger speed. Thousands may be required to run heavier freight cars.

Then you may contact the rail bureau at the DOT. They may be glad to have someone to talk to. If you get lucky, find out how fast the county is growing. They may need some $ for economic development. Now you can make a plan. Be sure to say only thousands will be needed to startup the project. Don't talk about millions or billions. This may work if there's no space to add another lane of interstate. It helps if you have steep hills that prevent more highway work.

[jockellis]

G'day, Y'all,
Dealmeout has the right idea. The more I think about the good doctor, Thomas Durant, the better I think of his business plan. He understood politicians and knew how to get the honest ones, those who once are bought stay bought, on his side.
I disagree about starting bus service firsst. By the time the area gets built up enough to "support " rail, the land is too expensive to buy and stay within a budget.
Jock Ellis
Cumming, GA US of A

[greyhounds]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Peterson6868

Raise or divert money from the Turnpike? Title fees on cars? dog tax? ciggarette tax? Condom tax?( hey if we are going to tax sin we might as well go all the way).
Assesments on new development generated by the rail system.?

Dog Tax!?

When Hell freezes over and not one second sooner!

How dare you Sir!

[BNSFGP38]

Adding taxes to condoms( or anything) to build a rail line will not make it a popular sell and just cause an increase in births!

I think bribeing local officials is the fastest way or going to every meeting screaming for a rail line will work............squeaky wheels get the grease!

[mustanggt]

QUOTE: Commuter trains are put in after there has been development and traffic has gotten out of hand. But what if the region needs a shot in the arm to get it going? If a new highway can bring growth how would a new passenger service do that? Smart Growth is the new buzzword. We need Progress and quit listing to these hypocratic no-growth liberals.

1) let the government take care of it.
2) forget about it
P.S. I find your goomba comment offensive, being 100% Italian.