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<P mce_keep="true">[quote user="Phoebe Vet"] <P mce_keep="true"><A href="http://www.fta.dot.gov/printer_friendly/news_events_11682.html" mce_href="http://www.fta.dot.gov/printer_friendly/news_events_11682.html">http://www.fta.dot.gov/printer_friendly/news_events_11682.html</A>  [/quote]</P> <P mce_keep="true">This reference is well worth the read.  Several points jumped out at me:</P> <UL> <LI> <DIV mce_keep="true">Repairing existing systems is just as important as building new systems, especially rail systems.  </DIV></LI> <LI> <DIV mce_keep="true">Light rail is a good fit in some situations but clearly not in all or even the majority of systems.</DIV></LI> <LI> <DIV mce_keep="true">"Paint is cheap, rails systems are extremely expensive."</DIV></LI> <LI> <DIV mce_keep="true">Bus Rapid Transit is a better fit for many communities.</DIV></LI></UL> <P mce_keep="true">Capital Metro (Austin) has put a lot of eggs in the Leander to Austin commuter rail project basket.  It is likely to be a millstone around the necks of Austin's taxpayers for generations.  In retrospect, the community would have gotten a lot more bang for its buck if they had gone with Bus Rapid Transit.</P> <P mce_keep="true">The major challenge for transit systems, as well as intercity passenger rail, will be funding.  The United States is mired in debt.  Like it or not we are likely to have an experience similar to Greece.  And it will not be pleasant.  The federal debt is expected to reach 140 per cent of Gross Domestic Product by 2020.  Whether the federal government will be able to find the money to help fund transit as well as intercity passenger rail is problematic. </P>
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