Comments on: How to Build a Better Infrastructure Plan http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/02/how-to-build-a-better-infrastructure-plan/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:12:44 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Bill Scher http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/02/how-to-build-a-better-infrastructure-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-59754 Bill Scher Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:11:22 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5048#comment-59754 You might also be interested in the infrastructure report my peers at Campaign for America's Future recently released: "The Investment Deficit in America." It talks at length about what transportation infrastructure projects are needed, what the costs are and how we can finance it in a responsible way. http://www.ourfuture.org/report/investment-deficit You might also be interested in the infrastructure report my peers at Campaign for America's Future recently released: "The Investment Deficit in America." It talks at length about what transportation infrastructure projects are needed, what the costs are and how we can finance it in a responsible way.

http://www.ourfuture.org/report/investment-deficit

]]> By: Joanne http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/02/how-to-build-a-better-infrastructure-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-59718 Joanne Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:02:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5048#comment-59718 This issue of rural versus urban is the wrong one to emphasize. The issue should be providing transit alternatives to all areas. I live part time in both an urban and rural setting and take transit in both. I also work for a mid-size city that operates a successful bus transit system. It is a constant struggle to find funding and (maybe more importantly) gain credibility within the city in which we operate. If it is hard to prioritize transit, pedestrians and bicycles in a place like NYC, imagine how hard it is in a place without the robust transit network, with relatively ample road capacity, and without a widespread culture of transit use as part of its definition. I completely agree with what Chris Rall said in his post. I also believe if the Feds cut smaller cities and rural places out of the funding loop, small town transit systems will whither and die (city and state budgets are shrinking FAST). Our ridership for October 2008 hit an all time high and is up 10% over Oct. 2007, and yet we may have to cut our relatively modest levels of service due to decreasing grant revenues. We are working as hard as we can, but Federal cuts on top of amazing State cuts (and the City doesn't fund us at all any more), would be truly disheartening. This issue of rural versus urban is the wrong one to emphasize. The issue should be providing transit alternatives to all areas. I live part time in both an urban and rural setting and take transit in both. I also work for a mid-size city that operates a successful bus transit system. It is a constant struggle to find funding and (maybe more importantly) gain credibility within the city in which we operate. If it is hard to prioritize transit, pedestrians and bicycles in a place like NYC, imagine how hard it is in a place without the robust transit network, with relatively ample road capacity, and without a widespread culture of transit use as part of its definition.

I completely agree with what Chris Rall said in his post. I also believe if the Feds cut smaller cities and rural places out of the funding loop, small town transit systems will whither and die (city and state budgets are shrinking FAST). Our ridership for October 2008 hit an all time high and is up 10% over Oct. 2007, and yet we may have to cut our relatively modest levels of service due to decreasing grant revenues.

We are working as hard as we can, but Federal cuts on top of amazing State cuts (and the City doesn't fund us at all any more), would be truly disheartening.

]]> By: Chris Rall http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/02/how-to-build-a-better-infrastructure-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-59717 Chris Rall Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:26:43 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5048#comment-59717 As someone from what we liek to describe as a "micropolitan" area, this post raised all kinds of red flags. Smaller towns have the potential to make great gains in becoming less car dependent, but our transit funding is so unreliable, that our transit operators are just trying to make due instead of looking to grow, even with ridership having increased over 50% in the last few years here. It does make sense to distribute funds based on population, but it also makes sense to incentivize smart land use, so if an area is doing good planning, they get rewarded. Also, smaller towns have a tougher time doing planning, because there is less expertise and economy of scale. Assistance with those things would help get smaller towns and more rural areas on a better trajectory. As someone from what we liek to describe as a "micropolitan" area, this post raised all kinds of red flags.
Smaller towns have the potential to make great gains in becoming less car dependent, but our transit funding is so unreliable, that our transit operators are just trying to make due instead of looking to grow, even with ridership having increased over 50% in the last few years here.
It does make sense to distribute funds based on population, but it also makes sense to incentivize smart land use, so if an area is doing good planning, they get rewarded. Also, smaller towns have a tougher time doing planning, because there is less expertise and economy of scale. Assistance with those things would help get smaller towns and more rural areas on a better trajectory.

]]> By: Biggie S http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/02/how-to-build-a-better-infrastructure-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-59714 Biggie S Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:36:42 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5048#comment-59714 Obama please, please give us transportation change we can believe in. This infrastructure money will be flushed down the sprawl hole unless you crack heads in congress. Federal transportation spending is a dysfunctional disaster that won't be fixed by little increments and pilot projects. Obama please, please give us transportation change we can believe in. This infrastructure money will be flushed down the sprawl hole unless you crack heads in congress. Federal transportation spending is a dysfunctional disaster that won't be fixed by little increments and pilot projects.

]]> By: City planning one oh one oh where are you? http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/02/how-to-build-a-better-infrastructure-plan/comment-page-1/#comment-59712 City planning one oh one oh where are you? Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:06:01 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5048#comment-59712 Based on his goal, of providing greater moneys to cities where there are more people, it would seem that his goal of a stronger federal government just adds an extra layer of government morass. Cities with larger populations give more in taxes, so why not let local control increase so that each locality can put their own money into transportation instead of sending it to Washington and back. Based on his goal, of providing greater moneys to cities where there are more people, it would seem that his goal of a stronger federal government just adds an extra layer of government morass. Cities with larger populations give more in taxes, so why not let local control increase so that each locality can put their own money into transportation instead of sending it to Washington and back.

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