Comments on: Will Transit, Bikes, and Peds Get a Stimulus We Can Believe In? http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:01:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: J. Mork http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-61184 J. Mork Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:28:25 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-61184 Tim -- google "kheel plan 2". HTH. Tim -- google "kheel plan 2". HTH.

]]> By: Tim http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-61088 Tim Mon, 29 Dec 2008 21:22:55 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-61088 How about a transit stimulus that can prevent the MTA from raising subway and bus fares? How about a transit stimulus that can prevent the MTA from raising subway and bus fares?

]]> By: gecko http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-60033 gecko Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:06:48 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-60033 A one-time charge to achieve a 40% cycling New York would likely be significantly less than the MTA's annual budget with immediate benefits, cost savings, and incomes such as from tourism, increased business development, and jobs to offset this expenditure. A one-time charge to achieve a 40% cycling New York would likely be significantly less than the MTA's annual budget with immediate benefits, cost savings, and incomes such as from tourism, increased business development, and jobs to offset this expenditure.

]]> By: gecko http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-60032 gecko Sun, 07 Dec 2008 13:54:19 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-60032 Serious money for a public bike program targeting 40% cycling in NYC would be transformational and start a revolution in urban transport. Serious money for a public bike program targeting 40% cycling in NYC would be transformational and start a revolution in urban transport.

]]> By: LightRailBlogger http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-60002 LightRailBlogger Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:57:02 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-60002 Good point JK about driving short distances for small fries. I'm not a parent, however if I were, I would not want to let my kids take a bike let alone walk in some parts of Phoenix. I heard the story about the Mayor Gordon/PHX and just to fill in the blanks, if approved, our "federal stimilus check" would actually come in the form of a bridge loan to get going on a train connecting our new light rail system directly to the airport. The work is underway, the loan would speed up the completion date. Good point JK about driving short distances for small fries. I'm not a parent, however if I were, I would not want to let my kids take a bike let alone walk in some parts of Phoenix.
I heard the story about the Mayor Gordon/PHX and just to fill in the blanks, if approved, our "federal stimilus check" would actually come in the form of a bridge loan to get going on a train connecting our new light rail system directly to the airport. The work is underway, the loan would speed up the completion date.

]]> By: Niccolo Machiavelli http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-60001 Niccolo Machiavelli Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:51:14 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-60001 All true, all true JK. Perhaps their pedigree in the consultancy has determined their aversion to leveraging the current financial crisis to pry open Federal support for operating funding for mass transit. Maybe that would weaken MTA-DOT claim to more capital funding from the Feds. Small local, if cheap, capital projects get treated like operating funding. All true, all true JK. Perhaps their pedigree in the consultancy has determined their aversion to leveraging the current financial crisis to pry open Federal support for operating funding for mass transit. Maybe that would weaken MTA-DOT claim to more capital funding from the Feds. Small local, if cheap, capital projects get treated like operating funding.

]]> By: JK http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-59995 JK Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:21:58 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-59995 It's not the advocates who will be tested, it's the political system and imaginations of elected officials. Bike/ped advocates are small political players compared to the massive contractors who build highways, bridges and transit systems. Those contractors (Whose alumni include both the head of the MTA and the NYC DOT)are major campaign contributors, and employ powerful lobbying firms. The bike/ped, smart growth, and sustainable transportation people will do their best. But they are much smaller, poorer and less influential than traditional transportation interests. It's not the advocates who will be tested, it's the political system and imaginations of elected officials. Bike/ped advocates are small political players compared to the massive contractors who build highways, bridges and transit systems. Those contractors (Whose alumni include both the head of the MTA and the NYC DOT)are major campaign contributors, and employ powerful lobbying firms. The bike/ped, smart growth, and sustainable transportation people will do their best. But they are much smaller, poorer and less influential than traditional transportation interests.

]]> By: JK http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-59912 JK Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:26:29 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-59912 This is an astute piece. National media has been obsessing on high speed regional rail, as has the NY Daily News. But but by far the biggest number of trips American's make are under five miles. It's a good bet that the benefit/cost of bike/ped spending is much, much higher than high speed or heavy rail. London is spending a billion dollars on it's bike network over the next five years. That seems like a big number, but they are aiming to transform their transportation system and greatly ease the peak hour pressure on the tube/subway. Even in expensive New York City, a few billion dollars spent on protected bike-ways, sidewalk widenings, public space improvements and BRT would produce profound results. The problem with the U.S. transportation system is not getting people to stop driving between LA and San Francisco, or NYC and Albany. It's getting people to stop driving their kids a mile to school or driving two miles to get a quart of milk. This is an astute piece. National media has been obsessing on high speed regional rail, as has the NY Daily News. But but by far the biggest number of trips American's make are under five miles. It's a good bet that the benefit/cost of bike/ped spending is much, much higher than high speed or heavy rail. London is spending a billion dollars on it's bike network over the next five years. That seems like a big number, but they are aiming to transform their transportation system and greatly ease the peak hour pressure on the tube/subway. Even in expensive New York City, a few billion dollars spent on protected bike-ways, sidewalk widenings, public space improvements and BRT would produce profound results. The problem with the U.S. transportation system is not getting people to stop driving between LA and San Francisco, or NYC and Albany. It's getting people to stop driving their kids a mile to school or driving two miles to get a quart of milk.

]]> By: Jonathan Maus http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-59911 Jonathan Maus Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:05:37 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-59911 for transit, yes. For bike and ped. I doubt it. the cultural mind-transfer from mega-highways to mega rail/trains/subways will be much easier for both the American public and politicians to muster. the mind-shift from mega-highways to people using their own power to move around will be quite difficult for folks to make...and i fear that bike/ped will get left behind in the race for funding. also... what bike and peds need are better policies, not just projects. you'd think that fact would make it easier to improve them, but with the emphasis on mega-projects that create good jobs, improving bike/ped in this regard isn't a slam dunk either. this is the time, more than ever, that bike/ped advocates will be tested. if they fail, we all lose. if they rise to the occasion, and take all of us with them, we might, just might, make the major changes that are so long overdue. for transit, yes. For bike and ped. I doubt it.

the cultural mind-transfer from mega-highways to mega rail/trains/subways will be much easier for both the American public and politicians to muster.

the mind-shift from mega-highways to people using their own power to move around will be quite difficult for folks to make...and i fear that bike/ped will get left behind in the race for funding.

also... what bike and peds need are better policies, not just projects. you'd think that fact would make it easier to improve them, but with the emphasis on mega-projects that create good jobs, improving bike/ped in this regard isn't a slam dunk either.

this is the time, more than ever, that bike/ped advocates will be tested. if they fail, we all lose. if they rise to the occasion, and take all of us with them, we might, just might, make the major changes that are so long overdue.

]]> By: Rhywun http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-59909 Rhywun Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:26:01 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-59909 It also wouldn't hurt if the government dispensed with some of the massive amounts of red tape required to do anything. It also wouldn't hurt if the government dispensed with some of the massive amounts of red tape required to do anything.

]]> By: Larry Littlefield http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/12/05/will-transit-bikes-and-peds-get-a-stimulus-we-can-believe-in/comment-page-1/#comment-59908 Larry Littlefield Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:44:31 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5076#comment-59908 Wouldn't Silver, Skelos, Smith and the Gang of Three have to approve a capital plan revision? Kiss the money goodbye! Wouldn't Silver, Skelos, Smith and the Gang of Three have to approve a capital plan revision? Kiss the money goodbye!

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