Comments on: Lots of Work to Be Done in the New Year http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: gecko http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61351 gecko Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:41:37 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61351 Comprehensive legislation for cyclist accessibility in government buildings like the post office and public spaces to include secure parking similar in scope to that for the handicapped would be a symbolic start. Comprehensive legislation for cyclist accessibility in government buildings like the post office and public spaces to include secure parking similar in scope to that for the handicapped would be a symbolic start.

]]> By: Rhywun http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61297 Rhywun Tue, 06 Jan 2009 02:10:43 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61297 By "politics" I mean decisions will be based on horse-trading and NIMBYism rather than well-known formulas that establish need. In other words, business as usual. By “politics” I mean decisions will be based on horse-trading and NIMBYism rather than well-known formulas that establish need. In other words, business as usual.

]]> By: jmc http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61293 jmc Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:49:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61293 It's really not "politically impossible" for him to shore up city transit systems in the near term, and extend them in the long term. There are plenty of politicians in the legislature who are from cities, and nearly all cities are hurting NOW, so a broad aid program would have plenty of support. The reason he isn't mentioning it is because he doesn't care about it, he'd rather continue his style of vague pronouncements and symbolic gestures. He'd rather people believe that under his leadership we can transcend the banality of taking transit to work tomorrow and instead teleport to our dreams in the thirty-fourth century. He represents machine politics at its worst, and his appointment of an Illinois machine politician to SecTrans doesn't bode well. It’s really not “politically impossible” for him to shore up city transit systems in the near term, and extend them in the long term. There are plenty of politicians in the legislature who are from cities, and nearly all cities are hurting NOW, so a broad aid program would have plenty of support. The reason he isn’t mentioning it is because he doesn’t care about it, he’d rather continue his style of vague pronouncements and symbolic gestures.

He’d rather people believe that under his leadership we can transcend the banality of taking transit to work tomorrow and instead teleport to our dreams in the thirty-fourth century.

He represents machine politics at its worst, and his appointment of an Illinois machine politician to SecTrans doesn’t bode well.

]]> By: Niccolo Machiavelli http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61292 Niccolo Machiavelli Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:23:14 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61292 Not to put too fine a point on it Rhywun but the issue #1 Transit Rider here brought up is more germane to the immediate crisis, Transit Operating funding. And that is not up to the states, the Feds have refused to hand out Operating aid for a long time now digging us the hole we are presently in. All of these decisions are political, it is really what politics is for, deciding who gets what, when and where. The establishment of authority to allocate values and resources. Your reference to leadership is a reference to politics as well. Its not a dirty word. Not to put too fine a point on it Rhywun but the issue #1 Transit Rider here brought up is more germane to the immediate crisis, Transit Operating funding. And that is not up to the states, the Feds have refused to hand out Operating aid for a long time now digging us the hole we are presently in. All of these decisions are political, it is really what politics is for, deciding who gets what, when and where. The establishment of authority to allocate values and resources.

Your reference to leadership is a reference to politics as well. Its not a dirty word.

]]> By: Rhywun http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61283 Rhywun Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:57:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61283 It's up to the states to submit their wish lists. Which makes the decisions political. Politicians don't care about mundane repair work--they want to bring home shiny new expressways out to the cornfields where nobody's building houses anymore since the economy went tits-up. Maybe Obama will show some leadership and impose some restrictions on where the money goes, but it's not looking likely. It’s up to the states to submit their wish lists. Which makes the decisions political. Politicians don’t care about mundane repair work–they want to bring home shiny new expressways out to the cornfields where nobody’s building houses anymore since the economy went tits-up.

Maybe Obama will show some leadership and impose some restrictions on where the money goes, but it’s not looking likely.

]]> By: Mark Walker http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61281 Mark Walker Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:36:07 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61281 There are two shocking things about the transportation component of the stimulus -- and the windshield bias is only one of them. Here's the other: Most of the money is for new roads, not for the repair of existing roads and bridges. So we're building a whole bunch of new roads to nowhere, force-feeding a suburban-sprawl beast that's already morbidly obese, choking and gagging in its death throes, while the real transit systems of the future starve. There are two shocking things about the transportation component of the stimulus — and the windshield bias is only one of them. Here’s the other: Most of the money is for new roads, not for the repair of existing roads and bridges. So we’re building a whole bunch of new roads to nowhere, force-feeding a suburban-sprawl beast that’s already morbidly obese, choking and gagging in its death throes, while the real transit systems of the future starve.

]]> By: jmc http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61271 jmc Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:25:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61271 I don't believe that you are being irrational by noting the omissions in the propaganda broadcasts. Transit systems are going bankrupt, but the Great New Leader believes that trying to make gasoline from pond scum (a futile and silly technology) and increasing the bombing of the Khyber pass is a better use of our national treasury than transit systems and the infrastructure of our cities. I don’t believe that you are being irrational by noting the omissions in the propaganda broadcasts. Transit systems are going bankrupt, but the Great New Leader believes that trying to make gasoline from pond scum (a futile and silly technology) and increasing the bombing of the Khyber pass is a better use of our national treasury than transit systems and the infrastructure of our cities.

]]> By: Transit Rider http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/05/lots-of-work-to-be-done-in-the-new-year/comment-page-1/#comment-61264 Transit Rider Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:34:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5200#comment-61264 The Obama stimulus plan needs to help current transit riders, not just potential future ones. That means federal help for operating budgets and direct subsidies for transit passes for those seeking employment. Call it a "transit benefit." American transit riders are mainly bus riders, and mainly working class people hard hit by the economy. It's nice to talk about building premium fast intercity rail, but our big transit agencies and their riders need help now keeping fares affordable. Nationally, we should also be looking much more at expanding the transit network via quick to construct, and cost effective Bus Rapid Transit. The urban transit systems are at their limits. Let's expand their capacity first. The Obama stimulus plan needs to help current transit riders, not just potential future ones. That means federal help for operating budgets and direct subsidies for transit passes for those seeking employment. Call it a “transit benefit.” American transit riders are mainly bus riders, and mainly working class people hard hit by the economy. It’s nice to talk about building premium fast intercity rail, but our big transit agencies and their riders need help now keeping fares affordable. Nationally, we should also be looking much more at expanding the transit network via quick to construct, and cost effective Bus Rapid Transit. The urban transit systems are at their limits. Let’s expand their capacity first.

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