Comments on: Wiki Wednesday: Transit and the Stimulus http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/wiki-wednesday-transit-and-the-stimulus/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:40:14 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Niccolo Machiavelli http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/wiki-wednesday-transit-and-the-stimulus/comment-page-1/#comment-62062 Niccolo Machiavelli Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:01:29 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5301#comment-62062 "Shovel-ready" just a clever piece of language framing to put highway projects at the front of the line for stimulus money. I argue that funding transit operating budgets will be far more stimulative in the short run and the long run than the next yard of concrete. Nonetheless, by setting "shovel-ready" as the standard it is probably true that there are more blueprints on file for new roads than there is for anything else. Add to that the greater NIMBY resistance that transit historically has generated and you have a very bad picture shaping up. I'm shovel ready tomorrow to start working on opening the Rockaway Branch to rail service, but I think the neighbors would quickly have their political guardians armed to the teeth before we got shovels in the ground. "Shovel-ready" just a clever piece of language framing to put highway projects at the front of the line for stimulus money. I argue that funding transit operating budgets will be far more stimulative in the short run and the long run than the next yard of concrete. Nonetheless, by setting "shovel-ready" as the standard it is probably true that there are more blueprints on file for new roads than there is for anything else. Add to that the greater NIMBY resistance that transit historically has generated and you have a very bad picture shaping up.

I'm shovel ready tomorrow to start working on opening the Rockaway Branch to rail service, but I think the neighbors would quickly have their political guardians armed to the teeth before we got shovels in the ground.

]]> By: Schuylkill Sarah http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/wiki-wednesday-transit-and-the-stimulus/comment-page-1/#comment-62005 Schuylkill Sarah Fri, 23 Jan 2009 03:30:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5301#comment-62005 Is anybody in the Network tracking bike/ped funding in the stimulus bills? Is anybody in the Network tracking bike/ped funding in the stimulus bills?

]]> By: Matt Bamberg http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/wiki-wednesday-transit-and-the-stimulus/comment-page-1/#comment-61934 Matt Bamberg Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:14:16 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5301#comment-61934 Love that futuristic-looking BART train. Check out my book...http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Photo-Opportunities-San-Francisco/dp/1598638009 Love that futuristic-looking BART train.

Check out my book...http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Photo-Opportunities-San-Francisco/dp/1598638009

]]> By: ryan http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/wiki-wednesday-transit-and-the-stimulus/comment-page-1/#comment-61933 ryan Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:27:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5301#comment-61933 Shovel-ready is shorthand for 'will be paid for before the stimulus plan has outlived its usefulness.' You don't want to fund a huge project that will be finished like 10 years after the recession you were trying to jolt your way out of. It will cause inflation. A Big Dig scenario for transit will pretty much kill any hope for a rational transportation policy in this country for a generation Shovel-ready is shorthand for 'will be paid for before the stimulus plan has outlived its usefulness.' You don't want to fund a huge project that will be finished like 10 years after the recession you were trying to jolt your way out of. It will cause inflation. A Big Dig scenario for transit will pretty much kill any hope for a rational transportation policy in this country for a generation

]]> By: Andrew http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/wiki-wednesday-transit-and-the-stimulus/comment-page-1/#comment-61932 Andrew Thu, 22 Jan 2009 02:46:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5301#comment-61932 I was told that transit projects weren't "shovel ready" and therefore not fall into the stimulus plan. Can someone explain this. When does something be classified as shovel ready? I was told that transit projects weren't "shovel ready" and therefore not fall into the stimulus plan. Can someone explain this. When does something be classified as shovel ready?

]]> By: Kaja http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/21/wiki-wednesday-transit-and-the-stimulus/comment-page-1/#comment-61926 Kaja Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:52:27 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5301#comment-61926 People such as ourselves should try making use of the new Office of the Public Liaison. I'm all fired up to get cynical about this too, but I'm not just there yet. http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/opl/ People such as ourselves should try making use of the new Office of the Public Liaison. I'm all fired up to get cynical about this too, but I'm not just there yet.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/opl/

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