It doesn’t bother me that much, but it really does enter the realm of self-parody: “Transit policy? Booo-ring! Can’t we make this bill about the gays? Or–ooh I’ve got it! You know what this bill needs? More guns.”

Even if the MTA is wasteful and inefficient, that doesn’t change the fact that subway service is essential to the regional economy. Starving the MTA won’t end dangerous labor practices, it will just kill the local economy and quality of life overall.

It’s shiny and fancy and contains a lot of photos of innovative street design techniques in other cities and countries. The ideas contained within are also mostly non-standard (not standard NYCDOT/NYCDDC engineering design), and therefore are unlikely to be implemented widely throughout the city. Producing a nice book is a lot cheaper than actually implementing the practices contained within. This way, the city can say, “Look at our design concepts! Aren’t we forward thinking?!” But in reality, when forward thinking engineering drawings are proposed at meetings with the city, the same concepts touted in the Street Design Manual are shot down in a second.

Yes, some communities have been graced with humane street design. Pay attention, however, to the less affluent communities. Look at the recently modified “The Hub” in the Bronx, and compare the final result with the proposed design elements in the Street Design Manual. In theory, the city offers designers a gorgeous toolbox of techniques and materials… but in practice it accepts mostly asphalt and painted striping.

Why Amtrak bans (most) dogs on trains

just keep giving them money, no questions asked
brilliant

can i ask you to run my family budget please? you seem really talented

The smart thing is for Amtrak to get over the politics of this intrusion and comply without adding “new and expensive layers of security”. Amtrak can do whatever they were doing before terrorists flew airplanes into buildings, which had nothing to do with railroads. The company needs to leverage the built-in safety and convenience advantages of rail and work on fixing they problems they actually have, like scheduling useful routes beyond the northeast corridor.

Then parties would be less powerful, and the Democrats and Republicans won’t be having any of that.

Ask yourself, of every decision: Who benefits?

To keep the subways and buses running (operating budget). Also to expand the system and keep the existing bits from falling apart (capital budget).

But given the lack of serious thought or intent in your post, I doubt you ever expected a rational response.

horrible service

why would anyone want to fund the MTA – this is exactly why congestion pricing and bridge tolls, etc fail – no one wants to give an extra penny to this horrendous organization. so they have to steal it via taxes and fare hikes