What's old is new again.
Posted on 04/06/2016 6:26:47 PM PDT by Olog-hai
A Maryland board approved a $5.6 billion contract Wednesday for a team of companies to build and operate a light-rail Purple Line that state officials say will rejuvenate older communities and transform a 16-mile swath of the Washington suburbs.
The 876-page agreement — believed to be the most expensive government contract ever in Maryland — forms one of the largest public-private partnerships on a U.S. transportation project and will result in the first major light-rail line in the nation’s capital in years. […]
Compared with Metro trains, Purple Line light-rail trains will be shorter, carry a maximum of 300 passengers and travel more slowly. They will be powered by overhead electrical lines and run above ground, mostly in their own lanes on local streets between Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. …
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Let me guess, it’s all to be paid for with Gas Tax dollars.
Then they’ll tell the public they don’t take in enough gas taxes to support highway upkeep.
A—holes!
Dependable transportation to move skid row criminals to the suburbs.
For better pickings.
Providing faster and more comfortable transportation to and from target rich areas for muggers and rapers.
19th century technology to the rescue.
What's old is new again.
Rudolf Diesel filed his first patent in 1894.
The big problem is government doing what the private sector ought to be allowed to.
I’m sure it’ll be a total flop.
What makes the price even more ridiculous is that there aren’t any tunnels. It’s low speed too. Should be able to do it for a fraction.
Also no parking lots at stations, so don’t expect much actual use. No real reason for someone to jump from metro to a slower line. Driving would probably be half time.
Projects like this have been done for $10 million per mile or less. $350 million per mile is more than enough to build the whole thing underground. But to be frank, there is no pressing need for any rail line that runs between Bethesda and New Carrollton no matter the cost.
Pay offs to unions, environmentalists, politicians, community organizations, and other assorted "stakeholders" ain't cheap.
It’s already the most expensive of its kind, but I fully expect something like that to transpire.
Any guesses when the break even would occur? I would say around 2212.
At that price, it should be 90% tunnels.
It is only $5524 per inch!
I’ve heard that the cost of some of the stations will be in the nine-figure range. Utter madness.
Perfect for corrupt construction business.
So, will Maryland really pay only around $100 million into this project?
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
I’m no mathmagician, but at 59000 riders a day times 25 years times $2 per ride fare, that comes out to $1,084,050,000 in revenue vs a cost of $5,600,000,000.
By Federal law, light rail cars have a maximum usable lifespan of 25 years and must be replaced.
I assume the $5.6bb cost does not include operation and maintenance costs.
Actual cost is $5.16 per ride assuming full ridership 265 days a year from day one.
I’m disappointed in Hogan. Franchot seems to show occasional flashes of sanity, but his comment that millenials will flock to Maryland to ride the trains is the height of liberal insanity.
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