Rail Runner Ridership Tails Off (NM-Richardson's Railroad)

The NM taxpayers are stuck with this empty boondoggle. To encourage riders, the first three months were free. Now that fares are $2.00 one-way ($3.00 round trip), ridership has dropped off. The "discounted" fares will be around for several more months yet and then raised again. Considering that once you reach downtown ABQ you have to transfer to buses to reach any place of employment, its a wonder that anyone rides it. However the NM taxpayers (and US taxpayers as well) have been hit for the tab which is several hundred million dollars.

And there's more to come -- Richardson is pushing a RR to Santa Fe which is going to be even more expensive considering 15-20 miles has to be built from scratch up basalt cliffs, beside an interstate highway and through Santa Fe suburbs. And he's promised this by the end of 2008!! If you believe that I have some prime desert land SE of Alamogordo to sell you. Whoops -- can't do that; Richardson has put it off limits because though its prime for oil/natural gas development some lizards and plants might be disturbed. Sorry, due to the high price of gasoline, you'll have to take our train though it won't be ready for you to ride for maybe four or five years or maybe never.

Residents Fight Rail Runner (NM-Richardson's Railroad)

thx for the post

Have no fear, they will subsidize it.

Have no fear, ~~they~~ we will subsidize it.

We, the New Mexico taxpayer.

Come on Dave, we all know Light Rail is a winner. I offer the following proofs.../sarc>

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Top Ten Light Rail Myths

We just ran across the report from the Cascade Policy Institute regarding the top ten myths mentioned here the other day. This was published in 1998, yet is apropot now considering that Spokane is about to dive into the abyss.

Top Ten Light Rail Myths:
What We’ve Learned From 12 Years of MAX in Portland
By John A. Charles

1. Light Rail will reduce traffic congestion.
Eastside MAX went on-line in 1986. Yet between 1986 and 1992 Portland area traffic congestion grew faster than other Western cities, including Seattle, which has no light rail. Between 1986 and 1995, traffic counts on the Banfield freeway increased from 117,928 to 162,254 (measured near Lloyd Center), despite the adjacent light rail line and free parking for MAX riders at the Gateway Transit Center.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed South/North light-rail extension predicts that traffic congestion on I-5 will actually worsen with light rail. The most likely explanation for this prediction is that the alignment will destroy two lanes of road capacity on Interstate Avenue, shifting traffic to the already congested I-5.

2. Light Rail will improve air quality.
The DEIS predicts that N/S light rail would reduce regional nitrogen oxide emissions by about one-tenth of one percent (1/1,000th). We will see greater improvement than that in the near future just from older cars being retired from the fleet.
Moreover, there is no reason to spend $1.6 billion on any single air pollution strategy, because Portland does not have an air pollution problem. Last year, EPA re-designated the Portland region as an ”attainment“ region under the Clean Air Act — meaning that every Oregon city now complies with federal standards.

3. Building light rail is cheaper than building highways.
At more than $100 million per mile, the south/north light rail will cost more than any highway ever built in Oregon....Click here for more viewing pleasure.

Bad things happen to good people when dem's are in charge!

"We thought we were going to be a lot less than 500," he said. "We thought maybe it would be even in the 400 or 300 range, which is not unusual in that it's a very short corridor."

So by their own projections at best they would have 500 riders. Even at $5 a round trip, thats $2,000 a day in revenue. That doesn't even come close to covering operating costs, let alone the capital expenditure to build the railway. This is such an utterly stupid waste of money. Of course, we have plenty of that here in CA. They figured out the costs of a local commuter rail line here in Southern CA, and it came out that the subsidy (costs above revenue) to run the train was over $100 a day PER RIDER! More than just stupidity, this is insanity.

Have no fear, they will subsidize it.

If you subsidize it, they will come? ;^)

It is my feeling that they are double counting. In other words they are counting rider just one way. Assuming that most folks want to return from wince they came the rider ship is more like 400 to 600 per day. That means for phase one of the Rail Runner we have spent $100 Million tax dollars that benefits of 400 to 600 people. By the way the Big I interchage reconstruction on I 40 cost $100 Million and benifiets 150,000 commuters a day

They're on a roll in ABQ. The mayor wants to spend millions on light rail (to serve the homeless on Central Avenue and the clueless heads-full-of-mush at the University of NM) without a vote by the citizens who will pay the bill. However the city council realized that they would be thrown out of office if they did not have a vote, so one is going to be held in February.

From the ABQ Journal:

The plan calls for spending $150 million from the transportation tax for a streetcar line on Central, from Washington Avenue to Atrisco just west of the Rio Grande. It could be expanded later.
State funds would be sought for a connection to the airport, which would bring the total to an estimated $270 million.
The transportation tax provides $34 million annually. It's a quarter-cent gross-receipts tax.

Streetcar Tax to Go to Voters

My e-mail to my City Councilman on the street car: Craig I would strongly encourage you to vote to send this tax to the voters to decide. I have very strong feelings about this.

His response: Thank you for your e-mail below expressing your concern about the streetcar project. I would like to share with you my reasons for supporting the measure.

I believe streetcars will enhance the city’s tourism efforts and, as a result, generate more gross receipts and lodgers’ tax revenues for Albuquerque. I am also confident streetcar service will directly benefit District 8 residents. I am assured by the Transit Department that streetcars on Central will allow for improved bus and Rapid Ride service in our area. Further, increased property tax revenues resulting from higher valuations of properties along the streetcar routes will help relieve and mitigate the current inequitable property tax burden currently borne by District 8 property owners.

Ideally, citizens would vote on all matters that affect them.

Unfortunately such a situation would be costly, cumbersome and inefficient. As a result, elected officials are sometimes called upon to make difficult decisions on behalf of the citizens they represent. On the transportation infrastructure tax extension/streetcar project I listened to my constituents, talked to experts, evaluated information and made the decision I thought best for my constituents and the future of our city. Again I appreciate your comments and the opportunity to respond to your concerns. I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.

My counter response: Craig what unmitigated bull sh**. I think the lack of riders to and from our district has more to do with the availability of service rather than the availability buses. Second I also don’t think that Johns will use the streetcars to pickup hookers. Lastly there should not be any rush to extend this tax or make it permanent. The current tax, if I remember correctly does not sunset until 2010 which means that we have plenty of time to put this on a future city election not a special one. The only possible rush on this is to prop up Marty for some future election.

Councilor Craig Loy said many people thought the tax should go to voters— and with that issue settled, they will consider the streetcar proposal on its own merits. "I think the streetcar program is good for Albuquerque," he said.

I'm unclear whether he finally voted to take it too the people or whether his statement is just making the best of a decision (asking voter approval) by the other councilors.

ABQ needs light rail like I need a hole in the head.

Loy did not vote to take it to the voters. If I remember correctly it was Winter, Heinrich and Harris.