Twin Cities to host 2014 national transit advocacy conference

Pioneer Press ^ | 8-2-12 | Frederick Melo

[TurboZamboni]

Organizers of a national transit advocacy conference have chosen the Twin Cities as the host site for their fall 2014 event, which is expected to draw roughly 1,000 rail enthusiasts and transit planners from across the country.

The "Rail-Volution" board of directors approved a joint proposal from the Counties Transit Improvement Board, the Metropolitan Council and the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Organizers say their next step is to find a Twin Cities conference site.

The timing is no coincidence. In 2014, the Green Line -- currently more commonly known as the Central Corridor light-rail transit line -- will begin taking commuters between downtown Minneapolis and the refurbished Union Depot in downtown St. Paul. The Red Line, or Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit, is also expected to be under way in the southern suburbs.

Rail-Volution started in 1989 as a series of outreach events to generate support for Portland, Ore.'s MAX light-rail system. It became a national conference in 1995.

[TurboZamboni]

Hey Oregonians, how's that light rail workin out for you?

[Wisconsinlady]

What a bunch of wasteful morons

[21twelve]

http://www.oregonlive.com/clackamascounty/index.ssf/2012/05/max_green_line_ships_gangs_to.html

Well, if you are a gang member it sure helps to increase your territory.

[Army Air Corps]

Choo Choo Ping.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Organizers of a national transit advocacy conference have chosen the Twin Cities as the host site for their fall 2014 event, which is expected to draw roughly 1,000 rail enthusiasts and transit planners from across the country.

The overwhelming majority of whom will arrive in the Twin Cities by airplane or automobile.

[IronJack]

I’ll rise to the defense of Minneapolis’ light rail system. It’s fast, clean, efficient, and — last I heard — was actually paying for itself. As poorly as traffic is managed in Minneapolis, light rail makes sense. That may not hold true in other venues.

[bert]

Willie Green, Paging Willie green....... Rail thread!

[TurboZamboni]

I seriously doubt it pays for itself,but it may come closer to doing so than most others.

Ridership stats are pumped up since the Twins/Met Council offer discounts on game days which throws the ridership numbers off.

[Docbarleypop]

you are absolutely right, the only days that the choo-choo pays for itself are on football sundays. the ridership is minimal and most riders are subsidized as well. My house is less than a block away from a stop on the new line being put in. I will be moving as soon as possible.

[TurboZamboni]

I rarely go to MPLS except for an occasional ball game. Seems to me living along the rail line as a driver would suck.

I always see people sitting forever at the crossarms waiting for the choo choo to go by.

[TEXOKIE]

If you want to be on or off the Agenda 21 ping list, please notify me by Freepmail. It is a relatively low volume list in which we have been exploring the UN Agenda21 and related topics. We have collected our studies with threads, links, and discussions on the Agenda 21 thread which can be found here:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2738418/posts

NEW ACTION THREAD:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2861644/posts

Post 128 of the Action Thread is a summary of the history of Agenda 21, “what they are doing”, “what to do about it” and a good bibliography for further reading.