Posted on 08/05/2013 6:52:55 AM PDT by cutty
there's no reason to believe the Honolulu's rail project will do anything to improve traffic congestion. In fact, it's likely to divert resources from more-affordable solutions.
"The one thing about these projects [is that] they are very inviting politically," says former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano. Along with Cliff Slater of Honolulutraffic.com and University of Hawaii's Roth, Cayetano has filed a federal lawsuit against the rail project that's held up construction. They claim the city misled the public about the total cost of the project and didn't deliver fully on a required review of alternative solutions to a rail line.
Panos Prevedouros, one of the state's leading transportation experts, says the rail plan that the feds approved will siphon off state funding for the area's bus system.
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
People like their Choo Choos.
I’m sitting on a train subsidized by the good taxpayers at $20,000.00 per year, just for me.
Idiots.
Honolulu is built uphill from the sea, with Pearl Harbor jutting in, and Wakiki off to the side. I can’t imagine a train being of any use whatsoever.
Just a way to Liki-Liki taxpayers money away.
Best way to get around Honolulu is on a motorcycle.
Does it go under-water?
Does it go under-water?
"Got to do with where choo-choo go."
Willie Green sez it’s GOOD!
Goes along with Cali’s high speed train in the desert. Guess good cheap transportation for illegals to get to the picking fields
A transit agency that expands its bus fleet gets the support of the transit operators union. But an agency that builds a rail line gets the support of construction companies, construction unions, banks and bond dealers, railcar manufacturers, electric power companies (if the railcars are electric powered), downtown property owners, and other real estate interests.
Rail may be a negative-sum game for the region as a whole, but those concentrated interests stand to gain a lot at a relatively small expense to everyone else.
http://pjmedia.com/eddriscoll/2006/01/11/the-desire-named-streetcar-revisited/
ping
Certainly, one of the most corrupt political arenas in the nation. Economically a wasteland as well. Culturally & societally as well - if that’s what you long for, you can have it.
Nice weather, but after four years I missed having seasons. I also missed the ability to drive more than thirty miles in any direction.
Vacation, yes. Place to live? Da kine, bro, da kine.
Look at the light rail system in Minneapolis. It is great as long as you are going from the Mall of America to downtown for a Twins or Vikings game, but pretty much worthless for much else. Many people who work in downtown Minneapolis use the park and ride bus system which serves all the outlying suburbs and costs a fraction of what even a mile of light rail costs.
At the first whiff of revolt - CLICK - and nobody goes anywhere.
Well, now. They conned us out of an Interstate highway network. I’ve never understood how it can be interstate, given the geographical reality. sd
Yes! And the truly sad thing is that the tracks are still there, running along the ocean, mind you, traveling from one end of the state to the other! They should reinstate that one, but it doesn’t go along with their plan to place everyone in rail accessible boxes (apartment sprawls), living “Jetson”-like lives, working, shopping, and playing all together (kind of like the urban life of Japan, I guess). It’s truly horrendous and with the payola to the politicians it’s a done deal, no matter how much sense it doesn’t make!!
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