I am a bit puzzled by the implication that public transit is a business. It is not; it is a public service.

I have never heard anyone say that we would fund the police department if only there were more crime. I have never heard anyone say that if there were more fires, we would beef up the fire department.

Why is there an expectation that more people need to use a transit system built with obsolete coaches from anoter transit system’s junk yard, that only offers service to a limited part of the community, and with hourly service before justifying funding to build a workable public transit system?

http://noboisestreetcar.blogspot.com/

Let’s get that Federal money. Wait a minute. There are strings attached to that money. Like environmental assessments, maybe even a full blown environmental impact statement, recognizing that evil Union (heaven forbid!), and too many other strings to even attempt to describe here.

For those that wish to learn about “the other side” of the Portland “success” story check out http://ti.org/antiplanner/?p=57. Or just Google or Bing “Portland streetcar” or “Portland streetcar costs” and see all the interesting things that turn up. Things we’re not being told.

On a national basis the story is basically the same. There is at least one local politico in each place that is determined to ram it down the locals throat come hell or high water, consultants (paid by tax dollars) attempt to justify rail for the politicos, and locals oppose it for the folly that it is. Sound familiar?

Referendum anyone? On the streetcar of course.

CB: Good analysis. This whole thing should play really well with the Legislature. Nice case study of the responsible use of tax dollars.

Yo Timm !: You’re right, the trolley is not the way to go and, yes, the city does need to sink a lot more money into the bus system to make it a decent one. One of the reasons the bus system is so crappy now is that the City failed to properly fund it for a number of years. I think it’s called benign neglect.

As to “…the bus will operate at a loss …”. News flash!! The bus system already operates at a loss and has for decades. Just like every other transit system in the nation except in our case it’s a 90% loss. Riders pay only 10% of the operating cost. Your taxes, Federal and local, pay the remaining 90%. Now that’s impressive. NOT! By the way, those are the numbers Valley Regional has reported to the Feds. They’re not my numbers.

What about a park in the big hole with a riding mini train? The park could look like a mini Idaho. Tourists would have another reason to flock to the 4th best town in America. Sunset magazine would be sure to do a feature on it. The Tertelling family might even donate the one up at the house.

That being said, I do not think the trolley is the way to go. In my opinion, they need to sink money into two things: A decent bus system and a MASSIVE advertising blitz to let people know about the New and Improved VRT. City Hall also needs to accept and be prepared for the fact that if they do this, the bus will operate at a loss, possibly for years, until people’s habits and mindsets change and they begin to realize that the (hypothetically improved) bus is a reasonable means of transportation.

He is starting to remind me of Mussolini whith his focus on the toy train. But will they run on time?

Canyon County is a state of mind, Ada County is a state of confusion.

Standalone trolleys don’t draw flies for riders unless they are part of a larger useful transit system. Portland built their bus system then their light rail long before they had the streetcar. Trolleys/Streetcars in Detroit, Miami and Tampa have become empty toys or nothing but tourist/special event trains.

Empty trolleys will mean: 1. Less support from the Legislature on future transit funding; 2. Less support from downtown businesses on additional bus routes/light rail/commuter rail; 3. More skepticism from an auto-addicted populace; and 4. Reluctance from other cities in the region to implement transit services for fear of backlash from their constitutents.

Of course, Bieter’s hacks will blame someone else for its failure. I can hear them now: “It was the economy… Republicans… Developers… The bus transit center isn’t in the optimal location… It was ACHD’s fault… The Legislature wouldn’t give us funding authority… Locusts… Earthquake… A terrible flood… We swear to God, it wasn’t our fault!!!”

There is something about an empty trolley endlessly circling the building that never was (The Pit), perhaps with a Peter Lorry look alike at the controls, that I find very entertaining.

A fiscal disaster, of course, but great street art.

Yeah, I understand they’re just trying to get (more than) there share, but it’s obvious that this theme-park ride would never see the light of day without federal largess.