why oh why does the Mayor insist on this? There is a park plot that sits empty and full of weeds that could be developed for the cost of this streetcar.

I moved in from Meridian to Boise last year and I thought I left stupid city governments that build expensive pet projects behind. Only to be reminded of the street car bit.

Here is a plan…. take all the money they want to waste on the street car, and put that into better bus schedules, or increased operation hours.

THAT would actually help the citizens that need transportation around the valley to shop or to work.

Agree with BG (again). But, I know Bieter’s intentions to make Boise a better place is a priority to him. This guy is one of the most honest people you will meet. He comes from a great family and is not in this job for any self-interests. He could make a bunch more money as an attorney than as mayor, but chose to follow in his Dad’s footsteps to make this a better place to live.

So, I’d like to ask him to explain why he’s chosen to continue with this when the public says nada.

I know someone that works with the city buses and he says the buses are extremely expensive and the upkeep is enormous. In fact, I understand we have to purchase used buses from other cities because of the cost. So, is this the reason? Or what?

Appreciated.

Murphy has it exactly right. The city will SPEND every dime they get.

For one of the MANY examples, look at how many personal trucks the fire department has- you can’t get a good sense of that number till you go to the West Boise PD/FD facilty on Emerald. Give it a tour.

EDITOR NOTE–Eastern, you hit a nerve with that one. Would believe there in excess of 150 vehicles provided to coppers to drive to an from work? Most are unmarked and we simply don’t think there are that many people so important they need a $25,000 car with all the maintenance, insurance, and gas furnished by taxpayers–especially when we have other coppers on duty 24 hrs a day.

Sandy. Nice that you think Bieter is so great but I kind of think this gig as Mayor is way more lucrative for him than being a dime a dozen attorney.

The busses purchased are brand new and while they are expensive to run, I suspect that if this area spent $40 million (the projected price of the bietertrolley – so far) we could have a really great bus system that had more routes with a lot more frequent times.

Every light rail system in the country always ends up being twice as expensive as the backers say and the projected riders always are more than the actual riders. Boise isn’t really big enough for light rail and the trolley the city is pushing doesn’t really go anywhere.

Apparently this “free” grant money is what’s driving the next episode in the trolley follies. And the city will continue to waste as much money as they can is search of fulfilling this pipe dream.

For a single payment of $50k I will tell the Mayor:
1. Boise is too small for a track based transit system well into the next century

2. Natural Gas fueled busses are a flexible mode of transportation and a much cheaper option.

Dang! I just gave it away for free..

Sigh, you all are missing the point.

First of all, we have the Fairview/Main corridor sitting there almost entirely vacant. This is the chance of a lifetime to develop a whole large section of city.

The problem is automobiles, not Bieter or North Enders or libs. It’s cars.

The City can’t allow mid-rise construction on those vacant lots of West Downtown without requiring large parking lots or changing zoning law. Parking lots eat up a lot of land while not producing as much tax revenue as a building would.

Therefore, a downtown circulating trolley connecting 30th with Broadway and BSU could/would allow for denser development.

Quit being so cynical, a permanent trolley could easily pay for itself but sure, it won’t happen overnight.

And again, how much have we spent in the last 10 to 15 years on widening 84, 184, The Flying Wye, Overland, Cole, Victory, Eagle, Chinden, Ustick, McMillian, Maple Grove, Five Mile, Franklin, and the Parkcenter bridges?

A downtown trolley is a drop in the bucket compared to all those automobile subsidies.

EDITOR NOTE–C’mon Cynic. You know that taxes on all the high end development you envision will go to CCDC so they can develop even more stuff. NONE of the tax on improvements will go to fund police, fire, parks, etc. You and your neighbors will get huge property value hikes and have city services provided at the expense of the little old lady on the Bench trying to make ends meet on social security. ACHD has dedicated a huge shift of budget to you 30th Streeters, at least have the decency to not try to make us buy you a trolley as well!

I think some one else is missing the point. The city has no money. No Money, No Spend. It’s pretty simple. Do the Majority want it. No. No permission, No spend. Look, I like the idea, it’s pretty cool. I questioned why we got rid of what we had before the City decided to get rid of it. The ROI is just not there.