Comments on: Reaching the Tipping Point for Mass Transit http://bikeprovidence.org/2008/05/10/reaching-the-tipping-point-for-mass-transit Providence Bicycle Coalition (PBC) Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:24:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Alan Barta http://bikeprovidence.org/2008/05/10/reaching-the-tipping-point-for-mass-transit#comment-614 Alan Barta Sun, 25 May 2008 15:39:21 +0000 http://bikeprovidence.org/2008/05/10/reaching-the-tipping-point-for-mass-transit/#comment-614 Since Congress permitted a radical increase in prices for petroleum, then it must match it with radical increases in minimum wage. If it costs $100 to fill your tank, the lowest paid employee needs to clear $500/week, or $12.50/hr., as, rightly, individuals shouldn't have to budget more than 20% of their net income on transportation. Otherwise, they should cut transportation spending commensurately. Instead of $600 billion on roads per year, how about $100 billion, and the rest for other modalities. Rail talk is all the rage. Some criminal on ProJo's editorial staff suggested returning all our costly bicycling infrastructure, painfully established, to trolley lines. I have no problem with elevated monorails using the same rights of way, but anything that detracts from bicycling is already illegal. Rail enthusiasts refuse to welcome cycling as a modality that could actually increase train ridership. Tax subsidized AMTRAK doesn't provide enough bike related accommodations: bikes on board (during all runs) or station bike racks and enclosed, locking storage. They are better at closing bridges you need to cross this monolithic impediment that creates huge detours for bicyclists. With $500 billion freed up annually, they can buy up new rights of way, replace bike/ped bridges over rails and roads, and make new bikeways and railways, which compete for flat terrain, coexist nicely. And they can offer some incentives for logical urban planning and policies. What America is now witnessing is the results of excessive corporate freedoms. Force corporations to locate in population centers. Their response to date has been to avoid regulations by offshoring. Well, that has to stop, too, if they want to do business in America. Since Congress permitted a radical increase in prices for petroleum, then it must match it with radical increases in minimum wage. If it costs $100 to fill your tank, the lowest paid employee needs to clear $500/week, or $12.50/hr., as, rightly, individuals shouldn’t have to budget more than 20% of their net income on transportation. Otherwise, they should cut transportation spending commensurately. Instead of $600 billion on roads per year, how about $100 billion, and the rest for other modalities.

Rail talk is all the rage. Some criminal on ProJo’s editorial staff suggested returning all our costly bicycling infrastructure, painfully established, to trolley lines. I have no problem with elevated monorails using the same rights of way, but anything that detracts from bicycling is already illegal. Rail enthusiasts refuse to welcome cycling as a modality that could actually increase train ridership. Tax subsidized AMTRAK doesn’t provide enough bike related accommodations: bikes on board (during all runs) or station bike racks and enclosed, locking storage. They are better at closing bridges you need to cross this monolithic impediment that creates huge detours for bicyclists.

With $500 billion freed up annually, they can buy up new rights of way, replace bike/ped bridges over rails and roads, and make new bikeways and railways, which compete for flat terrain, coexist nicely. And they can offer some incentives for logical urban planning and policies. What America is now witnessing is the results of excessive corporate freedoms. Force corporations to locate in population centers. Their response to date has been to avoid regulations by offshoring. Well, that has to stop, too, if they want to do business in America.

]]> By: Paul Klinkman http://bikeprovidence.org/2008/05/10/reaching-the-tipping-point-for-mass-transit#comment-514 Paul Klinkman Fri, 16 May 2008 18:21:08 +0000 http://bikeprovidence.org/2008/05/10/reaching-the-tipping-point-for-mass-transit/#comment-514 The cheapest RI mass transit system is the commuter rail trackage we have. Add a Pawtucket-Central Falls stop preferably at the old Pawtucket rail station, then a Warwick/Airport stop and an East Greenwich stop. Run commuter rail trains from Boston all the way down. Watch the Boston commuters move in and the property values go up within a mile of these stations. The cheapest RI mass transit system is the commuter rail trackage we have. Add a Pawtucket-Central Falls stop preferably at the old Pawtucket rail station, then a Warwick/Airport stop and an East Greenwich stop. Run commuter rail trains from Boston all the way down. Watch the Boston commuters move in and the property values go up within a mile of these stations.

]]> By: Mark http://bikeprovidence.org/2008/05/10/reaching-the-tipping-point-for-mass-transit#comment-485 Mark Sun, 11 May 2008 00:07:09 +0000 http://bikeprovidence.org/2008/05/10/reaching-the-tipping-point-for-mass-transit/#comment-485 It will be interesting to see whether this increase is permanent or just a fad. It's doubtful that the price of gas is going down again. Even if the politicians decide to cut or reduce the federal taxes, it's unlikely to make any difference in the long term cost of gas. Plus, without the gas taxes, the government would loose a large source of their infrastructure dollars, making it even harder to maintain the roadways. I'm curious what type of increase RIPTA has seen. I know that I've seen a definite increase in ridership the times I road the bus. The RIPTA drivers I've spoken to have said there has been a significant increase in ridership. Who knows, perhaps this year will be the one where RI finally figures out that we need a better public transit system. It will be interesting to see whether this increase is permanent or just a fad. It’s doubtful that the price of gas is going down again. Even if the politicians decide to cut or reduce the federal taxes, it’s unlikely to make any difference in the long term cost of gas. Plus, without the gas taxes, the government would loose a large source of their infrastructure dollars, making it even harder to maintain the roadways.

I’m curious what type of increase RIPTA has seen. I know that I’ve seen a definite increase in ridership the times I road the bus. The RIPTA drivers I’ve spoken to have said there has been a significant increase in ridership. Who knows, perhaps this year will be the one where RI finally figures out that we need a better public transit system.

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