Modern Streetcar coming to ABQ!!!!!!! (Albuquerque, Rio Rancho: budget, work, housing)

[ABQLifer]

February 6, 2006 is the day to vote on this issue.

[finmqa1]

It's unfortunate this will be decided by so many people (NIMBY's) who will shoot this down trying to stop our growth. However, growth will continue and the need for public transportation will be needed more than ever and the cost will double or triple by that time. Look at L.A. they waited way to long for trains, now they've invested billions to provide the infrastructure and the system is used by a great deal of their citizens. It has become so popular that they want to expand, however the cost for expansion is outrageous. We are still an open city compared to L.A. so getting the right of way for projects like this is much easier. If we put in the trains now before we become more dense we will save millions if not billions before it is all said and done. I hope the people of Albuquerque will realize the need for different forms of mass transit and vote yes on this. With our natural barriers surrounding the city, and the limited river crossing, mass transit is the key to a sustainable city!!!!!!!!

[Chaparral]

As much as I am glad that this measure will rightly go before the voters, I am equally disappointed in the knowledge that the measure will be voted down. The original measure barely passed, and there are already people questioning the project's merits. This does not bode well for passage. Perhaps I will be in for a surprise in February. But I wouldn't bet on it...

Chap

[Shmikker]

i know this is an old issue but, gas prices are at nearly $4 a gal. I think its time we seriously rethink this issue, the rail runner is doing amazingly well, as well as the buses. it may just pay for itself... with that said the housing market is still strong in ABQ, if this were to happen (modern street car system). it could only better housing and businesses, people will buy more because they dont have to spend that money on gas (street cars are gas less by the way) and better the lives for the people of Albuquerque.

[jghoo]

I'm all for it, however I wonder how much Marty will skim from this project for his friends? As an outsider I really do love the Roadrunner on things. Very cool to me. Maybe a Roadrunner with a green chilie in its mouth. Better yet a roadrunner with Marty in its mouth (just picture it...there he is kinda like a limp lizard).

EDIT

LOL didnt realize this was a 2yr old issue
A side note I think its tragic that it got voted down. Infrastructure is never a bad thing.

[trappedinNM]

Originally Posted by Shmikker

i know this is an old issue but, gas prices are at nearly $4 a gal. I think its time we seriously rethink this issue, the rail runner is doing amazingly well, as well as the buses. it may just pay for itself... with that said the housing market is still strong in ABQ, if this were to happen (modern street car system). it could only better housing and businesses, people will buy more because they dont have to spend that money on gas (street cars are gas less by the way) and better the lives for the people of Albuquerque.

Define "amazingly well". Provide statistics to back your assertion, along with funding and breakeven analysis. Compare to other subsidized transportation (eg bus). Advise as to the status of the proposed $25MILLION tax to cover the annual operating shortfall. Provide an estimate of the cost of the Streetcar (capital outlay) and the annual operating costs. Contrast the streetcar with the RapidRide and tell us the benefits of one over the other.

Note that per the WSJ, Abq housing is down substantially. Note that per the Abq realtors association, Abq housing is down substantially. Provide statistics to back the assertion that the "housing market is still strong".

Provide documentation of at least one public transportation system that is breaking even. Note that public transportation has always been a subsidized service. Some are just more subsidized than others.

As a side note, I am public advocate #1 for public transportation. I would favor a local gas tax to fund better public transportation that is usable, serves the major employement centers, ran frequently and reliable enough (including weekends) that it could be a viable alternative to my car.

Peace.

[mortimer]

Shmikker posts:

> ... gas prices are at nearly $4 a gal. ...

How is that relevant to whether a streetcar is a worthwhile project? Since this thing rightfully got put to bed, far superior double-long express busses and hybrid busses have been put into service that take care of the Central Avenue corridor for far less money 100% as well as a ground-level rail.

Busses were a good idea when gas was $1 a gal.

> I think its time we seriously rethink this issue, the rail runner is doing amazingly well, ...

"amazingly well?"

What is the definition of amazingly well? You see people's heads in some windows when it rolls by? Can you provide one real metric?

> .... as well as the buses. ...

The busses are great. Unfortunately, there are too few of them because potential funding has been sucked up by the above project.

There are perfectly good routes that go dead after a couple of runs. Other routes go dead at five-friggin-thirty pm. People don't use them because mostly, they can't.

How many busses could you buy for the cost of tearing up Central avenue to put a totally unnecessary ribbon of steel down the center?

[abqsunport]

Mortimer, it looks like the bus system just got some more funding because the city council just approved a budget that to me cuts some of the wasteful spending ands puts it into better infrastructure.

[mortimer]

trappedinNM wrote:

> Define "amazingly well". ....

It looks like our posts almost overlapped and you asked this question less than a minute before I did. Sorry abou that.

> As a side note, I am public advocate #1 for public transportation. ...

Me too. I think it's clear from my posts that I have used the bus way before it became "necessary" because I love the freedom to not worry about my friggin' automobile being parked nearby and I like to walk.

The busses work just fine as long as you can get a decent connection and you are not friggin' stranded at your location by having the line just arbitrarily shut down. (If you want to get to the heighs from downtown or UNM after 5:30 - you - are - screwed.)

I can make it to UNM from my house near Tramway and Paseo in short order for $1.00 (subsidised). I have to walk the ten or so miles if I choose to linger there past 5 pm (5-friggin'-pm).

abqsunport reassured:

> ... bus system just got some more funding ...

Great. I realize the limitations of any bus system. As someone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to busses, Albuquerque's is relatively good - despite the early cutoff problem.

Part of the reason that Albuquerque's bus system is pretty good is that Albuquerque is still a small city.
Part of the reason that rail in Albuquerque is not particularly efficient is that Albuquerque is still a small city.

I'd still support an E-W light rail line (high speed) running along I-40 (*) and don't absolutely hate the Railrunner.

(*) Maybe designed by GregW

[Shmikker]

Originally Posted by trappedinNM

Define "amazingly well". Provide statistics to back your assertion, along with funding and breakeven analysis. Compare to other subsidized transportation (eg bus). Advise as to the status of the proposed $25MILLION tax to cover the annual operating shortfall. Provide an estimate of the cost of the Streetcar (capital outlay) and the annual operating costs. Contrast the streetcar with the RapidRide and tell us the benefits of one over the other.

Note that per the WSJ, Abq housing is down substantially. Note that per the Abq realtors association, Abq housing is down substantially. Provide statistics to back the assertion that the "housing market is still strong".

Provide documentation of at least one public transportation system that is breaking even. Note that public transportation has always been a subsidized service. Some are just more subsidized than others.

As a side note, I am public advocate #1 for public transportation. I would favor a local gas tax to fund better public transportation that is usable, serves the major employement centers, ran frequently and reliable enough (including weekends) that it could be a viable alternative to my car.

Peace.

well i shouldn't have said AMAZING it was more like it looks positive for the future, my aunt lives in Las Lunas so i take the RR and i have noticed more people and the news (KOAT) said ridership is up. gas prices are not going to come down probably EVER so we must compromise and i have noticed that people are, i dont have to show you proof on paper i just visualized and thats what i saw. take a joy ride see for your self especially on the bus.