The Future of Rail in Cincinnati (Columbus, Wilson: transporting, house, to buy)

[unusualfire]

^And highways are built from the same sources and they are never paid for by themselves.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

^And highways are built from the same sources and they are never paid for by themselves.

Not so. The gasoline tax imposed on cars and the licensing fees imposed on trucks not only cover the cost of the highways, they cover the money being squandered on the rails.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by austiNati

Because the city voted for it TWICE, and the money had already been given to us. Out of the $130 Million needed, only $50 million came from Columbus.

Wrong again. The money mostly was not given it was borrowed. Like your mortgage, it has to be repaid with interest. I suppose it is coming out of the streetcar fares.

[unusualfire]

^Airlines are subsidized, Amtrak is also and it's not coming from Gas tax. Or is it? lol

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

Not so. The gasoline tax imposed on cars and the licensing fees imposed on trucks not only cover the cost of the highways, they cover the money being squandered on the rails.

Not true anymore. The highway trust fund has had to be supplemented by general tax revenues.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by grmasterb

Not true anymore. The highway trust fund has had to be supplemented by general tax revenues.

Only to subsidize rail and bridge to nowhere construction. Trying looking at the budget.

Under current law,[4] the largest diversion from the $52.7 billion in total spending authorized for FY 2009 (the most recent year for which allocative details are available) from the highway trust fund, including $2 billion in general revenues, is the $10.3 billion in direct spending for transit programs (trolleys, buses, commuter rail, etc.). Transit riders are also the greatest beneficiary of the $1.8 billion Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program. As noted, transit accounts for only 1.8 percent of surface travel passengers, so a rebalancing of this distorted allocation should be a goal of the new Congress.[5]
Other large diversions from the fund include Enhancement ($657 million), the Appalachian Regional Commission ($470 million), Recreational Trails ($85 million), and a transfer of $1 billion from the fund to the Departments of Interior and Agriculture for roads in national parks and forests. These leakages absorbed 27 percent of highway trust fund spending in 2009.
The next largest series of diversions are the four major earmarked programs: High Priority Projects, Projects of Regional and National Significance, Transportation Projects (Section 1934 of P.L. 109-59), and the National Corridor Infrastructure Improvement Program. Combined, they spent $4.2 billion in FY 2009, bringing the diversion share to 35 percent for the programs listed so far.
In addition, $155 million was to be spent on Scenic Byways, Ferry Boats, Magnetic Levitation, and tax evasion deterrence, while $424 million will be spent just on administrative overhead by USDOT. More than $539 million will be spent on another 13 mandated programs, including bicycles, racial profiling, historic covered bridges, community preservation, innovative finance, and Safe Routes to Schools (which also supports bicycles). Bringing up the rear is $304 million for the federally mandated Metropolitan Planning Organizations, whose focus has been shifting from transportation to housing, land-use planning, lifestyle issues, and economic development.



http://www.heritage.org/research/rep...11-and-fy-2012

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

^Airlines are subsidized, Amtrak is also and it's not coming from Gas tax. Or is it? lol

Yes, of course it is. See above.

[austiNati]

Honestly, both highways and rail are stupid. Cincinnati is really sleeping on the most recent teleportation technology. It's the only way to get people where they need to go without having to be subsidized or creating a boondoggle.

[kjbrill]

OK, while you wait for teleportation I will just drive my car.

[grmasterb]

I agree that the streetcar is a silly project, but something has do be done to improve mass transit in cities like Cincinnati. I mean, do you really want everyone who can drive behind the wheel of a car?