[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

Divided by 30 year life cycle that's less than a grand... you're clearly discounting the scalability the system has.

I wasn’t serious when I said give everyone 5 grand, it was a joke.

Has anyone posting here ACTUALLY used Fastrak? Most of the stops are drug ridden with needles and trash. Maintenance has already seen a rapid decline. It’s only going to get worse.

[BobNJ1960]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Light rail is a LOT more expensive. Where do you propose we get all that extra money from? Should we cut back on improvements to the New Haven line???

We could have gotten far larger federal grants a few years ago, Jay. Both post 2008 crash, plus post covid, the liberals of DC were giving these funds away like cotton candy.

Phoenix's system btw, which is huge, cost $1.4 billion (our bus line was 55% that cost), and 60% was paid via federal funds, rest by long term small hike to the sales tax.

[Beeker2211]

And the most recent review of the NHL that bringing the system up to current FRA standards to return to full speed for the service would be about (according to NEC25 projections) to $135m a year over about 20 years. Doable, but the entire Fastrak operation would've been a drop in the bucket with the deferred maintenance the feds and state have left the US's passenger rail infrastructure since the Carter administration.

[Beeker2211]

Originally Posted by BHW2436

I wasn’t serious when I said give everyone 5 grand, it was a joke.

Has anyone posting here ACTUALLY used Fastrak? Most of the stops are drug ridden with needles and trash. Maintenance has already seen a rapid decline. It’s only going to get worse.

I'm in BPT but I've used the Fastrak system and dear lord the nonsense hyperbole of non-users is always the same. People say the same about GBT... It's beyond fine so I don't believe people. Sorry. The complaints are always the same and never match the hysteria. It's so weird, just like... why lie?

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

No, I don’t think I’m missing the point when I say the insane amount of funds that went into a busway would better be used toward rail. Buses already had roadways paid for by taxpayers.

Like I said, I didn’t like it then - don’t like it now. Terrible use of delicate funds.

It’s not a matter of what you like. It’s a matter of what is a wise use of public money.

Studies conducted at the time the project was planned showed this was the most cost effective option for adding mass transit west of Hartford and the Federal Transit Agency agreed by funding it. It stood up to public scrutiny at multiple public meetings and hearings and was funded by the state legislature. It’s performing better than anticipated. That PROVES it was a wise investment.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by BHW2436

I wasn’t serious when I said give everyone 5 grand, it was a joke.

Has anyone posting here ACTUALLY used Fastrak? Most of the stops are drug ridden with needles and trash. Maintenance has already seen a rapid decline. It’s only going to get worse.

I’ve been to every station. That’s NOT what I saw anywhere. And maintenance has not declined. I don’t know why you think that.

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

I'm in BPT but I've used the Fastrak system and dear lord the nonsense hyperbole of non-users is always the same. People say the same about GBT... It's beyond fine so I don't believe people. Sorry. The complaints are always the same and never match the hysteria. It's so weird, just like... why lie?

Do you use it in New Britain? Are you not paying attention?

[Beeker2211]

Originally Posted by BHW2436

Do you use it in New Britain? Are you not paying attention?

I've been to that station a bit ago but still even if it were in such disrepair as you claim... don't you wear good shoes? Like, I've stepped over needles in New Canaan's parking lot... is that in disrepair to the point of not going to Elm Street? Ridiculous.

[BHW2436]

Originally Posted by Beeker2211

I've been to that station a bit ago but still even if it were in such disrepair as you claim... don't you wear good shoes? Like, I've stepped over needles in New Canaan's parking lot... is that in disrepair to the point of not going to Elm Street? Ridiculous.

I said there was homeless, drug needles and trash. I didn’t say it was beyond repair wasteland.

I’ll wear shoes next time tho, thanks for the suggestion.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by BobNJ1960

We could have gotten far larger federal grants a few years ago, Jay. Both post 2008 crash, plus post covid, the liberals of DC were giving these funds away like cotton candy.

Phoenix's system btw, which is huge, cost $1.4 billion (our bus line was 55% that cost), and 60% was paid via federal funds, rest by long term small hike to the sales tax.

You say Valley Metro is successful? Let’s look at the facts.

Valley Metro has an average weekday ridership of 30,400 while CTfastrak has 14,000. Valley cost nearly three times as much as CTfastrak ($1.6 billion verses $557.2 million) but only has ridership about double that. That means CTfastrak was a more cost effective investment.

Also metro Phoenix has over four times the population of metro Hartford (4.9 million verses 1.2 million). That means CTfastrak serves a much higher percentage of the population than Valley.

If Valley Metro is successful, then CTfastrak is MORE successful. How much more proof does anyone need?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_Metro_Rail