Mass Transit Won Big On Election Day

TreeHugger.com:

November 4th was a good day for democracy in general (most of the voting went off without a hitch) and Democrats in particular. But lost in all the excitement over Barack Obama's historic victory was the fact that mass-transit was also one of the big winners of the day. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal

Some 23 initiatives were approved nationwide. . .that will inject $75 billion into transportation systems, according to the Center for Transportation Excellence, a nonpartisan research group that promotes mass-transit service. Among the winners: Nearly $10 billion in bonds to start building a high-speed rail network in California, and $18 billion to expand mass-transit service in the Seattle area. The vote on another measure, which would raise the sales tax in Santa Clara County, Calif., to fund an extension of Bay Area Rapid Transit service, remains too close to call.

Read the whole story: TreeHugger.com

Comments

[AtlasV]

Why are we all focusing on the negatives? And why all the focus on California's supposed mismanagement of public transit and environmental initiatives in general? We've completely lost the point of the article in the first place: Americans made the conscious decision to vote for transportation legislation that is NOT automobile-cetric. Shouldn't we be rejoicing? Running down our streets and crying out the good news to our neighbors? Instead we sit and criticize, declaring "FAILURE" before the projects have begun. Think of all the fuel we'll save, all the miles driven eliminated, all of the potential pollution which will never reach the atmosphere. But most importantly, think of the change in perception among our fellow citizens: We have recognized the flaw in our current means of travel and want to develop systems which won't impact our environment as heavily as our four-wheeled predecessors. Don't reject the new direction, embrace it... Go on, celebrate!

[Dystopic]

they have a great subway system in parts of california ... rarely even used. California talks big, but is the cause of more problems that they solve.

Where did car culture begin? Los Angeles. Who has the world'd worst air quality? Los Angeles. Who has a great subway system, that goes unused? Los Angeles.

[BSERIUS]

yeah right...th­e cuts and decrease of services in NY and Chicago?

[Dystopic]

I say take all the money that was to be spent in california on masstransit and send it to Chicago and New York - Those guy get the idea of mass transit.

California: America's Welfare State (after Alaska)

[princessk]

All I ask is that we improve the bathrooms on Amtrak.

[Semaj51]

If California is broke, how can they afford the $10B price tag for high-speed rail?

[DRaymond]

Because this is a long term infrastructure project that will do much to fuel the future growth of the economy here. The state's population is expected to continue to grow and the high speed rail is cheaper than adding the additional runways and terminals or extra lanes to I5 and CA99 that might would carry the same quantity of passengers and overnight freight. Top economists are encouraging a big public works projects to stimulate the economy. Why shouldn't that be high speed rail?

[Dystopic]

blah blah blah, same old crap, different day.

[Dystopic]

because they talk a good game, but are not willing to leave the keys on the table and take the subway. California is a welfare state, they consume and cause more problems than they will ever solve.

Where are all of the great engineers and "obviously smarter population" creating the next generation of vehicles? Tesla is so small, and in such financial dire straits it will probabll never deliver more the 250 vehicles.

California is all special effects and smoke screens... We are soooo organic! Tell that to the California condors, who still haven't recovered from all the pesticides and herbicides. California is the epicenter for food grown with pesticides and chemicals.

I say let them tax their residents even more, and provide even less services, I don't want to pay for a mass transit system for them, since they won't use it --- too much ego and insecurity to do that.

[Dystopic]

because, you know, it's like, you know, ummm, yeah, cool, fer shure!

[nibblybits]

Only if they vote Dingell out of the chair of Energy Committee. As a tool of the auto industry, he's for cars and fossil fuels, not mass transit.

[Dystopic]

californians are not for mass transit, they are for smoke and mirrors, and no real results. The only reason they ride bicycles at all is because they can spend $5000 on one.