Solving the Bridges/Toll Problem by Guest Commentator
Our community is understandably in turmoil over a transportation issue. When the Bridges Authority came forward with its big plan to finance the bridges/spaghetti junction/Oldham tunnel project with tolls, we had the equivalent of a modern day revolt. But, the truth is that at least there was some form of movement on what has emerged as a huge problem. Tolls are NOT the answer. But, at least Tolls are some kind of an answer as opposed to doing nothing.
LOUISVILLE'S OPPORTUNITY
What seems to be missed in this turmoil is that what is a real problem is actually arising from the circumstance that is an economic opportunity. Louisville-Southern Indiana is at the confluence of I-65, I-64, I-71, The Ohio River. Louisville sees all the Chicago southbound traffic. If you were looking at this from a different perspective...you might be thinking...that is good LUCK for Louisville. With the Louisville "International" Airport and UPS, there is a city with real transportation opportunities. Transportation is vital for commerce
and for economic health of a community. Louisville arose from a transportation 'glitch'...the Falls of the Ohio.
The 21st CENTURY
When we look forward, it's not difficult to see that transportation will evolve. If we had a perfect world,
we would know that automobile transportation will be LESS of a factor and the public is going to rely on
high speed rail (between major urban centers) and light rail within the urban. Ask yourself, do you think people are going to be scooting around in Chevy Malibus in the year 2054? Towns designed for the future will be shifting transportation to mass transit. In Louisville that would mean a real transition to a light rail system.
LIGHT RAIL
The original light rail system proposed for Louisville had a project price tag of $500 million.* This included
lines spurring out from downtown. This plan should be revived and spurs out to New Albany, Clarksville
and Jeffersonville should be added, even at double the cost. The line should come across one of the
formerly operating Rail Road bridges or a widening of the Kennedy to include rail and bike lanes.. Assume a doubling of the project cost and make it an even 1 billion dollars. The benefit would be a comprehensive relief to the local transit congestion, (including spaghetti junction.)
In Portland, those west coast costs worked out to a light rail system at 26 million dollars per mile. Therefore
we ought to be able to build 40 miles of system in Louisville for around a Billion.
*http://www.fox41.com/story/9081273/gas-prices-and-economy-spur-talks-of-light-rail-system-in-kentucky?clienttype=printable
BRIDGES
The consensus is nearly universal. We MUST build an east end bridge first. The widely made argument that
we should wait and see how much benefit this provides to the relief of downtown congestion before committing to the building a downtown bridge and 'untangling' spaghetti junction is unanswerable. The only
remotely plausible reply to this is the observation that the Kennedy is overused presently and must be repaired
as soon as possible.
While true that the Kennedy is over capactiy and needs repair, no 'concrete' proposals are put forward for
what must be done and what the impact of doing it would be. As a matter of fact, in a more forward, green
world, 50% of the capacity (at least) would be moving across the river in rail or bus transit. Our local
transit would be better served by seperating the 'through' traffic from the local traffic.
A COMMENT on the EAST END BRIDGE
The reason why this bridge is precedent over other sites is obvious when you look at a map of the
current highways. I 64 traffic traffic EAST would be completely diverted. All St Louis traffic would
divert to I-265 to the East End Bridge and Never come into the metro area. All East bound I-65 traffic
would do likewise. This would relieve both the Kennedy and the Sherman Minton as well as Spaghetti
Junction in ways that a downtown bridge does not.
CONCLUSION
We should be thinking of transit issues in 50 year forward increments. The deepest flaw in the current
planning is that it is a 2010 plan trying to solve problems of 1985. Re-tool our city for rapid, clean
public and economically feasible transit.
LOUISVILLE'S OPPORTUNITY
What seems to be missed in this turmoil is that what is a real problem is actually arising from the circumstance that is an economic opportunity. Louisville-Southern Indiana is at the confluence of I-65, I-64, I-71, The Ohio River. Louisville sees all the Chicago southbound traffic. If you were looking at this from a different perspective...you might be thinking...that is good LUCK for Louisville. With the Louisville "International" Airport and UPS, there is a city with real transportation opportunities. Transportation is vital for commerce
and for economic health of a community. Louisville arose from a transportation 'glitch'...the Falls of the Ohio.
The 21st CENTURY
When we look forward, it's not difficult to see that transportation will evolve. If we had a perfect world,
we would know that automobile transportation will be LESS of a factor and the public is going to rely on
high speed rail (between major urban centers) and light rail within the urban. Ask yourself, do you think people are going to be scooting around in Chevy Malibus in the year 2054? Towns designed for the future will be shifting transportation to mass transit. In Louisville that would mean a real transition to a light rail system.
LIGHT RAIL
The original light rail system proposed for Louisville had a project price tag of $500 million.* This included
lines spurring out from downtown. This plan should be revived and spurs out to New Albany, Clarksville
and Jeffersonville should be added, even at double the cost. The line should come across one of the
formerly operating Rail Road bridges or a widening of the Kennedy to include rail and bike lanes.. Assume a doubling of the project cost and make it an even 1 billion dollars. The benefit would be a comprehensive relief to the local transit congestion, (including spaghetti junction.)
In Portland, those west coast costs worked out to a light rail system at 26 million dollars per mile. Therefore
we ought to be able to build 40 miles of system in Louisville for around a Billion.
*http://www.fox41.com/story/9081273/gas-prices-and-economy-spur-talks-of-light-rail-system-in-kentucky?clienttype=printable
BRIDGES
The consensus is nearly universal. We MUST build an east end bridge first. The widely made argument that
we should wait and see how much benefit this provides to the relief of downtown congestion before committing to the building a downtown bridge and 'untangling' spaghetti junction is unanswerable. The only
remotely plausible reply to this is the observation that the Kennedy is overused presently and must be repaired
as soon as possible.
While true that the Kennedy is over capactiy and needs repair, no 'concrete' proposals are put forward for
what must be done and what the impact of doing it would be. As a matter of fact, in a more forward, green
world, 50% of the capacity (at least) would be moving across the river in rail or bus transit. Our local
transit would be better served by seperating the 'through' traffic from the local traffic.
A COMMENT on the EAST END BRIDGE
The reason why this bridge is precedent over other sites is obvious when you look at a map of the
current highways. I 64 traffic traffic EAST would be completely diverted. All St Louis traffic would
divert to I-265 to the East End Bridge and Never come into the metro area. All East bound I-65 traffic
would do likewise. This would relieve both the Kennedy and the Sherman Minton as well as Spaghetti
Junction in ways that a downtown bridge does not.
CONCLUSION
We should be thinking of transit issues in 50 year forward increments. The deepest flaw in the current
planning is that it is a 2010 plan trying to solve problems of 1985. Re-tool our city for rapid, clean
public and economically feasible transit.
Comments
•Multi-car elevated electric trains with 15 minute headways, operating nearly 24/7, were running in Louisville Ky 114 years ago. The heavy rail elevated steam locomotive commuter trains started running in 1886 and were replaced with all electric trains in 1893. They were an instant hit and wildly popular with heavy ridership.
•In the early 1900’s Louisville had nearly 100 steam and electric commuter rail stations. Its electric commuter trains ran on till as late as the eve of 1946.
What happened? Why did it end in 1946? Was it because people WWII ended and people preferred cars over mass transit as suggested above? Maybe so.
•World War II saw a large increase in mass transit because employment was high and automobiles were scarce. The rapid growth of car owners after World War II, particularly in the United States and Western Europe demonstrated the population's favor towards automobiles.
So on the surface, it would seem people may be reluctant to give up their cars. However, I'd think it would depend on oil prices.
If you look at historical gas prices, and you adjust for inflation in June 2010 dollars, you'll see that around 1946 gas was around $2.40 a gallon. That was the lowest it had been since as least 1918, in other words, it was at least at a 28 year low.
Fast forward to today. We're already back over $3 a gallon.
Wouldn't $4 or $5 a gallon gas make mass transit more attractive? Heck, it'll probably even make pony riding a little more popular than it is now.
Once gas is too expensive and if a rail system is already in place, will people choose this new mass transit or will they simply switch from gas powered vehicles to mass produced electric powered vehicles?
The comments above are out of the heart of America centered about 1965 when muscle cars appeared representing the apex of America's love for the automobile. But, we are past those days...even if some people love there monster cars. Most people are concerned with other issues. The generation of those from say 35 and up may be committed to automobile transportation. But as we age and die off, new generations will be thinking of these things differently.
Light rail lowers labor costs for businesses. The study done in Minnesota showed that 14,000 low wage earners, a 50% increase in ridership, were riding rail. There was a 25% increase in bus connected rail station, about 4,000 low wage earners. Plus around 940 low wage earners moved closer to stations. At the same time, higher wage earners ridership increased.
Those who use electric vehicles early on will save the most money because after a certain number of people abandon their gas powered vehicles for electric vehicles, our electric grid won't keep up either, which means we'll need more power plants, and they ain't cheap either. So theoretically after a certain point electric costs won't be so cheap either. Mass transit will eventually become the reality, the standard.
The only thing that will change this is when American incomes increase substantially. Until then, most Americans won't have the money to pay for $4 $5 or $6 a gallon gas, they won't have the money to buy a new electric car. They will have to ride a bus, a rail or catch a ride.
"The study done in Minnesota showed an increase of 14,000 low wage earners"
and
"an increase of about 4,000 low wage earners"
As for road to hell...Anony forget Goliath done BEEN to hell. The road to hell is NOT pave with good intentions. It is paved with deeds of glorious warfare and rapine, violence, thievery, looting, pillaging and various assorted what
all Goliath has done indulge in.
Goliath say 'go to this hell' then
come back on GAW and talk smack.
all Goliath has done indulge in." WELL SAID !
But please note that the historical blasphemers who through ignorance or intentional malfeasance malign any one individual for gas prices don't go to the cool part of hell.
No sir ree bub, they go to the lame part of hell, with the really really bad accountants.
Goliath not looks at these here vids what depict lesser beings that Goliath very likely to order must now go out and dig fence posts out on the high plains of North Dakota. That be very good job to keep nit wits busy.
It makes you appreciate JR in Clark County, TG and DH in Jeff, and DH in C-ville!