Comments on: Fight Continues on Transit Element of Stimulus

By: as

as — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:03:00 +0000

All of us who care about this subject need to use the administration’s website for supporters and let President Obama know now that there are voters who want to see more attention to public transit. I’m writing my letter as soon as I hit “submit”.

By: Yonah Freemark

Yonah Freemark — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:01:28 +0000

While I'm in complete agreement with you on the importance of funding the MTA's capital plan and providing relief to subway and bus riders, I think that the high-speed rail plan for New York state actually makes a lot of sense. In terms of high-speed rail corridors in the U.S., it would be one of the most productive, with five big metros directly connected by rail (New York, Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, and Buffalo) in a 500-mile route. This route would have strong ridership and make sense especially when considered as part of a plan to connect to Montreal and Toronto. We can, of course, consider paying for both the NY high-speed plan and MTA subways and buses.

By: JKaehny

JKaehny — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 17:54:18 +0000

Hard to imagine a lower transit priority than high speed rail between NYC, Albany and Buffalo. This is completely wrongheaded. It makes no sense to spend scarce transit dollars serving a handful of intercity rail riders when existing transit service serving millions in the NYC area is facing huge fare hikes and service cuts due to shoving capital costs onto fares via fare backed bonds. The MTA’s $30B capital plan is completely unfunded and billions in needed capital funds are needed to keep our existing system in a state of good repair. No doubt Buffalo’s bus riders could use some help as well. Enough with this transpo-topia crap. Our bus and subway riders need help.