NBC 4 Pushes For Details On Light-Rail Proposal
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Mayor Michael Coleman is requesting $334.5 million from President-Elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package.
More than half of that federal funding would go towards building a 13-mile light rail system that travels from downtown Columbus to the Delaware County line, NBC 4‘s Mikaela Hunt reported.
Many Central Ohio residents and nbc4i.com readers wrote in support of the project, while others disagreed with the initiative.
NBC 4 took the comments and approached Coleman to talk about the vision, but instead ended up getting answers from the agency that knows the most about the request.
NBC 4 wrote several e-mails, telling City Hall that Central Ohioans wanted to hear from the mayor personally. When we were told he wouldn’t be able to sit down with us, we called his office. But a spokesperson said his scheduled Friday was full taking care of the city’s latest budget deficit numbers and that the Central Ohio Transportation Authority could answer viewer questions.
“Is it difficult to ask for this money in these economic times?“ Hunt asked.
“Is it difficult? No. Not if you put in perspective that what the federal government is trying to stimulate the economy,“ said Bill Lhota, COTA President and CEO.
Lhota said the agency saw a 10 percent passenger increase when gas prices increased.
Environmentally, electric light rail would reduce Central Ohio’s carbon footprint.
In this recession, Lhota said the project would bring jobs and would be just the start of a system that links the 3-C corridor of Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati.
“We have always said we support a regional transportation system. We did not support just going downtown to OSU in a streetcar,“ Lhota said.
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BTW, another thing to look at is how we stack up to the country. Depending on which figures you look at, we’re either 15th or 30-32nd in the nation in size. Not bad for our little cowtown.
Every city in the top 15 has some form of light rail. A strong city, looking to meet the needs of ALL residents (not just those who drive a car) sees the need to create a good transit system that can move people from point A to B.
Transit has the potential to help a family or individual feeling the crunch of finances, the next round of high gas prices or simply allow them to save a little bit more for that next vacation or the kids college fund. For a multiple use monthly pass, it typically costs less than a $1,000/year. Compare that to the $5-6,000 one spends, on average, for car ownership.
The empty bus argument is just absurd. I’ve been using COTA for the last month and will continue to do so. I’ve been on a number of packed buses at peak times. I’ve been passed over by at least one bus because it was too full.
Is rail a complete solution? No. But it complements the bus system we have. It provides a better way to move across such a sprawled city quickly if one wants to travel a longer distance.
I guess we’re both bored tonight.. With roughly a million people in the COTA area, the 41,000 or so who ride every day are a small percentage. And no, I don’t ride COTA, but I am on the road around town all day with my job and I see nearly empty buses quite often. I don’t have to ride them to see them empty. If this light rail system comes to pass, it will be plagued with cost overruns and will be a nightmare to complete and maintain. Feel free to volunteer your money to help complete it, leave mine alone, thanks. BTW, how many COTA buses have you been on this year?? ;) So, go ahead and reply, and you can have the last word. I’m done here since I’m made my opinion on this very clear.
I’m not sure where you get the “empty COTA” thing, as you apparently don’t ride it. 15-20 million riders a year is hardly light usage. I could also direct you to a forum discussing the issue (and has been for years) with hundreds in favor of rail, and a handful opposed. A lot of this boils down to where you are in Columbus. People out in the burbs often don’t care about transit, people in Victorian Village, Italian Village, German Village, Downtown, etc. do. It also has to do with the 20+ acres of underdeveloped or undeveloped land in the middle of the city between downtown and campus that busing won’t fix. Portland’s streetcar generated BILLIONS in development along their line, a mere 3 miles or so. That’s how you stimulate an economy…and being this is money from the economic stimulus package and all, I’m not sure how fixing sewers does.
Apparently not many others seem to need public transit, since COTA is running on empty most of the time. Many do seem to need 270 though, judging by the amount of traffic. ;)
I would completely disagree. I believe we DO need public transit, and I believe we DO need transit that spurs development and is competitive on a national level. Without it, we’ll be the next Youngstown instead of the next Portland. Do you have any idea what the ODOT budget was last year? The rehab to the section of 270 between 315 and 71 alone is 200 million dollars. Why do we “need” that and not “need” transit? Sounds to me like your real issue is that “you” don’t need transit…and again, “I” don’t need 270.
And therein lies the difference, you see. We need roads and freeways, we need police and fire departments, we need schools. Light rail isn’t something that’s needed here. If city buses were routinely overcrowded and folks were clamoring for more public transport then there would be a need for light rail. Buses aren’t overcrowded (far from it) and there’s no outcry for more public transport.
Osupleasure states that “Rail also has been proven to spur development adjacent to the lines that generate tax both property and income tax revenue. These tax revenues over time often pay for the initial investment many times over.“
That’s great! Let those who benefit from it pay for it. I pay enough taxes as it is.
I meant to say this earlier, but I’d like to thank NBC4 for allowing us to post comments here. Maybe you’ll start a trend and other outlets in Columbus will follow suit…
I don’t drive on 270, haven’t in 3 years at least. I’d like them to stop charging me for it. Also, I don’t have children, so please stop charging me for schools. I’m not bothered by crime, I can take care of myself, so please stop charging me for the police force. I’ve never had a fire, so please stop charging me for the fire department.
Yep, that’s a perfect mentality.
So pwhited, do you regularly use every single state or federally funded roadway in Ohio? You pay for all of them with your tax money… Ive never even been to many many places in Ohio, yet my tax money (income, sales, gas) is used to pay for roads and highways that I will probably never even see.
Unless you like toll roads, no roadway construction or maintenance is directly paid for the by people who actually USE it… Do you walk up to the guy fixing potholes and pay him out of your pocket? Thats not how publicly funded transportation projects work (highways, streets, sidewalks, rail, buses, air, shipping, etc.)
With rail, you recoup at least a part of the operating expenses and investment directly by those who do actually USE it. Rail also has been proven to spur development adjacent to the lines that generate tax both property and income tax revenue. These tax revenues over time often pay for the initial investment many times over.
Counting on fares to maintain this light rail system is a pipe dream. Maybe the supporters of this silliness don’t pay quite enough taxes yet, but I DO. I’ve been paying for COTA for decades and do not ride the bus. I’ll be paying for this rail system as well, and will not use it either. If the rail system is paid for by the people who actually USE it, then I’ll get behind it. Of course, that will never happen. The taxpayers will be supporting this boondoggle as well. Empty buses. Empty train cars. Taxpayer money down yet another rat hole. Fix our sewers, forget the choo choo.
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