Austin's Foolish Plan Progressives lie, always, and about everything. "Another transit agency whose ridership is plummeting has published a multi-billion-dollar plan to build light rail. Austin’s Capital Metro, whose light-rail proposals have twice been rejected by voters, has issued a draft system plan that calls for construction of three light-rail lines. Naturally, the proposal is full of lies." Don't go down the Portland transit rabbit hole. There is nothing down there but misery, traffic congestion, and taxpayer pain. Frankly, if you want to screw up your traffic, congest your cities, increase the cost of living, and make people miserable there are cheaper ways. More below. You might want to consider "Road Diets" where two or more lane roads are necked down at random intervals to make one lane into a bike lane. You can also open your roads to bikes and place bike sergeants (chevrons) on all of you residential streets and most of your non-arterials, bike lane all of the arterials even if requires taking a full traffic lane. These allow the bikers to take up a full lane while meandering along. This is one of the best Portland street congestion creation ideas ever! You might also do as Portland Police do and never ticket a bicyclist no matter how dangerous, obnoxious, or violent.
In reality, light rail is expensive, transports few, mostly middle and upper-middle-class people who should not be subsidized. For politicians, however, the reality does not matter, what does is the political mileage they get by bringing the federal dollars to the local community. Unfortunately, the federal dollars to help build light rail leave the local community with a share of the costs it cannot afford. The federal funds also do not continue to help pay to operate or maintain light rail, and there is never anywhere near enough money from the fare box to pay for operation and maintenance. After a few years, Austin's transit operation will be unable to pay the bills, the public will be unamused about higher taxes so they will cut bus times, and routes. This causes ridership decline. After that, they will need to cut more bus times and routes triggering more ridership decline. Lather, rinse, repeat. I used to fight against light rail, but I now believe that it is the only way to eliminate transit from our cities. Public transit is a deadly poison and attractive nuisance which the vermin of the city, politicians, are obsessively driven to consume. It seems sad that taxpayers must pay such a high price to eliminate the antiquated idea of public transit, but ... It seems the only way out of the municipal pension, transit, and insolvency crises is through the collapse. Perhaps Austin by following in Portland's footsteps buying baubles of insignificant value for ne plus ultra exorbitant prices is leading the way down the road to collapse. We need a parade!
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