Russell Peterson says, in part:
>I guess I just wanted to see if anybody else had some "out of the box"
ideas
regarding our bus and transit possibilities.
>
Ok, a few thoughts:
It's tough to talk transit options absent fossil fuel inputs. In general,
it requires about three units of fossil fuel input to get one unit of
electricity in conventional, stand alone applications. There's talk of
local electricity shortages in the not too distant future. How about a
combined cycle, relatively small-scale power production facility in downtown
Minneapolis; one that uses waste heat for expanded district space
conditioning (heating/air conditioning) for planned riverfront development
projects (i.e. commercial office/retail, hotels and residential
developments), while supplying electricity for local businesses, electric
buss/trolley, light-rail or commuter rail transit. The certificate of need
process for such a power facility would require five years minimum, plus a
couple years construction time.
Combine that with a downtown casino built in combination with a
multi-purpose stadium-- the stadium to be funded in whole or in part with
Minneapolis' portion of casino profits over about a three-ten year time
frame in exchange for an equity position in the professional sports teams
involved (there is talk of $100 million a year from a proposed casino's
profits going to state coffers... what's the local government cut on such a
revenue stream- it should be significant? Who adds value to such a business
endeavor in terms of local municipal services, etc.?) The casino would be
privately financed- no TIF funding. Gambling tax revenues would bolster the
City general fund indefinitely, while allowing offsets or no-growth in
property taxes/sales tax levels, etc. The state's portion of such gambling
tax revenue funds could be allocated to improve transit options, toward k-12
education, health care, etc.
Expanded transit options (i.e. North Star line to St. Cloud via Anoka, Elk
River, Monticello, etc.) could radiate outward from the central Minneapolis
casino/stadium district, drawing visitors, consumers and workers to and from
the downtown area without use of automobiles. Reverse commutes would allow
downtown residents to get to jobs and leisure activities in the
suburbs/outlying cities without reliance on automobiles. In ten years time
we could see commuter rail/LRT/expanded diesel or electric bus options
available to link Minneapolis with Minnetonka, St. Paul, Apple Valley/Eagan,
Blaine, Forest Lake and elsewhere. In twenty years we could commute to the
Mayo in Rochester, the Twin Ports of Duluth/Superior, Mankato, Madison and
Chicago-- without use of automobiles, on new or improved rail options. Let
the private sector bid to build, own and operate the transit systems. Watch
higher-density, affordable housing and commercial development grow along
transit routes- people value time and convenience.
With a deregulated electric market, investors and independent power
producers would bid to supply power to operate such transit options-- trains
where riders could sit at desks and plug in their laptops (or rent them)
while enroute to Duluth or Rochester for example. Independent power
producers could supply electricity with traditional fossil-fueled
technology, wind or biomass conversion technologies.
It's the new millennium... what do you want to see in ten, twenty years?
Lets be sure our elected leaders are on board.
Michael Hohmann, Principal
Michael A. Hohmann and Co. (MAHCO)
4100 Ewing Ave. So.
Minneapolis, MN 55410-1021
612-922-1490
http://www2.visi.com/mahco
~Market research, financial analysis, business plans and writing~
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Russell Wayne Peterson
> Sent: Monday, January 01, 2001 7:52 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: RE: Electric Car Shuttle System, Buses, et al.
>
>
> How about gondolas from the airport to downtown and from downtown to St.
> Paul. Good now, that I've got your attention ;-)
>
> The system that Jack cited, taxicabs, relies on a driver and
> fossil fuels in
> order to work. I don't think those things are needed to necessarily
> envision a different system. As far as the "rider ship definitions," I
> don't think we have our targets defined very well, otherwise we'd have
> figured this out a long time ago and wouldn't have such an
> unfriendly system
> in place.
>
> I'd still like to see smaller buses that were electric instead of diesel
> powered, some smaller shuttles running more frequently and some
> sensitivity
> to cross town and neighborhood destinations. And some amenities as I'd
> mentioned before like coffee, books, or wireless internet access
> on the bus.
> And I still like that lotto idea, everybody puts their ticket
> into a lottery
> and at the end of the year one is pulled worth a million dollars - I bet
> you'd see rider ship go up and you'd spend less on building roads. I bet
> that kind of incentive might even blow the rider ship definitions
> out of the
> water.
>
> I guess I just wanted to see if anybody else had some "out of the
> box" ideas
> regarding our bus and transit possibilities. That's what I'll be looking
> for in my candidates for 2001!
>
> Hope you are all well in the new year.
>
> Russ Peterson
> Ward 9
> Standish
>
> R U S S E L L P E T E R S O N D E S I G N
> "You can only fly if you stretch your wings."
>
> Russell W. Peterson, RA, CID
> Founder
>
> 3857 23rd Avenue South
> Minneapolis, MN 55407
>
> 612-724-2331
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
