Eva Young
Delivered-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: "Terrell Brown" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Minneapolis Issues Forum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.2627 Importance: Normal Subject: [Mpls] Transportation (was suburb bashing) Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-BeenThere: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-Mailman-Version: 2.0 List-Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Subscribe: <http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/mpls>, <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Id: Minneapolis Issues Forum <mpls.mnforum.org> List-Unsubscribe: <http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/mpls>, <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> List-Archive: <http://www.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/> X-Original-Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 12:33:32 -0600 Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 12:33:32 -0600
-----Original Message----- From: Chris Johnson
It actually COSTS FAR, FAR more to drive and park a car, than to take a bus. The problem is, the car drivers DO NOT PAY those costs. Roads and parking are greatly subsidized by all taxpayers. So is the current bus service, but the amount of tax dollar support for cars is magnitudes greater.
[TB] If you're driving to downtown Minneapolis (and the downtowns are the only really good transit destinations we have) you pay more to park than the proposed $5.50 express rush hour bus fare. At 21 work days per month, that's $115.50 which is less than or nearly equal to monthly parking costs. If you're coming in from the 'burbs you're burning at least a gallon or two of gas for another 50 bucks a month. Gas and parking are going to cost you at least $175 a month and that's before you get any subsidy. People need a reason to get out of their cars or at least a reason not to stay in them.
[Chris again] I want the anti-bus, anti-LRT, anti-urban-living people to stop using the false argument that "without subsidies the bus/LRT/whatever couldn't operate." Neither could cars. $90 million highway interchanges don't grow on trees.
[TB] The US Constitution says something about the government establishing "post roads", certainly an early recognition that transportation was an important government function. I don't think we as a society have ever done a good job of looking at a transportation system as a whole.
Why do the same people who oppose LRT want to spend more than the cost of a LRT line to rebuild the intersection of Crosstown and 35W? Does it cost any less to maintain Crosstown/35W? Plowing, painting, mowing, Highway Patrol, etc. than an LRT line?
Part of the problem is we let the road department (MNDot) take higher priority than planning by either Minneapolis Planning or Met Council. It should be the other way around.
Terrell Brown Loring Park
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Eva Young Near North Minneapolis [EMAIL PROTECTED] Blog is up: http://lloydletta.blogspot.com
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