We use to have DC-10 land at SAT and that was a large plane
|
New VIA CEO plans to drive transit system into the future
San Antonio Business Journal - by Tamarind Phinisee
Quote:
|
YAY!
Mecklenburg County faced similar funding issues in butting heads with the state, so I can imagine how Parker will kick that one out. My only fear is that the East Side will get the shaft once again. I'm willing to bet to get to the AT&T Center, they'll propose all kinds of systems that use the soon to be removed rail corridor that goes along the Eastside of Downtown and through the industrial area. I only say this because in living in that side of town, I found out that our representation in city government wants East Houston to eventually be upgraded to a light-highway and has tried hard to block bus routes from using it for any great length. |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Oh god, Sheila "um, thanks for your e-mail, but rail never works and we have cars, thanks" McNeil. I think that spoiled the respect I had for that position pretty badly. |
Quote:
|
Thought this was a great thing to read about. I hope we get the ball rolling on something like this without a long drawn out process, luckily the people in charge are looking in the right direction.
S.A. could roll into future on streetcars http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/tra...treetcars.html |
Quote:
As I was reading that this morning, I was already envisioning all of the new developments popping up around center city. |
Quote:
Then again, the neighborhood has surprised me in the past. |
SmartWaySA
VIA's new site to promote their Long Range Comprehensive Transportation Plan. Here is the Summer 2009 Newsletter. |
got the VIA SmartWay postcard in the mail yesterday.
similar to all of the BRT announcements we got months back, although this one mentions BRT only as a footnote along with LRT, Streetcar and others. humorously, there was a picture of a monorail included on the postcard. (always makes me think of Simpsons monorail episode) |
I think they are trying hard to push and ensure that people know the difference between Commuter, LRT, Streetcar and Heavy rail. I think it is a good idea and might stand to gain some support among the ones who are just confused about the whole thing.
|
the campaign looks slick.
i think the key will be including some federal stimulus money (or any federal money) so the proponents can say that the federal government is helping foot the bill, which will give the impression that we are getting off easy and cheaply. if anyone knows san antonio, san antonio likes a value. ;) |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Before he became CEO at CATS, Parker was chief operating officer and deputy director of CATS from 2000 to 2004. After that, Parker became assistant city manager and was a finalist for the city manager’s job in 2007 before becoming CATS’ top executive later that year. He also worked at the Clark County (Wash.) Transit Authority and the Greater Richmond Transit Co. in Virginia. In San Antonio, VIA Metropolitan Transit has a $165 million budget. The agency is prepping plans for a proposed light-rail line and expanded bus system in 2012, Ingle says. Parker will replace John Milam, who worked at VIA for 33 years and was president and CEO for 16 before retiring in January. Roland Lozano has run VIA as interim president and CEO since then. My opinion: I just wanted to point out that Parker didn't work at CATS between 2004 to 2007, a three year gap when most of the construction of the CATS light rail line was underway. CATS light rail opening day was 24 November 2007. CATS 2009 operating budget was $112.6 Million. Source: http://www.charmeck.org/NR/rdonlyres...SFY2009SOP.pdf CATS is funded primarily with income from Federal and State sources, fare revenue, and the voter approved one half cent Sales & Use tax. The tax is utilized to fund annual debt service expense and operating and capital costs. CATS operates as an enterprise fund of the City and as such, all accounting practice is controlled by the City’s Finance Department in compliance with established financial and governmental reporting principles and standards. In order to build on the programs of the past years; promote the mission, vision and strategic goals of Public Transit; implement directives of the MTC and City Council; and handle its challenges and priorities, CATS Operating Budget for FY2009 is $112.6 million; the Operating Balance is projected at $21.0 million and the Capital Budget is $143.9 million. Will San Antonio citizens ever give VIA a full cent sales tax to build and maintain rail projects? Presently, the VIA bus system is supported by the half cent sales tax. To add any significant rail lines of any type, VIA will need more tax revenues. If VIA doesn't add more tax revenues, VIA will have to take some financial resources away from bus services to build and fund rail services. I know a few will point out that CATS only charges a half cent sales tax, and was able to build a 9.6 mile starter light rail line. But they're not capable of building more miles of light rail without more local taxes. Might as well seek a full penny sales taxes so you can build all your train lines faster. |
If you don't think Kieth Parker didn't play a hand in CATS light rail plans between 2000-2004 you're grossly mistaken.
|
Quote:
Some Lynx history from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LYNX_Ra...ansit_Services By March 1990, CATS only allotted $14 million for light rail development for the duration of the 1990s. Again, overall construction costs were cited in postponing the development of the system. Additionally, the Charlotte proposal at the time did not anticipate sufficient ridership of the system to acquire Federal Transit Administration grant money to develop the system. The $14 million would be used for both the purchasing of abandoned right-of-way as it became available for future light rail development as well as monies for studying a proposed line connecting the Wilgrove area in east Mecklenburg County with Tyvola Road south of Uptown Charlotte. In 1998, Mecklenburg County voters approved a one-half cent sales tax to be utilized in the implementation of the 2025 Integrated Transit/Land-Use Plan, which include development of a light rail network. Once the tax was approved, the planning for the South Corridor to Pineville commenced. Although light rail had been envisioned connecting Charlotte to Rock Hill in previous years, official planning for the corridor, later to become the Blue Line, would not commence until 1999. The line was to have initially been $225 million, 13.5-mile (21.73 km) route serving as a connection between Uptown Charlotte and Pineville along the Norfolk Southern rail line paralleling South Boulevard. In February 2000, the Metropolitan Transit Commission unanimously approved the corridor for the region's first light rail line, and by April, $8.2 million was allocated for the initial purchase of materials for its construction. By September, Parsons Transportation Group was hired by CATS to complete engineering and environmental studies for the corridor, and at this time costs estimates for the completed line increased to $331 million. In July 2002, the overall costs for completing the line escalated to $371 million as a result of increasing land and construction costs. Additionally, the southern terminus for the line was moved approximately 1.5 miles (2.41 km) to the north along South Boulevard as a result of low projected ridership figures for the proposed downtown Pineville station, and primarily, as a result of the Mayor of Pineville, George Fowler, and the Pineville Town Council voting to not receive the line. By March 2004, costs of the line again were increased to $398.7 million and were again revised to $427 million by January 2005. The increased estimates were blamed on both rising land and construction costs. After numerous delays caused by increasing cost estimates, the official groundbreaking for the line occurred on February 26, 2005. From $225 Million initially in 1999 to $427 Million by January 2005; a period of time Parker was involved with Lynx; the Lynx 10 mile light rail line costs escalated 190% in just 6 years. Not that great a job in estimating costs. |
electricron, the article explains why the costs rose. It's not easy to predict which way land or equipment prices will go, and you can't create a budget on the grounds of "better safe than sorry", you just can't. Costs rise as a matter of fact.
Saying "they should have estimated better" ignores reality. |
maby there planning on integrating it into the ASA commuter rail.
|
From MySA: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...ange_plan.html
Big news potentially on the horizon... Including my personal favorite nugget: Quote:
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 2:06 AM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.