Okay so I am visiting my mother and i was watching KSAT 12, well after the news some times they have an Editorial about topics within the city. Well this man comes on and starts talking about Light Rail. From his words he says that "Light Rail is not a suitable option." "Cars get 60 to 90 miles per gallon these days and cost less" He goes to on say that a train, bikes, and cars would lead to more congestion on the roads. So he says Vote NO next november on VIA using a Tax Increase to support Light Rail.

I almost hit the floor and died. What kind of stupid ass people are here and actually think the way he does, and the sad part is there is a lot out there. Excuse me i am not walking that's why i have a car. Is what i hear people saying. It is just stupid. Its people like this that drag down whole communities and stop progress for the greater good.

I think its really sad. More cars and roads is not the solution to anything. If anything it only makes matters worse.

I need a drink after that...

I was looking for the video post, but i think it would make some on here go crazy and hunt down that man...

:shrug:

jim joslyn?

Every editorial I heard on KSAT, up until September before I left SA again, was always for light rail. JJ was always talking about how we need to think about our options and that urban sprawl isnt such a great thing and that the city needs to move into the future w/ light rail and the such...unless they are offering counter-editorials...

Hello everyone im new to this, I've been living here in San Antonio for a long time. Anyways I had for a while been reading interesting subjects of San Antonio such as this one of light rail. I also saw the editorial on KSAT 12 hey COMPlEX you're not the only one who wants to hunt that guy i also want to hunt him im thinking the same thing lol nice try needs to work hard to vote against it. Light rail or modern street car with rail would be good idea especially at downtown, i would vote next year for light rail it has my vote yes. I think this time its gonna pass because back in 2000 the plan was too ambitious and this time is well organized plus having this time more people have access to the web than before im sure more people will be involved but VIA has to continue with the good work.

I also saw the editorial and was floored. Everyone I have mentioned the light rail topic, it seems to be unanimously for it. But we do have some backward people in this city, but, all cities do.

Look at it this way. It's better to start now than never. We wouldn't want to have several million people like Los Angeles and then finally decide to take drastic measures. We should expose this now and of course the people who are attached to their cars are going to rebel, that is all they know right now and can't imagine getting around this city any other way. There aren't many people talking who are for it because maybe San Antonio doesn't have a lot of those people, they are more attracted to an environment that can compensate mass transit. So if San Antonio does this now, they will attract more who prefer this type of transportation and the city will start to develop out differently. Just because there are a bunch of car-lovers yelling about it doesn't mean it's the end of the world, it is the only way the city can truly move forward. I agree that so many people just do not understand what this can do for the city.

It wasn't Joslyn.

Wendell Cox loves KSAT enough to get airtime on demand-- was it him?

My grandmother loves the idea now.

Maybe they should start with a rail line from downtown to the airport with a couple stops along the way. That way travelers from out of town will use it because that's the way it's done in the rest of the civilized world.

hmm...

yes, but...

travelers are loathe to use public transportation (or any transportation) that doesn't drop them off at their specific hotel. luggage presents a pretty sizeable hurdle both in train capacity and riders willingness to walk 6 blocks with a suitcase (much less a family).

i wouldn't be against the idea, but with san antonio's sizeable downtown hotel network, it might be a tough sell to get people to use it (or to decide where it lets off).

thought?

In London, I got off the plane, got on the train, got off the train and got on the subway, got off the subway and then walked the remainder to my hotel. Sure, some might have taken a cab, but there were a lot of people doing what I was doing. Still, don't see it happening in SA. We don't attract the backpacker set. We do attract the fannypack set, though.

BTW guys, I moved back to San Antonio! I live just two blocks from La Fogata now.

Aside from the issue of where to run the train, I think this idea has merit. Many cities struggle to get rail to their airports because of location and distance, but SA has an advantage in that the airport is effectively located in the heart of the greater urbanized area, and only 5 miles from downtown. As for the issue of hauling luggage, that's what hotel shuttles are for :tup:

Just saw that "guest" editorial. It was some guy named Reuben with a porn star mustache. I lol'd at what he said and his slow and obvious reading from a cue card delivery.

:banana:

What car in this country gets 60 to 90 miles on a single gallon other than a Prius rolling down a hill? Also, I suspect we can expect to see ads from the Texas Policy Foundation saying we don't need light rail when we can build larger highways and better cars this coming November.

E: Hopefully they won't try to compare VIA to CapMetro...(fingers crossed)

The fella's name is Ruben Espronceda (sp). When I worked at the city a decade ago he was a regular pain in our arse. Always signed up to speak during public comments to complain about something he wasn't pleased with, regardless if it had anything to do with him/his family/his job, etc. He's cut from the same cloth as Terri Hall; you know, the folk who have no professional training or experience in what they rally against, yet still believe so strongly in the rightousness of their cause, that they become arrogant, thinking that only they know whats best for the rest of us and if we dont agree its because we're stupid, been brainwashed, or work for some evil dark multi-national who's in bed with city-hall.

At least once or twice a year we'd have to have Mr. Espronceda arrested for trespass when he'd verbally disrupt board meetings, shouting from the audience, etc.

It's just proof of how anti-progress some folk in this town can be. Left to them, San Antonio would still be nothing more than a dusty collection of adobe shacks along the river, and we'd all still be riding donkeys to work.

Somebody needs to build the damn rail from Austin to San Antonio. I've been in San Antonio(north central) for the last week visiting family and I have driven to Austin/San Marcos a couple of times and downtown San Antonio to downtown Austin once. Needless to say I am stressed out! Traffic has been terrible and I have spent me time in traffic than enjoying myself. If there was a train stop saying in NE San Antonio, I would 100% drive to it...get out of my car....and go...traffic-free to Austin, where I walk everywhere anyways. .....

Just kind of ranting....but if you live in this area, and think the idea of a line from Austin and San Antonio is a waste of time and money...you are very much so mislead in my mind. Now, I am not against the idea of adding another lane too. Its just a terrible stretch of road, to put it simply.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/tra...to_change.html

This is an interesting story about VIA changing from an outdated bus service into a mutli-modal transportation that revives the inner-city by introducing light rail, street car, and bus rapid transit. :yes:

Read that this morning, good stuff. I get from the story that the Streetcar line will be a go regardless. I think that is a good idea to go ahead with that.
I've noticed in the past few months the difference in people in and around the core area. I've noticed a sizeable increase in bike ridership, walkers, and locals just browsing around the Museum Reach; it was pretty crowded down there yesterday afternoon. I think the interest is there, we just need a residential project to get moving. The Pearl is creeping along slowly and thats good during this slow building period. BTW, I also noticed that they started shoveling dirt at the site of the Pearl Ice House.

Please tell me that those all gray looking busses aren't the new paint scheme VIA is going towards. I like how they look now, it makes them different and much more inviting;the all gray is too drab.