- Feds Lay Out Vision for Northeast Rail (AP)
- Trump’s Infrastructure Scheme May Run Into Resistance From Mitch McConnell (WaPo, American Prospect)
- Harvard Infrastructure Expert Offers Thoughts on Trump’s Plan (Harvard Biz Review)
- Flouting California Rules, Uber Continues Testing Self-Driving Cars (NYT)
- 2017 Holds Uncertainty for Maryland’s Purple Line (WTOP)
- Outside NYC, a More Urban Suburbia (NYT)
- Northeast Rail Plans Include Amtrak Stop at Philadelphia Airport (Inquirer)
- Why an Easy Transit-Funding Solution Isn’t in the Cards for Nashville (Nashville Biz Journal)
- Tucson Tentatively Explores Creating Transit Authority (Arizona Daily Star)
I’m excited as any rail supporter would be by the NEC stuff, but there are some problems here:
1. At $120B, what will the fare on Amtrak need to be? It is already too expensive for many people on the Northeast Corridor, explaining the booming inter-city bus traffic. Which leads to…
2. When will inter-city bus service get some respect and prioritization in the NEC? Chokepoints like the Lincoln Tunnel need bus-only lanes in both directions 24/7/365. Expand bus lanes and bus-only cue-jumps at other chokepoints along the NEC (GW Bridge!) so that inter-city buses are faster than driving a car. Let’s use the stuff we’ve got, which means….
3. In places like Philadelphia, make the existing SEPTA train to the airport function better. It should run more frequently than 2x/hour, and be faster than a taxi. Besides, taking Amtrak to the airport may cost more than the flight after the $120B.