Comments on: More economic delays hit Metro Light Rail http://raillife.com/blog/2009/06/25/more-economic-delays-hit-metro-light-rail/ Phoenix Light Rail news and information Mon, 14 May 2012 19:48:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Nick http://raillife.com/blog/2009/06/25/more-economic-delays-hit-metro-light-rail/#comment-16 Nick Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:14:27 +0000 /blog/post/2009/06/25/More-economic-delays-hit-Metro-Light-Rail.aspx#comment-16 David, it is starting to sound like Mesa made the better choice? That extension is beginning to sound very interesting. David, it is starting to sound like Mesa made the better choice? That extension is beginning to sound very interesting.

]]> By: Aaron http://raillife.com/blog/2009/06/25/more-economic-delays-hit-metro-light-rail/#comment-15 Aaron Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:54:50 +0000 /blog/post/2009/06/25/More-economic-delays-hit-Metro-Light-Rail.aspx#comment-15 It's a shame to see this - this is the time to be doing this kind of building, to provide some employment and move some money through the system. It’s a shame to see this – this is the time to be doing this kind of building, to provide some employment and move some money through the system.

]]> By: David SB http://raillife.com/blog/2009/06/25/more-economic-delays-hit-metro-light-rail/#comment-14 David SB Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:33:14 +0000 /blog/post/2009/06/25/More-economic-delays-hit-Metro-Light-Rail.aspx#comment-14 This unforunate announcement confirms a mysterious story reported without much detail by KTAR last week. It is also a Phoenix instance of a dilemma being felt nationwide: Recessions increase public demand for transit but compromise the ability of local governments to expand transit infrastructure. The timing of this announcement is bad because it will empower the misguided anti-rail naysayers. At the same time, the City of Phoenix really has itself to blame for this situation. Trying to go it alone without federal funds is proving to be a tactical error. Bypassing federal funding allowed the City to skip some time-consuming studies, but since the extension is being delayed anyway, it seems silly now to have insisted on relying only on local funding. This unforunate announcement confirms a mysterious story reported without much detail by KTAR last week. It is also a Phoenix instance of a dilemma being felt nationwide: Recessions increase public demand for transit but compromise the ability of local governments to expand transit infrastructure.

The timing of this announcement is bad because it will empower the misguided anti-rail naysayers. At the same time, the City of Phoenix really has itself to blame for this situation. Trying to go it alone without federal funds is proving to be a tactical error. Bypassing federal funding allowed the City to skip some time-consuming studies, but since the extension is being delayed anyway, it seems silly now to have insisted on relying only on local funding.

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