The $1.5 Billion Alternative to Milwaukie's Light Rail

This video was meant to illustrate the enormous cost of TriMet's $1.5 Billion Milwaukie Light Rail project.

For more information on this video, visit http://cascadepolicy.org/insider/2011...

• Category

  News & Politics

[Dijeratic]

Curious. What about the gas to fuel all those buses, every day, 24/7? Was that figured into this 'equation?' The main point of light rail is its energy efficiency. I'm sure there are less snarky ways of looking at and controlling a budget and being proactive for the environment. This really isn't it.

[cascadepolicy]

Yeah, we factored in fuel costs and a number of other costs as well. You can view all our assumptions by clicking the link in the videos comments.

This video was meant to put some perspective on $1.5b. Feel free to post your ideas for how to spend the money!

[Crosshair84]

Why not use the right of way for roads, which both buses and cars can use, which will reduce congestion far more than a low capacity choo choo.

[Crosshair84]

What do trains run on in your world? Fairy dust? What about the machines to build and maintain that light rail?

[Actonrf]

How much can we get of we stop west side light rail and wes and replace them with the buss you specified.

[strawberry juliet]

thats a bad alternative. if we went with your "alternative" i could see it costing way more. more in crime and vandalism to the busses, which means we would have to have twice as many police on the busses (beings how they are doubble deckers). i also see way more money spent on insurance to protect all those new and wastefull additions and mechanics specially trained to keep all this sensitive equipment running... not to mention the impact on the enviroment and greenhouse gasses! no thank you!

[Paul7596]

voting has its consequences

[Save Marinwood]

Powerful argument against light rail, stated simply. We are fighting a more idiotic/ expensive SMART train that travels from Santa Rosa to San Rafael,

[djssds4]

Hysterical!! Love the way you illustrate the absolute idiocy of the Milwaukie Light Rail boondoggle. They just love their little choo choo trains, don't they? Stop the madness!! We don't have the money unless it grows on trees, of course. But will they listen to reason? No, they have their agenda and it is more government waste!!!

[TheLdsLifeSpanish]

UY DIOS MIO!

[cbfhtu68]

The bulk of the money goes to an exclusive right-of-way which enhances the quality of service to an extent that you have not included.

At (MdJ4F) you can see a chart comparing (Rail vs Bus) VS (How it gets there).

I like the idea of an electrically powered bus (preferable in ground inductive instead of overhead wires) with a tiny battery for 1-2 mile of off line range.

Either way the cost of purchase or rehab of an exclusive ROW is expensive be needed for high speed public transit.

[hannahrae14]

the problem is traffic. those buses add to congestion and greenhoise gas emissions. not a fast ride for commuters and sucks for the earth.