Author, Affiliation, Date:
Stu Nicholson's letter to the editor - Columbus Dispatch
Body:
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
While it is encouraging to see The Dispatch endorse the levy request of the Central Ohio Transit Authority ("Time to move ahead," editorial, Sept. 3), I would take issue with the contention that COTA’s light-rail plan was ill-conceived. If anything, the plan for a single light-rail line on the so-called North Corridor was not aggressive enough. If there is a fault to be laid at the doorstep of COTA and the community leaders, including The Dispatch, it is the fault of being far too timid at a time when Columbus and central Ohio need more than a buses-only transit system.
Even before the service cuts, COTA was not equipped to address the way Columbus and Franklin County suburbs have grown and sprawled. Now we have residential and commercial development that has spilled heavily into neighboring counties outside of COTA’s allowable taxing district, creating more traffic congestion, longer commutes and poorer air quality. Merely reinstating the services that were cut and adding a few more crosstown express routes, while welcome, is not enough.
When cities much smaller than Columbus, like Boise, Idaho, are pushing for light rail, what does that say about our inability to pursue light rail here? The socalled "fruitless" studies of light rail here failed to bear fruit only because they were never followed through over the past several years by either COTA management or city and county leaders, allowing time to pass and federal transit guidelines to become tougher to meet.
Is a 0.25 percent, 10-year COTA levy necessary? If public transportation in central Ohio is to survive, the answer is absolutely yes. And for saying so, The Dispatch is to be commended. But though I support the COTA levy, I would much rather see a plan with vision and the political courage to seek proper funding to carry it out.
Why not a three-quarter percent levy? Why not a plan for three or four light-rail lines in addition to better bus service? Why do our leaders in City Hall, the county and at The Dispatch seem to be so willing to settle for less? Why, indeed, at a time when gasoline prices have risen to $3 a gallon and the cost of filling up even the more fuel-efficient vehicles is taking a bigger bite from our budgets?
When the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics show families spend an average 20 percent of their income on transportation, second only to housing at 33 percent, it is clear we need more than just a bus ride as an option.
Ill-conceived? Hardly. A community like Columbus should already be working on the first light-rail corridor with engineering under way on more. Instead, we may never have a transit system that offers more and better transportation choices — one that answers the critical transportation needs that will affect our economy, jobs and quality of life.
STU NICHOLSON
Member, 1000 Friends of Central Ohio board of trustees
Columbus
Author, Affiliation, Date:
Stu Nicholson's letter to the editor - Columbus Dispatch
Teaser:
Great letter about the importance of rail
Body:
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
While it is encouraging to see The Dispatch endorse the levy request of the Central Ohio Transit Authority ("Time to move ahead," editorial, Sept. 3), I would take issue with the contention that COTA’s light-rail plan was ill-conceived. If anything, the plan for a single light-rail line on the so-called North Corridor was not aggressive enough. If there is a fault to be laid at the doorstep of COTA and the community leaders, including The Dispatch, it is the fault of being far too timid at a time when Columbus and central Ohio need more than a buses-only transit system.
Even before the service cuts, COTA was not equipped to address the way Columbus and Franklin County suburbs have grown and sprawled. Now we have residential and commercial development that has spilled heavily into neighboring counties outside of COTA’s allowable taxing district, creating more traffic congestion, longer commutes and poorer air quality. Merely reinstating the services that were cut and adding a few more crosstown express routes, while welcome, is not enough.
When cities much smaller than Columbus, like Boise, Idaho, are pushing for light rail, what does that say about our inability to pursue light rail here? The socalled "fruitless" studies of light rail here failed to bear fruit only because they were never followed through over the past several years by either COTA management or city and county leaders, allowing time to pass and federal transit guidelines to become tougher to meet.
Is a 0.25 percent, 10-year COTA levy necessary? If public transportation in central Ohio is to survive, the answer is absolutely yes. And for saying so, The Dispatch is to be commended. But though I support the COTA levy, I would much rather see a plan with vision and the political courage to seek proper funding to carry it out.
Why not a three-quarter percent levy? Why not a plan for three or four light-rail lines in addition to better bus service? Why do our leaders in City Hall, the county and at The Dispatch seem to be so willing to settle for less? Why, indeed, at a time when gasoline prices have risen to $3 a gallon and the cost of filling up even the more fuel-efficient vehicles is taking a bigger bite from our budgets?
When the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics show families spend an average 20 percent of their income on transportation, second only to housing at 33 percent, it is clear we need more than just a bus ride as an option.
Ill-conceived? Hardly. A community like Columbus should already be working on the first light-rail corridor with engineering under way on more. Instead, we may never have a transit system that offers more and better transportation choices — one that answers the critical transportation needs that will affect our economy, jobs and quality of life.
STU NICHOLSON
Member, 1000 Friends of Central Ohio board of trustees
Columbus
Outpost URL:
www.relocalize.net/groups/columbus
