Get ready for BART to suck even more money out of Bay Area public transit
So BART is pressing ahead again with the monumental waste of money that is the Oakland Airport connector. Even after the feds have threatened to yank $70 million in funding, the BART board has decided that it's imperative that this connector MUST be built.
I bet you're all wondering how BART plans to make up that $70 million shortfall. Here's you're answer:
http://sfappeal.com/alley/2010/01/mtc-votes-to-support-funding-for-bart-airport-extension-again.php
Yup. They're going to raid AC Transit, MUNI, Golden Gate Transit, and so-on to fund it. MUNI carries, what, 750,000 people a day? AC Transit's about a third of that. Caltrain adds another 40k, GGT another 25k. So, what's that, about a million people a day? Give or take.
Guess how many days it takes for BART's existing bus service to carry a million people?
Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?
Try three hundred sixty-five days on for size.
That's right folks, BART's going to steal money from systems that serves over a million people a day to fund some blingfrastructure that's going to serve maybe one million people a year.
it does say re-direct funds
it does say re-direct funds in the article if the airport connector isn't a good idea.
- The MTC will meet on the issue on Feb. 17 to see if the airport connector project is still on track.
If it isn't, the MTC will re-direct the $70 million in stimulus funds to rehabilitation and preventive maintenance projects for various Bay Area transit agencies.
BART would still get $17 million for such projects, but the San Francisco Municipal Railway would get $17 million, the Santa Clara Valley Transit Agency would get $12 million, AC Transit would get $7 million and other agencies would also get funds.
whats also interesting in that article, which i have heard before but i think i am getting a grasp on, is the fact that it hurts minorities.
afford-ability is mentioned, and i also thought that building a bypass over city streets rather than beautifying a community with nicer roads(for a better bus) is what the federal gov't is concerned with.
would it be nice not to bypass oakland and have a project that makes the city look better and basically a better roadway and a few nicer intersections. even if there aren't any minority or low income people there. the federal gov't is concerned about something.
pretty cool.
Oakland has already started
Oakland has already started beautifying San Leandro. Perhaps they've even finished. The OAC will require ripping out the greenery.
And, yes, the article indicates *some* money will be headed towards various agencies. But in SF there have already been two rounds of large service cuts in the past 10 months. A few hundred drivers are on the chopping block, and MUNI is now facing a $53 million deficit. Taking money away that was previously promised to pay for the OAC is absurd.
I don't buy the discrimination argument either (but hey, if it stops this disaster from going through, I'm all for it). Actually, that's not quite true. If other area agencies have to raise fares and cut service to fund the connector, yes, that is quite discriminatory.