What The People Want...

The Star Tribune is pushing hard for the quarter cent transit tax. I know that this will surprise many of you but it is true. Yesterday, the target was Washington County.

Just weeks ago, Washington County transportation officials fumed that the county was losing ground in the metro-wide race for commuter trains and other mass transit to help relieve crowded highways.
The Metropolitan Council's long-range transit study, the county board was told, included few promises for Washington County. Don Theisen, the county's lead engineer, said that the county was falling victim to a west-metro bias despite growing evidence that huge numbers of commuters were funneling through Washington County into St. Paul and Minneapolis.
But now Washington County, like the six other metro counties, is furiously computing the advantages of imposing a quarter-cent sales tax authorized by a new Minnesota transportation bill. While commissioners must first vote whether to impose the tax, Theisen said the county is suddenly in a better position to join the regional transit picture.

They even interview several helpful residents of Washington County, asking them what their transit desires are....

...those who attended the Forest Lake forum said they love the new bus line to downtown Minneapolis and now they want express bus service to downtown St. Paul,
Rogers said.
Joan Nicolai was one of about 13 people who attended last week's transit forum in Woodbury. She takes the express bus from Woodbury, where she lives, to her job in downtown St. Paul...

Notice what they asked for...BUSES...not trains.

In the days following the collapse of the 35W bridge I argued (with commenters over at Anti-Strib) that more buses were the answer because bus routes are flexible and the go from where the people are to where they need to go! If a light rail track is blocked due to road construction or a fire, the rail line is closed. If a bus line is blocked for those reasons, it can be detoured around the blockage! It is cheaper to operate than light rail or commuter rail and people use it. Try getting parking at any of the Park and Ride lots after 7:30 am and you will know what I mean. Shoot - when I lived in Chicago and Europe, I only drove if I was going somewhere the trains didn't go. If I had the option between taking a bus or a train to get to my destination and my schedule was flexible enough to make it work, I took transit! I really hate to drive in traffic!

Transit can indeed be a useful tool. However, here in Minnesota rail is not (light or commuter) is not practical. Trying to build commuter rail now would cost way too much money just to acquire the land necessary to build it. We need more buses to solve our transit needs. It really is the most efficient way to get the job done.