It’s a similar thing here in Austin. Rather than expand the light rail system, the state is expanding I-35 through downtown.
However, it’s not so cut and dry. See, the city has to fund the light rail expansion, while the Texas Department of Transportation funds the highway expansion. Both have access to the same data, but the latter is restricted by law to only spend money on expansions to alleviate traffic on highways. Alternative modes of transport aren’t even considered because it would be against the law to spend any money on it. So if the data says there’s too much traffic, the state has the money to fix it and they’re only allowed to fix it in precisely one way.
Of course it would, but the state department of transportation is forbidden from spending any money on anything but roads. The people in cities are already taxed to hell and back, so it’s a tough sell for them to be taxed more for a light rail system that wouldn’t be finished for another 20 years.
could they get away with busways that curiously just so happen to be then converted into light rail routes? that way the state could fund the foundation work at least.
It’s a similar thing here in Austin. Rather than expand the light rail system, the state is expanding I-35 through downtown.
However, it’s not so cut and dry. See, the city has to fund the light rail expansion, while the Texas Department of Transportation funds the highway expansion. Both have access to the same data, but the latter is restricted by law to only spend money on expansions to alleviate traffic on highways. Alternative modes of transport aren’t even considered because it would be against the law to spend any money on it. So if the data says there’s too much traffic, the state has the money to fix it and they’re only allowed to fix it in precisely one way.
It’s ridiculous.
Expanding public transportation would alleviate highway traffic.
Of course it would, but the state department of transportation is forbidden from spending any money on anything but roads. The people in cities are already taxed to hell and back, so it’s a tough sell for them to be taxed more for a light rail system that wouldn’t be finished for another 20 years.
could they get away with busways that curiously just so happen to be then converted into light rail routes? that way the state could fund the foundation work at least.
I believe they can, but to what extent I’m unaware.