Comments on: Transit advocates bemoan stimulus breakdown http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/15/transit-advocates-bemoan-stimulus-breakdown/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:34:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/15/transit-advocates-bemoan-stimulus-breakdown/#comment-58345 Alon Levy Sat, 17 Jan 2009 20:14:41 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2042#comment-58345 It's the other way around. Rail infrastructure provides more jobs in the short term, because rail has far higher startup costs. A six-lane highway averages about $30 million per kilometer. A two-track subway has five to six times the capacity, but costs at a minimum $300-500 million per kilometer; SAS is projected to cost $1.3 billion per kilometer. The advantage of subways is that they have far fewer negative externalities like air pollution and neighborhood splitting, and have lower operating costs once you factor in the cost of owning a car. That means that they save money in the long run, mainly by destroying auto and oil jobs, by spending a lot in the short and medium run. It’s the other way around. Rail infrastructure provides more jobs in the short term, because rail has far higher startup costs. A six-lane highway averages about $30 million per kilometer. A two-track subway has five to six times the capacity, but costs at a minimum $300-500 million per kilometer; SAS is projected to cost $1.3 billion per kilometer.

The advantage of subways is that they have far fewer negative externalities like air pollution and neighborhood splitting, and have lower operating costs once you factor in the cost of owning a car. That means that they save money in the long run, mainly by destroying auto and oil jobs, by spending a lot in the short and medium run.

]]> By: herenthere http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/15/transit-advocates-bemoan-stimulus-breakdown/#comment-58327 herenthere Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:48:10 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2042#comment-58327 Although I am disappointed by this ratio, politicians have no choice but to encourage job creation, and I think funding road infrastructures provide a lot more jobs (although most of the jobs are short term) than mass transit construction. Although I am disappointed by this ratio, politicians have no choice but to encourage job creation, and I think funding road infrastructures provide a lot more jobs (although most of the jobs are short term) than mass transit construction.

]]> By: Gary http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/01/15/transit-advocates-bemoan-stimulus-breakdown/#comment-58323 Gary Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:47:25 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2042#comment-58323 I'm going to do a post on this myself . . . my initial response was shock at the small portion for transit (only $10 billion) not just in relation to the highway spending but in terms of the overall stimulus package. A drop in the bucket. However, the real transit money will come in the new SAFETEA-LU bill which will be renewed this year . . . that's where our emphasis needs to be. It's also the more logical place for transit funding, as the stimulus bill is limited by it's nature - they're looking for shovel-ready projects. So the stimuklus bill is not where we should expect to see any big-ticket spending. But we do need to keep the pressure on the administration and our NY delegation. It should be helpful that our new congressman from the 13th, Mike McMahon, was appointed to the Transportation Committee. And Nydia Velazquez has always been good at securing funding for projects in her district; she is another person to focus on. I’m going to do a post on this myself . . . my initial response was shock at the small portion for transit (only $10 billion) not just in relation to the highway spending but in terms of the overall stimulus package. A drop in the bucket.

However, the real transit money will come in the new SAFETEA-LU bill which will be renewed this year . . . that’s where our emphasis needs to be. It’s also the more logical place for transit funding, as the stimulus bill is limited by it’s nature – they’re looking for shovel-ready projects. So the stimuklus bill is not where we should expect to see any big-ticket spending.

But we do need to keep the pressure on the administration and our NY delegation. It should be helpful that our new congressman from the 13th, Mike McMahon, was appointed to the Transportation Committee. And Nydia Velazquez has always been good at securing funding for projects in her district; she is another person to focus on.

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