Pittsburgh PA - The Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported that the $3.5 billion maglev proposal is still floating around the halls of the Port Authority of Allegheny County's (PAT) expensive offices.
While it appears that the unneeded project is finally dieing, hope remains among the supporters that somehow funding will come through so that maglev can be built and further strain the PAT budget.
Currently, PAT is in the process of completing the environmental impact reports for the Feds.
This project is even more unneeded than the useless North Shore Connector. PAT needs to pull out of the consortium with Maglev Incorporated now as PAT simply can't afford this white elephant when it is planning major service cuts and fare hikes to run what they have already.
Of course, Maglev Inc is pushing hard to build this line. PAT would be responsible for a large portion of the cost of building and operating the line however. This plan has been in the making for about 10 years and as much as I'd like to blame the former PAT executive director Paul Skoutelas for getting PAT into yet another mess, it was Skoutelas' predecessor, Bill Millar who roped PAT into this useless project.
Millar is the head of the American Public Transit Association, an industry trade group, that pushes for the style over substance style of transit operations as well as unneeded transit projects.
The last thing Pittsburgh needs is a maglev. PAT can barely run their existing transit system yet alone having yet another expensive toy that won't ever come close to paying for itself. PAT needs to pull out of this maglev proposal now before it is too late. If it progresses much further, PAT will be stuck paying to build and operate it when it can't afford to operate what it already has.
Also, while I'm hardly a fan of Pennsylvania Representative John Murtha (D), he at least puts this as a low priority funding project unlike Pennsylvania's U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (RINO) who is pushing hard for this white elephant.
The simple fact of the matter is this. Pennsylvania can't afford this maglev, PAT is in no position to help with funding or operations and who will ride at $25 for a one-way trip besides a handful of tourists and maglev fans. Maglev for Western Pennsylvania isn't needed and is a pure waste of taxpayer dollars. End it now.
2 comments:
Our public transportation system must be brought into the 21st century to maintain the competitive edge we should hold. I want the United States to have a nation wide rapid transit system, one that will carry people and cargo faster and more efficient than any option we now have. I believe Magnetic Levitation should be considered for this effort. Let’s face it, this world is begging for the next leap in energy and transportation, the real question is weather the United States advances or stalls this endeavor. Robert Hrozencik Vilas, N C
True to a point but answer this. Do you also chop existing services off to a large service area to pay for a line that few will ride?
That's exactly what will happen if they build this line in the Pittsburgh area. Our system can't afford to run what they have now and let's face it, even if they could, PAT could screw up a one car funeral.
The big problem is that while we need to look to the future, we also need to have what what is running already working well and it's not. Adding expensive toys to an operation that can't run what it has already hurts the entire area and everyone ends up losing.
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