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The Rio Metro “Get Connected”
Regional Transit Plan
by JW Madison
Voters in the counties of
Bernalillo, Sandoval and Valencia will soon be asked to approve
the next major step toward a real regional transit system for
the metro area.
A three-county regional
rail and bus service and
funding plan has been approved by the Board of Directors
of the Rio Metro Regional Transit District ("Rio Metro"). This
regional transit plan includes the Rail Runner and additional
transit services in the Rio Metro district, comprising these
three counties.
Voters in the transit
district would need to approve a one-eighth of one-percent
regional transit gross receipts tax to fund the proposed
services, which, if approved in November, would go into effect
on July 1,2009.
The present temporary
funding for the Rail Runner will end in 2009. The above plan
would establish a permanent revenue source for this vital
service
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The 21st Century Transportation Task Force
Rail
Transit for Albuquerque?
by JW Madison
In 2006, Albuquerque Mayor
Marty Chavez attempted to implement our city’s first Rail
transit system in at least 80 years. The first segment of this
service, the “Red Chili Line”, would feature sleek modern
streetcars travelling daily on double track along Central
between Atrisco and Carlisle (“Streetcar”, whether modern,
vintage or replica, can be thought of as “Light Light Rail” for
this article).
Initially, this proposal
enjoyed the backing of a majority of the City Council. But after
a well-publicized outcry, several Councilors backed off, killing
the deal. This outcry was not entirely flat-earth auto-centered
idiocy; there were some real concerns about the length and
location of the route, how to pay for it and the manner in which
the proposal was being moved through the political process.
One response to this
setback was the establishment of the 21st Century Transportation
Task Force. Contrary to impressions fostered by the local
media, this Task Force actually worked on other transportation
issues besides the Streetcar----notably recommending a
significant increase in funding for transit (including the
Streetcar), bikeways, and pedestrian improvements.
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