commuter rail line

So.

The Kramer shuttle. The next step from South Florida's playbook on how to rescue a commuter rail line that's foundering due to not going where anybody actually works.

Is it gonna help?

Well, I can tell you one thing: Capital Metro still isn't putting themselves into the shoes of a prospective rider.

Here's the map of the proposed service (click for bigger image):

on the Jeff Ward show yesterday had I not had to bail out while on hold.

Short form because I'm writing this as I'm complaining about a bogus EZPass charge from last November that the lovely folks in New Jersey are just now trying to stick me with.

Dear Carole, a few points:

Our neighborhood, together with Allandale, Brentwood, Highland, North Shoal Creek, and Wooten, is sponsoring a forum for City Council candidates on Monday April 13.

Our 6 neighborhoods have joined together because we feel there are pressing issues impacting all of North Central Austin that need to be addressed by the City.

We need your help to formulate good questions on the following topics of common concern:

So a bit more detail has surfaced, and it turns out that Capital Metro, according to the short description in the latest stimulus proposal from our local governments, is now asking for federal dollars to, hold on your hats:

triple-track the Red Line.

The theory, I guess, is to keep freight service in the middle, and run the DMU trains on the outside tracks.

Here's what I'm writing to City Council, as we speak:

Some folks are getting excited about the "downtown" station being nearly complete on our asstastic commuter rail line.

Maybe the pictures below will be of some help. Click on the pictures for explanations.

1. "Why is that bus labelled "DOWNTOWN" if this is the "downtown" station?

From a comment I just made to this poll on News 8:

A fairly good article this time about Krusee seeing the light on new urbanism and stepping down.

I'm honestly not sure how much I believe, which is a huge step up for me on this guy, actually. Here's some interesting quotes:

"It's an article of faith for Democrats that the sales tax is regressive.

The gas tax is much, much more regressive. The gas tax is, literally, a transfer of wealth from the poor to the middle class – to the upper-middle class."

A fairly good article this time about Krusee seeing the light on new urbanism and stepping down.

I'm honestly not sure how much I believe, which is a huge step up for me on this guy, actually. Here's some interesting quotes:

"It's an article of faith for Democrats that the sales tax is regressive.

The gas tax is much, much more regressive. The gas tax is, literally, a transfer of wealth from the poor to the middle class – to the upper-middle class."