In last week's Eye Poll we took up the question of a brand new taxpayer financed and/or built 12,000 seat downtown arena. Look, there are a lot of problems with Marty's arena ambition not the least of which is they don't have any idea who could or would be an anchor tenant. Build it and they will come may be an interesting concept for a Hollywood movie but is hardly applicable in the real world.
Eye readers picked up on that concept and that The Almighty Alcalde's field of dreams has all of the makings of a colossal taxpayer funded boondoggle. 67% of those participating in the poll said no way, 28% said absolutely build a new taxpayer boondoggle (arena), 4% didn't know, and 2% took the road of apathy not caring what Marty plans for their tax dollars (see the poll results here).
This week we'll look at the second prong of the New Urbanist taxpayer spending spree - Marty's 19th Century Streetcar. As we speak (or write) Marty's taskfarce is busy preparing a marketing report to sell the trolley to the public. We're trying to save them some time by letting the taskfarce know how Eye readers feel before wasting their time trying to convince people that their upcoming recommendation to build the trolley wasn't a foregone conclusion. Don't forget to vote!
14 comments:
WHY? Is a trolley better than a bus? Because it runs on electricity?
Has anyone computed the cost of construction and operation, traffic congestion from the trolley vs. just paying the higher diesel bill or the buses?
WHO? Will ride the trolley......San Mateo to downtown? Is this truly the major need for commuters or just the most convenient route to test this hair brained idea?
Is this the same Mayor who's crazy Q-tips encourages me to trade in my paid off car with it's lower insurance rates, lower registration for a new car, car payments, higher insurance, higher registration for the sake of saving a few cents at the fuel pump?
A trolley is nothing more than a pathetic attempt at a tourist draw.......and who is going to come to Q-ville to ride a trolley??
And speaking of crazy transportation......Rail Runner....has anyone considered the oncoming light issue from the train as it runs down the I-25 median to and from Santa Fe? Just how bright is/are a train's headlight(s) for on coming traffic?
What I don't understand is why the Mayor wants an arena downtown? He has been closing down one bar after another (places who already offer our community a place to relax and experience live nightly entertainment and music) It is obvious to me that if you see Marty at a concert, it is only for a photo shoot and not because he supports the arts! His hypocrisy is radiant and not the example or pattern I will raise my children by.
Problem #1: no anchor tenant (pan-handlers and the homless don't count, right)? The other problems are innumerable thereafter. It's Marty's own "Streetcar Named Bullshit". City Council won't go for it (hopefully)and if it's put to a vote no right-minded citizen of Albuquerque will vote for it. God, I can't believe this guy!
Muck Farty?
We don't need a trolley car ..... We are used to walking between Nob Hill and Down Town!
Wouldn't some new bicycle lanes and shower rooms downtown (for hot summer days) be less costly? That would be a big tourist attraction too!
Hey Eye, what about a REAL question. Like how do we feel about Bush/Cheney spending a TRILLION enriching Haliburton in Iraq?
Will the Trolley have designated stops for the Hookers?
Instead of $12MILLION per mile for a trolley car, why not spend that money on expanding bus routes? Why is service cut on weekends and holidays? Can't there be an 'owl line' or so? Those are major artery buses that run 24 hours - every 30 or 60 minutes EVERY DAY.
I'm originally from San Francisco and I never rode the trolley's OR cable cars - they had jacked up prices and were for tourist trade for the most part.
Great bus service there. Communter buses on main arteries ran every 15 minutes during rush hours. Those were the ones that were also "Owl Lines" at night and on weekends.
You were never more than 2 blocks from public transportation. Come on, Smarty - start thinking of the locals and not the tourists. After all, we are the ones paying for your whimseys.
I'm not in favor of the Central light rail but calling it a Trolley is disingenuous - it would in fact be a light rail similar to the ones in Portland or Downtown Denver.
For the person who asked how this would be superior to buses - light rail uses less energy, is cheaper to maintain, and lasts upwards of 10 times as long as buses do.
Despite these advantages I don't think the upfront costs would be worth it at this particular time.
Paul Heh for Mayor.
Lets flush the toilet and clean out the comode from top to bottom.
Really, flush twice, that fat little troll Paul Heh couldn't get through the sewer pipe with one flush.....
Brenda Duggan is in Scottsdale at the Scottsdale Promenade trying to open Relaxations again!!!!!!!!!
Anyone in here know of a woman in Albuquerque named Brenda Duggan? She is a scam artist and should be in prison, but has yet been caught.
She also has various alias's, BRENDA SANTILLANES, BRENDA PRESTI
If you know of her or about her I ask you to visit the blog-spot about her, read about her and add your own horror storries.
its: http://brenda-duggan.blogspot.com/
She is not exclusive to New Mexico either, she has hit victims in Arizona, Hawaii, Texas, Oklahoma and who knows where else.
Brenda used to own a company in Albuquerque named RELAXATIONS on Montgomery
Post a Comment