A mayor who could care less about streetcars
Amazing that common sense about wasteful transit projects can be found only in a place like Baltimore.
It's also interesting that the scam is played out pretty much the same way from coast to coast:
But, said Sandy Sparks, of Charles Village, a member of the Baltimore Streetcar Campaign steering committee, "You have to try. It's a great idea — and we want to get behind a great idea (for) a world-class city.""I really hope we don't get discouraged," said developer Bill Struever, one of the speakers at the symposium.
Also represented at the symposium were Johns Hopkins' Homewood campus, the Abell Foundation and the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, among other institutions.
Present also were businesses and community groups ranging from Zipcar to the Old Goucher Community Association in south Charles Village, the Southeast Community Development Corp. and the Central Baltimore Partnership.
"Partnership," "world class," med school bean counters, Zipcar -- too familiarly funny. Oh, and throw in some experimental technology:
Supporters last winter said they hoped to use a hybrid technology that could make it the first fixed-rail trolley system in the nation to run without using overhead wires.
What could go wrong? Don't do it, Baltimore!
| Posted at 6:45 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (16)
Thanks for this post Jack...yeah they've got the buzz words down including the puke-inducing "World Class City" label.
Posted by paul | December 10, 2012 6:56 AM
"You too, could be a world-class city!" sounds too much like "you too, could be a celebrity!" and only plays off low self-esteem.
"Operators are standing by... call now! Call 1-800-STRTCAR for a free brochure!"
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | December 10, 2012 7:04 AM
Ever notice how the discussion on what constitutes a "World-Class City" never includes a functional infrastructure, but always includes lots of goofy toys? It's like a competition to see which city can have its residents point to any number of barely functional or half-finished playthings that made developers insanely rich, and tell visitors "Yeah, it doesn't work on days ending with 'y' and they stopped making parts for it three years before it started, but isn't it cool?"
Posted by Texas Triffid Ranch | December 10, 2012 7:06 AM
There's a very Orwellian quality to it all. Scary Big Brother speak for sure.
Posted by Usual Kevin | December 10, 2012 7:07 AM
I misread one of the organizations named in the post as the "Old Groucher Community Association". It isn't that, but we could use one of those.
Posted by Allan L. | December 10, 2012 7:15 AM
Isn't Baltimore one of those nearly bankrupt east coast cities; just a few steps behind Detroit and Harrisburg?
Posted by Dave A. | December 10, 2012 7:20 AM
World class city ... my, how time flies ...
Posted by Garage Wine | December 10, 2012 7:24 AM
No overhead wires...hybrid technology, powered by unicorn farts!
Posted by Portland Native | December 10, 2012 7:45 AM
"Supporters last winter said they hoped to use a hybrid technology that could make it the first fixed-rail trolley system in the nation to run without using overhead wires."
Not True!
Years ago I recommended to the city that if they were to build a streetcar that they use propane to run them like Galveston Texas does because it would save 40% by eliminating the electrical work plus you do not have to take down trees. That fell on deaf ears. That in a city where the entire school bus system runs on propane.
Posted by Robert | December 10, 2012 8:00 AM
That fell on deaf ears.
Probably because politicians only have ears for their campaign contributors.
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | December 10, 2012 8:37 AM
Cutting edge technology, that propane.
Posted by Jack Bog | December 10, 2012 8:37 AM
Monorail! Monorail! MONORAIL!
Posted by Carol | December 10, 2012 8:42 AM
Supporters last winter said they hoped to use a hybrid technology
The word "hybrid" has become such a cliche word it needs to be banned.
What exactly is "hybrid" about the proposed technology? I know there are third-rail collection systems (not feasible for most streetcars, but are used primarily on subways, elevated rail systems, and "heavy rail" (commuter rail) instead of overhead wire. There's inductive technology. There's battery powered. There's battery powered, charged by inductive pads at stops. There's self-propelled, using gasoline, diesel, propane, CNG, or LNG. There's cable car (where the car is propelled by attaching to a moving cable subsurface, and the car is stopped by letting go of the cable.)
And then, what is "world class"? Isn't ANY city, on this world, a world class city? It is a city and on this world...
What is "not" a world class city? What defines a world class city - is it mere population? Is it the presence of certain attributes - in which case, who is to say what attributes? International flights? Portland has...what...two outside of Canada? Doesn't that mean Seattle is far more of a "world class" city than Portland, even though its mass transit system consists of one light rail line, one seldom used streetcar (in fact they are removing their other, far more popular streetcar), a private monorail, and lots and lots of buses?
Aren't Dallas and Houston world class cities? Or Chicago? Or St. Louis?
Instead of coming up with adjectives...just DO something that helps the residents. Streetcars don't help residents - they help developers (thanks to tax credits to encourage them to build by the streetcar lines, to entice riders and make the streetcar have more ridership). Shouldn't streetcars - or any transit - actually go to where people already live and want transit?
Posted by Erik H. | December 10, 2012 10:09 AM
The idea that Baltimore is a world-class city is laughable. They clock 250+ murders a year, and have entire neighborhoods of empty boarded up row houses. Thousands of them.
What they need is bulldozers, not streetcars.
Posted by MachineShedFred | December 10, 2012 12:15 PM
The idea that Baltimore is a world-class city is laughable. They clock 250+ murders a year, and have entire neighborhoods of empty boarded up row houses. Thousands of them.
What they need is bulldozers, not streetcars.
That might be true now, but after streetcars, and light rail, and TIF, and URDs, and condos, and bike lanes, and, and, and...
Baltimore could be tne next London, or Paris, or Rome!
(Wait, isn't that what Vera said about Portland and why we needed the tram?)
Posted by Mr. Grumpy | December 10, 2012 12:57 PM
Baltimore's mayor isn't showing any common sense about a streetcar. He would just rather spend $2 billion on a 14.6-mile light-rail line instead.
Baltimore has built several rail lines in the past few decades, yet its transit ridership is steadily declining. What is "doing the same thing and expecting different results" the definition of? Urban planning!
Posted by antiplanner | December 10, 2012 8:40 PM