🚀 go-pugleaf

Merritt Mullen wrote:

> Kymberleigh Richards at krichrds@pacbell.net wrote on 6/5/01 7:16 AM:
>
> > On 5 Jun 2001 06:47:26 -0700, don002@earthlink.net (Don Hagstrom)
> > wrote:
> >
> >> No, rail has many more limitations than do freeways.  It doesn't
> >> connect with the arterial road system, forcing riders to transfer onto
> >> one or more bus lines to get to their destination.  Rail does not
> >> provide on-demand door-to-door transportation as do cars.  Rail works
> >> best for those who both work and live close to the rail station.  This
> >> number is too small in most metropolitan areas which is why rail does
> >> not work well.
> >
> > This is an interesting paradox.
> >
> > The only areas where there is enough overall ridership (metropolitan
> > areas) to justify building rail are the same areas where there are
> > fewer potential passengers for which it can work well?
> >
> > There has to be something wrong with the conclusion or the Blue Line
> > wouldn't be so successful.
>
> But Chris Hughes just said:  "Building more rail won't do much because it
> isn't useful to people."  So obviously all those people on the Blue Line
> don't find it useful, and they are just joy-riding.
>
> On the other hand, maybe it isn't Chris who gets to determine what is useful
> to people.  Maybe people figure it out for themselves.  What a concept!
>
> Merritt

I was thinking in terms of people driving and why they would rather drive than
use the Blue Line.  It goes through a corridor, and that corridor is just one
part of a longer trip.  Unless you can magicaly park the car on one side, hop on
the blue line and have your car magically appear on the other side, it's not
useful for a lot of people.

I think it all depends on how you define the Blue Line as being succesful.  It
may have the highest ridership in the country but  I still doubt it pays for
itself.  It also hasn't been useful in reducing congestion, which is why we're
told we should build these things.  People didn't jump out of their cars in big
numbers to get on the Blue Line.

Chris Hughes