The City and County needs to take up the idea of a commuter parking fee. Money collected can be used not only to make sure our bus system (which does not serve only Madison) is fully funded, but it can also partially fund rail transit and fund all kinds of improvements to bike transit, including bike stations and covered, secure parking.
Auto traffic is taking a perpetual toll on the value of our existing bus service. As a current example, an 8 minute bus ride from my home to downtown is now a 31 minute ride, due to the massive volume of traffic on Campus Drive/University Avenue (coupled with a one block lane closure on Johnson due to the next phase of perpetual construction in that corridor). Even without construction, the absurd levels of traffic slow up bus service on many routes, especially when there is the least bit of a recent or ongoing snowfall. $1 per space per week would bring in more than $100,000 per week to be shared by a regional transportation authority, so the bus shortfall can be made up in 5 weeks with no fare increase. that can help ensure another increase in ridership once petroleum prices recover and resume their inevitable rise. Another nice thing about this is that only people with jobs would pay it, rather than the current system of property-taxing the retired, elderly, and unemployed for roads and transit. The legislature and governor can easily allow this occur, and they need to, given the unlikelihood that even $1 trillion in federal funds would trickle down for such local purposes. Jeff Schimpff "Bus, Bike, Carpool to Work for Clean Air for Kids" -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Robbie Webber Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 1:01 PM To: bikies Subject: [Bikies] Fwd: Mayor appealing TPC decision Bikies - While I was typing my message, it looks like the original message from the Mayor made it to Bikies, so I'll strip that out, and just post my comments. As a member of the Transit and Parking Commission (TPC), I voted against any fare increase, including the $1.75 "compromise." While I felt that I could not support any increase, I also understand why Brian Solomon proposed the $1.75 fare, and I understand why Carl Dourocher (TPC Chair, and the tie-breaking vote) voted the way he did. Both felt that if the TPC compromised, and gave a bit, we might avoid an appeal to the full Council. I am very disappointed that the Mayor has brushed off this effort to "be reasonable." We could have all put this rancorous issue behind us, and he would be seen by most as also being "reasonable." (I realize that there will always be differences of opinion about what is the right path, but I'm talking about the general public and many environmentalists and transportation advocates.) Unfortunately, my fears are correct. If we had voted down the fare increase squarely, it could have been portrayed as "Transit Board Again Takes a Stand Against Higher Fares," and the Mayor and Council would be fighting in the public realm against a citizen board that had twice made a stand. Now, the vote was less decisive, and there can be a message in the press that fare hikes are OK. We didn't gain anything, and we lost the moral high ground. And the Mayor still won't budge. Too bad. Robbie _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
