I've been remiss in not posting about last Sunday's commentary by Transportation Secreary Allen Biehler in the Sunday Pariot-News because of my focus on all things Liberty Forge.
If you didn't see the article, I've archived a pdf of it on the site (Link). Take a second to review it, if you're interested.
To sum up, after laying out his public transportation bona fides, Mr. Biehler (Link) makes a strong case against moving forward with funding for Corridor One. Mr. Biehler bases most of his argument on ridership projections from Capital Area Transit (Link) showing 444 rider trips will be added to the Lancaster-Harrisburg corrider at a cost to the taxpayers of $92.60 per each and every trip.
"...For another perspective, each round-trip Corridor One rider would require an annual subsidy amounting to $51,800. It would be cheaper to lease each rider a car and pay for downtown parking, fuel, maintenance and insurance...."
The math appears pretty compelling. In Mr. Biehler's view, the numbers just don't add up to Corridor One being a viable transportation alternative for the midstate.
I tend to agree, but then am confronted by a letter to the editor in today's paper penned by friend Walter Lyon (Link):
"...When we got to transportation decisions, PennDOT engineers were my guest lecturers. They explained to my class that extensive public participation after careful study of a broad range of factors was required in the case of controversial projects. Among the factors PennDOT considered were: the impact of the decision on traffic congestion, air quality, (today global warming would be included), economic development, employment, land use, regional development, social and demographic issues and concerns of special interest groups....."
The factor which I cannot avoid is "social and demographic issues."
There is no deep and abiding call for public transportation in the midstate. Yes, trolleys once ran across the Susqehanna River, and buses today transport thousands, but I do not believe midstaters will leave their cars at home, let alone at train stations, in order to make light rail a reality in this area.
That belief is based on many factors, from the sprawl development inherent today in growing northern Cumberland County areas to the lack of concentrated cores of employment aside from downtown Harrisburg. No amount of wishing for light rail will change the simple fact that we live in one of the most conservative areas of the Commonwealth, and, let's be honest, public transportation is largely a liberal issue predicated on large government subsidies funding burgeoning bureaucracies redistributing wealth from the haves to the have-lesses.
Is light rail dead in the midstate? No, probably not.
I'm heartened by the possible formation of an Interstate 81 corridor at this week's meeting in Carlisle which has been spearheaded by County Commissioner Rick Rovegno:
"...The gathering, expected to draw about 70 federal and state leaders and business officials, planning and conservation groups, will address concerns along the 824-mile I-81 corridor from Tennessee to the Canadian border.
A dramatic increase in truck traffic, a common complaint among midstate I-81 commuters, is sure to be on the agenda.
Rovegno, an organizer of the gathering, said the initial focus will be "to identify the common concerns and opportunities" regarding the highway.
"What I hope comes of this is that we decide to move forward to the creation of a planning coalition involving the whole corridor," Rovegno said...."
I wish Comm. Rovegno and his compatriots luck. Through partnerships like this we may come to truly solve some of the large issues facing the midstate now and in years to come.
It's one train I'll be glad to get on board.
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