Rail Light or Rail Right?

Last night, at the Central Corridor Resource Center (CCRC), Bob Baker, Director of Parking and Transportation, presented the light rail plans of the University of Minnesota. Safety is the primary concern with light rail, as he is quoted here. Bob points out that the University of Minnesota has the highest density of pedestrians in the state. To prevent further light rail deaths, the University proposes that rail service through campus be underground.

The same safety issue also applies at the intersection of Snelling Avenue and University Avenue, the neighborhood with the most traffic accidents in the state (traffic study). However, at a CCRC meeting in January, Mark Fuhrmann, Metro Transit deputy general manager, was adamant that there was no money to put the rail system underground, insisting that the railway will be safe. However, if the intersection is not currently safe, how will adding a railway make it safe? The argument is about cost, not whether an underground system would be safer.

The St. Paul light rail proposal stands at $932 million per Fuhrmann. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) budget is $8.9 billion for 2007. The FTA prioritizes with a formula which divides construction cost by estimated ridership. Therefore, Fuhrmann pointed out that extensions to existing lines tend to get the funding, because these extensions are cheapest, because infrastructure cost is less. Because the FTA focus is purely on cost, safety issues are not part of the formula, and the safety at Snelling Avenue and University Avenue is really not his concern.

In Bangkok, you can go up or down a dirty river in a public transit boat for less than a quarter dollar. You will see dilapidated shacks and naked, swimming children. Also, in Bangkok, for a little more money, you can take a state of the art, air conditioned, above street level sky train that apparently is too expensive for Minnesota, USA.

Certainly, in an era where climate change is fact, America can enact an energy policy to reduce automobile emissions. Certainly, in an era where countries are going to war over oil, America can do something to lessen its dependence on foreign sources. Light rail in the cities of America is a great idea. Light rail should be funded sufficiently so that systems are safe, reliable and comfortable. Certainly, we can afford what Thailand can afford.

I agree with Bob Baker. Put the rail system underground through the University of Minnesota. That is the only way to make it safe. It should be underground at Snelling and University, in downtown St. Paul, and most all of the way.