News Clips 3-27-14

Today's Clips: 0 MARTA 1 Atlanta/Geor ia Transit/Transportation 2 National ! "nternational Transit/Transportation

MARTA None.

Atlanta/Geor ia Transit/Transportation A#C$ 03-2%-14 ARC &oard appro'es ()* &illion transportation plan By Andria Simmons The Atlanta Regional Commission board on Wednesday passed a $59 billion long-range transportation plan that maintains existing in rastr!"t!re in the region #hile adding some "ongestion relie . The plan ta$es into a""o!nt the expe"ted transportation spending in the %&"o!nty metro Atlanta region thro!gh the year '()(. *t no# goes to the +eorgia Regional Transportation A!thority ,+RTA- or appro.al/ #hi"h #ill li$ely o""!r sometime in April/ be ore pro"eeding to the 0ederal 1igh#ay Administration and the 0ederal Transit Administration or ederal appro.al. 2ore than 3( per"ent o the !nding in the plan is needed to maintain existing roads/ bridges and transit systems/ lea.ing only abo!t $%& billion or expansion bet#een no# and '()(. Regional leaders prioriti4ed pro5e"ts that #ill !n"log the ma5or bottlene"$ points/ ease "ongestion on hea.ily tra.eled arterial roads and add tolled express lanes to interstates or "omm!ters #ho are #illing to pay or a speedier trip. There is also a $%.) billion list o pedestrian and bi"y"le impro.ements aimed at ma$ing it easier or people to get aro!nd #itho!t a "ar. Abo!t $%' million #as set aside the ne# Atlanta Street"ar/ #hi"h is s"hed!led to begin operating mid-s!mmer. That #ill "o.er abo!t &( per"ent o the irst three years o operating "osts. The region6s long-term transportation plan is !pdated e.ery e# years in response to !pdated pop!lation and employment ore"asts and "hanging lo"al priorities that "a!se pro5e"ts to be delayed or ast-tra"$ed. *t #as last !pdated in '(%%. And it #ill ha.e to be !pdated again in '(%7.

+,-./ead 0at-/$ 03-2%-14 0ea-/tree Road Transportation "1pro'e1ents 2pen 3o,se April 3 By 1!nt Ar"hibold The 8ea"htree Trans ormation is ta$ing a pedestrian-!n riendly s!b!rban arterial and "reating a sophisti"ated/ attra"ti.e "omplete street by adding granite "!rbing and medians/ hard#ood trees/ seasonal "olor lands"aping/ bi$e lanes/ #ide side#al$s/ modern lighting/ b!ried !tility lines/ street !rnit!re/ and dedi"ated le t t!rn lanes at signaled interse"tions. The irst phase o the pro5e"t #as "ompleted in '((3 and r!ns rom +A )(( to one blo"$ so!th o 8iedmont Road at 2aple 9ri.e. The se"ond phase #as "ompleted in '(%' and r!ns rom 2aple 9ri.e to the B!"$head C*9 border at Roxboro Road. 8hases three and o!r o the 8ea"htree Trans ormation are "!rrently in the design phase and an open ho!se abo!t s!"h #ill be held next #ee$. Con"epts dis"!ssed at last month:s meeting "an be o!nd here. A tra i" analysis is being per ormed to g!ide de.elopment o design and model "onditions both #ith and #itho!t potential !t!re road#ay modi i"ations. 8hase three begins at 2aple 9ri.e and extends to West Shado#la#n A.en!e. This portion o the pro5e"t is partially !nded #ith an ARC grant and #ill !ndergo a lengthier re.ie# pro"ess d!e to ederal g!idelines. 8hase o!r begins at West Shado#la#n A.en!e and ends at Sheridan 9ri.e. This phase is expe"ted to be "ompletely !nded by pri.ate so!r"es/ allo#ing "onstr!"tion to "ommen"e earlier than 8hase three. Constr!"tion is expe"ted to begin on 8hase o!r in '(%) and 8hase three in '(%5. 8hases three and o!r o the 8ea"htree Trans ormation are part o a larger system enhan"ement "alled ;operation impro.ements< o 8ea"htree Road extending so!th to Spring Street in 2idto#n. The primary goal o the pro5e"t is to red!"e "rashes by modi ying the existing road#ay "ross-se"tion to in"l!de designated le t-t!rn lanes. The pro5e"t #ill also ser.e as a primary bi$e ro!te "onne"ting 2idto#n to B!"$head. The +eorgia 9epartment o Transportation ,+9=T- is leading the other phases o the pro5e"t in "oordination #ith the City o Atlanta and 2idto#n Allian"e. A #or$ing gro!p "alled The 8ea"htree Tas$ 0or"e has been ormed to "oordinate p!bli" in.ol.ement and design or the entire "orridor. The B!"$head Comm!nity *mpro.ement 9istri"t ,BC*9- #ill host a p!bli" open ho!se to gain eedba"$/ present "on"ept dra#ings/ explain the pro5e"t in detail and see$>ans#er ?!estions and "on"erns regarding the ex"iting trans ormation o 8ea"htree Road rom 2aple 9ri.e to Sheridan 9ri.e. All members o the p!bli" are en"o!raged to attend.

Th!rsday @ April A/ '(%) Attendan"e is en"o!raged anytime bet#een 5BA( p.m. to 3BA( p.m. at 8ea"htree Road Cnited 2ethodist Ch!r"h ,8RC2C-/ lo"ated at A%&( 8ea"htree Road. 8ar$ing at 8RC2C is "on.enient. A s!r a"e par$ing lot ,BDCE D=T- is immediately ad5a"ent to the "h!r"h lo"ated o 2athieson 9ri.e ,t!rn at Wendy6s-. 8RC2C is also easily a""essible .ia 2ARTA b!s ro!te %%(/ #hi"h tra.els along the 8ea"htree Road "orridor.

National ! "nternational Transit/Transportation National Re'iew 2nline$ 03-27-14 4i-. Transit By Fames Dile$s S!mmary o a Washington 8ost op-ed in my lo"al paperB ;Transit !se remains disappointing be"a!se dri.ing is too "heap.< They mean that in a bad #ay. * there6s a story abo!t ;Transit/< they don6t mean "ars. Cars are 5!st solipsisti" "arbon-bar ing "aps!les that mo.e sel ish people aro!nd. Transit means "omm!nal boxes/ pre erably on rails. When they tal$ abo!t transit options/ they mean b!ses ,i"$G- and bi$es ,yayG- and street"ars/ #hi"h are romanti" and s!stainable and e.eryone ta$es them in E!rope. ErgoB Ho! there #ith the t#o-"ar garage I pony !p. 9o yo! really ha.e to read the arti"le to $no# that6s #here it6s goingJ Slo#lyJ Stopping at e.ery "ornerJ ;9ri.ers impose "osts on so"iety I in delay/ in poll!tion/ in "arbon/ in #ear and tear on o!r roads I that they don6t pay or/< say the a!thors/ assistant pro essors all. Well/ let6s ta$e a loo$ at 9elay. =n"e !pon a time/ #here * li.ed/ a street #as made one-#ay/ to ma$e tra i" lo# better. E.ent!ally the planners reali4ed something horribleB Tra i" #as/ in a"t/ lo#ing. 8eople #ere !sing the street to get rom do#nto#n to lo"ations beyond/ instead o idling on the high#ay. 0lo#ing tra i" meant that people #ho li.ed on the street had to deal #ith lots o "ars I a a"t that no do!bt s!rprised anyone #ho bo!ght a ho!se on a o!r-lane road. Tra i" had to be . . . "almed. B!t ho#J The lights "o!ld be retimed. * it6s set on ;mo.e along little dogies< yo! "an "r!ise the length at the posted speed and hit all the greens. * it6s set on ;p!nishment< yo!r mil$ expires on the #ay ba"$ rom the store. There #eren6t eno!gh lights to r!in the lo#/ and they "o!ldn6t install speed b!mps be"a!se people #o!ld hit them at A5 mph and poorly se"!red "hildren #o!ld ly thro!gh the moon-roo . So they remo.ed one lane and ga.e it to bi$es. They might as #ell ha.e gi.en it to Seg#ays or !ni"orns/ or !ni"orns on Seg#ays. While it #as no do!bt a boon to bi$ers #ho #anted the sa ety o a dedi"ated lane prote"ted by the 2agi"al 8o#er o a 8aint Stripe/ dri.ers #ho #ere sitting thro!gh lights long eno!gh to "omplete a Tom Clan"y a!dioboo$ "o!ldn6t help noti"ing that the n!mber o bi$ers #ho !sed the lanes "o!ld not be mista$en or the starting "eremony o the To!r de 0ran"e/ and the ones yo! did

see al#ays ble# thro!gh the red lights. They are entitled to do so be"a!se they are not emitting "arbon/ * g!ess. *t6s li$e saying yo! "an rob a ban$ be"a!se yo! #al$ed to the 5ob. At this point bi$ers get pee.edB *t6s al#ays the red lights #ith yo! g!ys/ isn6t itJ C6mon. They #ant to be treated as e?!al "iti4ens/ b!t it6s really t#o-#heels good > o!r-#heels bad. Cars/ ho#e.er/ do not go !p the side#al$ i they #ish/ and "ars do not go thro!gh red lights be"a!se they don6t #ant to brea$ their moment!m. B!t some bi$ers I the ideologi"al sort #ho regard e.ery trip as a "r!sade o "onspi"!o!s righteo!sness I eel 5!sti ied in lo!ting the r!les/ be"a!se some dri.ers are 5er$s and "6mon/ man/ "arbon. T#o pointsB %. *magine a typi"al "ity grid o streets and blo"$s. This next part is hard/ so bear #ith me. *magine a street that r!ns parallel to the #ide high-tra i" street the "ars !se. *magine p!tting !p stop signs so the "ars m!st de er to the possibility o bi$es/ and letting the bi$es !se the side street as their thoro!gh are. Wo!ldn6t that be better or allJ = "o!rse not. Separate b!t E?!al. '. We ha.e something !p here in 2inneapolis "alled ;Winter/< #hi"h tas$s the determination o the most a.id bi$erK yo!6ll ind stories abo!t hardy so!ls #ho bi$e to #or$ in a bli44ard/ #hi"h is li$e snor$eling d!ring a ts!nami/ and * g!ess #e6re s!pposed to admire their "ommitment to itness and the Earth/ b!t they6re a"t!ally the ex"eption. 2ost people don6t loo$ o!t the #indo#/ see se.en in"hes o ne# sno#/ and #onderB hmm. 9ri.e to #or$ in a ni"e #arm "ar listening to the radio/ ta$e the b!s/ or thr!st my #onder !lly toned limbs into a spandex sheath and pedal to #or$ thro!gh dri ts !ntil * #ipe o!t and slide !nder a H!$onJ There are good reasons or bi$ing d!ring a bli44ard/ in"l!ding ;it is the only #ay in a post-apo"alypse so"iety to get to the dispensary #here the last s!pply o antibioti"s is $ept/ i the r!mors are tr!e/ so that yo!r "hild may s!r.i.e.< There6s also . . . no/ that6s abo!t it. Doo$B *n my ideal !rban #orld/ * #al$ o!t the ront door/ a trolley "latters !p/ * s#ing on board/ the "ond!"tor to!"hes his "ap/ and o #e goG B!t this #orld also re?!ires that * don6t ha.e a "hild to pi"$ !p rom s"hool/ an errand to r!n '( miles a#ay/ gro"eries to et"h/ so""er game a ter s!pper/ and so on. * do not li.e in a E!ropean "ity in a lat the si4e o my "ollege dorm room #ith a ridge that ma$es R'9' loo$ li$e =ptim!s 8rime. *n their heyday/ street"ars opened !p distant neighborhoods to "oloni4ation/ "reated "ommer"ial nodes #here they pa!sed/ and $nit the "ity together #ith "heap e i"ien"y. They also blo"$ed tra i"/ be"a!se they "o!ldn6t p!ll o.erK they re?!ired an !nsightly latti"e-#or$ o #ires o.er the streetK they #ere dra ty in the #inter/ and #ent bro$e be"a!se the "ity reg!lated the ares and $ept them "heap

!ntil all the blood drained o!t o the "ompany. When the b!ses repla"ed the trolleys the people #ere happyB They #ere ne# and modernK they "o!ld p!ll o.er at a stop and let tra i" pass. And the #ires #ere gone. 1allel!5ahG No# the #ires are ba"$ !p or the light rail. There6s a big p!sh to bring ba"$ street"ars/ #hi"h are 5!st li$e b!ses/ ex"ept they re?!ire iron lines in the pa.ement and #ires o.erhead/ and "an6t be rero!ted. B!t dang/ they loo$ ine in promotional bro"h!res and .ideos. A millennial #ho might mo.e here to get a 5ob as a #eb designer at a nonpro it loo$s at those pi"t!res and thin$sB These are the signs o enlightenment. 8resident =bama himsel paid a .isit to a re !rbished train station in neighboring St. 8a!l/ to praise o!r or#ard-loo$ing transit strategy/ right on the day they tested a stret"h o the ne# line that lin$s do#nto#n 2inneapolis and St. 8a!l. The "ar derailed. B!t hey. A 5o!rney o a tho!sand miles begins #ith a single misstep. LLL *n Amsterdam last year/ #e #ere heading ba"$ rom s!pper to the hotel/ and hailed a "ab. A bla"$ B2W. 8ristine and gleaming/ imma"!late #ithin and #itho!t. We pa!sed at a light #hile the street"ar passed and the endless stream o b!sted-!p r!sty bi$es lo#ed past/ and * as$ed abo!t the enormo!s "onstr!"tion pro5e"t !nder#ay on the main street. The "abbie said it #as a s!b#ay. * #as s!rprisedB Ho! ha.e s!"h ex"ellent trams/ and so many bi$esK #hy a s!b#ayJ 1e t!rned aro!nd and ga.e me a loo$ o pity and sympathyB as i ;#hy< tr!ly matters. A billion/ he said. A. Billion. E!ros. 2inneapolis #ill probably start #or$ on o!r s!b#ay in '()(/ and *6.e no do!bt it #ill in"l!de a "ar to a""ommodate the ')3 people #ho #ant to trot do#n the stairs "arrying a bi$e. The light rail #ill go here and there and some o the passengers may a"t!ally pay the are. The street"ars #ill plo!gh the ro!te bet#een the Wareho!se 9istri"t #here the te"h irms are lo"ated and the dense blo"$s #here yo!ng/ single/ "hildless in ormation-managers li.e. B!ses I #hi"h ser.e the poor better than any other option I #ill remain the inglorio!s remnant o an era #hen Transit #as a pra"ti"al matter not yet yo$ed to the ate o the Earth and a "ity6s hip "redibility. Cars #ill be the +aia-strangling m!rder-boxes a.ored by the sel ish and the "r!el/ eating !p o!r !t!re/ "oasting along on a ree ride. So it #ill be !ntil "ars are banned/ or =!r Betters get their #ay and dri.ing aro!nd to#n to li.e yo!r li e is as expensi.e as ta$ing a Dear5et to the gro"ery store. * people #ho li$e the reedom a "ar pro.ides #ant to ma$e the "ase or pri.ate transit/ they6d best thin$ ho# to start paying their #ay. An ann!al li"ense eeJ

1ardly eno!gh. * $no# it goes against "onser.ati.e prin"iples/ b!t imagine paying a tax on gasoline/ #ith the pro"eeds going to roads. * $no#/ * $no#B Comm!nismG B!t at least #e6ll ha.e something to #hi"h #e may point #hen the "riti"s say "ars get a ree ride. Really/ it6s only air. Ho!6re in a "ar/ by yo!rsel / going #here yo! #ant to go/ h!mming along #ith the song on the radio/ a simple and distin"tly Ameri"an expression o reedom and indi.id!ality. Ho! o!ght to be ashamed o yo!rsel .

"ndy 4tar$ 03-2%-14 Mass transit &attle's ne5t stop: &allot &o5es By Barb Berggoet4 and Tony Coo$ The ight o.er #hether to expand mass transit in Central *ndiana "o!ld be "oming to a ballot box near yo!. * .oters appro.e/ it #ill hit yo!r #allet. A ter three years o Stateho!se lobbying by lo"al go.ernment o i"ials and other ba"$ers/ +o.. 2i$e 8en"e signed a bill Wednesday allo#ing six "o!nties to ta$e steps to enlarge their mass transit systems. M=!r "apital "ity is a #orld-"lass destination and needs a #orld-"lass transit system/M 8en"e said in a statement. MWhile * still ha.e reser.ations abo!t the s!stainability o expanded mass transit ser.i"es/ * signed this bill be"a!se the +eneral Assembly made signi i"ant impro.ements d!ring the legislati.e pro"ess/ bringing to "los!re years o debate on this iss!e.M Bill sponsors and many I b!t not all I lo"al o i"ials #ere grate !l that lo"al go.ernments and "iti4ens "an no# de"ide on the ate o mass transit. The la# I s"aled ba"$ rom its original orm I impa"ts 2arion/ 1amilton/ 1an"o"$/ Fohnson/ 9ela#are and 2adison "o!nties. They "an no# opt to "ond!"t .oter re erend!ms on !nding mass transit pro5e"ts/ primarily by in"reasing in"ome taxes. B!t transit ba"$ers say it:s !nli$ely lo"al go.ernments #ill mo.e to bring the iss!e to .oters this No.ember. 2any expe"t it to ta$e at least !ntil '(%5 be ore .oters #ill get a "han"e to #eigh in. MThis mar$s a signi i"ant step or#ard or the gro#th o *ndy and the rest o Central *ndiana/M said *ndianapolis 2ayor +reg Ballard. B!t he said m!"h #or$ remains to be done to ma$e this a reality. Ballard spo$esman 2ar" Dotter didn:t ha.e a de initi.e time rame or trying to bring a ballot ?!estion to .oters. 1e said the next step #ill be to get together #ith other "ities/ "o!nties and transit partners to p!t together a plan. Compromises among la#ma$ers late in the session helped pa.ed the #ay to passage or the transit bill and the go.ernor:s appro.al. Da#ma$ers agreed to

shel.e a 1o!se pro.ision allo#ing light rail and a Senate meas!re that #o!ld ha.e taxed b!sinesses to help !nd the pro5e"ts. 8en"e said light rail #o!ld ha.e greatly in"reased the "ost to taxpayers in the long term and the "orporate tax #o!ld ha.e red!"ed the state:s o.erall "ompetiti.eness. Cltimately/ he said/ he is a M irm belie.er in lo"al "ontrolM and that de"isions on e"onomi" de.elopment and ?!ality o li e are best made at the lo"al le.el. MWitho!t the "orporate tax and the ban on rail/ it:s a pretty benign bill/M said Rep. Ferry Torr/ R-Carmel/ a bill sponsor. M* #o!ld ha.e been s!rprised i he ,8en"ehad .etoed it.M Torr/ #ho has #or$ed on the iss!e or three years/ said he:s pro!d it passed and that lo"al go.ernments #ill no# ha.e the lexibility to mo.e or#ard. B!t one taxpayer #at"hdog gro!p that lobbied against the bill disagrees. Chase 9o#nham/ exe"!ti.e dire"tor o the *ndiana "hapter o The Ameri"ans or 8rosperity said/ MWith Central *ndiana a"ing the possibility no# o $%(( million in ne# taxes/ #e #ill "ontin!e to ed!"ate 1oosiers on the dangers o in"reased go.ernment spending on o!r e"onomy.M While he said the end prod!"t is "ertainly better than #hat "o!ld ha.e passed/ he added/ M#e #ill "ontin!e to oppose ne# taxes or Central *ndiana transit.M Some lo"al o i"ials/ in"l!ding Ri"$ 2"Ninney/ president o 1amilton Co!nty Co!n"il/ say this is the #rong step to ta$e or taxpayers. M* am disappointed #ith +o.. 8en"e:s signing the SB %37/ #hi"h in reality #ill be the :mass taxation: bill/ sin"e it #ill tax e.ery #or$ing person or something that #ill be !sed by s!"h a lo# minority o the o.erall pop!lation/M said 2"Ninney. 1e said he #ill #or$ to ed!"ate other "o!n"ilors abo!t ho# expensi.e this endea.or #o!ld be or 1amilton Co!nty "iti4ens and ho# little bene it #o!ld "ome rom it. Co!nty "o!n"ils in the six designated "o!nties !ltimately #o!ld de"ide #hether to hold a "o!nty-#ide re erend!m on mass transit. *ndi.id!al to#nships that border areas that already ha.e adopted a transit expansion also "o!ld de"ide to hold re erend!ms i their home "o!nties do not. That "o!ld allo# to#nships in 1amilton Co!nty to ha.e their o#n re erend!ms/ e.en i a "o!nty#ide one doesn:t ly. And that:s "onsidered a distin"t possibility in

the hea.ily-pop!lated so!thern hal o the "o!nty/ #here mass transit s!pport is stronger in 0ishers and Carmel. To the so!th o *ndianapolis/ +reen#ood 2ayor 2ar$ 2yers said he:s happy the bill #as signed and #ill #or$ to get it on the ballot in '(%7/ #hen presidential "andidates #ill r!n and the most .oters #ill "ome o!t. M* belie.e that mass transit is the transit o the !t!re/M he said. M*t:s not so m!"h or my age generation b!t or my "hildren and grand"hildren. That #ill be the transportation or them.M *n 1an"o"$ Co!nty/ Co!n"ilman Tom Roney said he doesn:t expe"t the "o!n"il to bring a mass transit initiati.e to .oters anytime soon. MAt .ery minim!m/ it:s a year a#ay/M he said. ME.en then/ * do!bt there:s e.en an interest in it. Right no#/ nobody:s e.en tal$ing abo!t it. We:.e ne.er e.en dis"!ssed it at a "o!n"il meeting.M Taxpayers ha.e some prote"tions !nder the ne# la# be"a!se it spells o!t m!"h ho# taxes "an be in"reased and the steps ne"essary to appro.e them. The la# allo#s "o!nties to raise lo"al in"ome tax rates by .% to .'5 per"ent to !nd mass transit pro5e"ts. *n 2arion Co!nty/ lo"al in"ome taxes "o!ld rise rom %.7' per"ent to some#here bet#een %.3' per"ent and %.&3 per"ent. A !ll rate in"rease o .'5 per"ent in all six "o!nties #o!ld generate $9&.) million in ne# re.en!e/ #hi"h in"l!des $)).)9 million in 2arion Co!nty and $A(.57 million in 1amilton Co!nty. The la# also re?!ires ares to "o.er at least '5 per"ent o the transit system:s operating "osts. *ndy+o/ the "!rrent transit system/ only gets abo!t %3 per"ent o its re.en!e rom ares. That ma$es it li$ely that ares #o!ld rise/ tho!gh that #o!ld depend on ho# many riders the ne# system #o!ld attra"t. While the "orporate tax #as eliminated/ another pro.ision says lo"al go.ernments ha.e to see$ to raise %( per"ent o the system:s operating "ost thro!gh ne# nonpro it organi4ations tas$ed #ith see$ing donations rom "ompanies and indi.id!als. * the nonpro it ails to meet that goal/ lo"al go.ernments #o!ld be on the hoo$ or any short all. 8assing the la#/ many s!pporters agree/ is 5!st the irst step. Sen. 8atri"ia 2iller/ the *ndianapolis Rep!bli"an #ho a!thored the bill/ said lo"al o i"ials no# ha.e a lot o 8R #or$ to do. MThis is not the inal step/M she said. M*t:s the beginning.M

6as/in ton 0ost$ 03-2%-14 Cons,ltants: Col,1&ia 0i.e street-ar wo,ld &rin 1ore 1oney$ rowt/ t/an &,s transit By 8atri"ia S!lli.an A Col!mbia 8i$e street"ar #o!ld sp!r $A.' billion to $).) billion in de.elopment o.er the next A( years in Arlington and 0air ax "o!nties/ triple the amo!nt that #o!ld be triggered by impro.ing b!s transit/ a""ording to a "ons!ltant6s st!dy released Wednesday. The report by 1ROA Ad.isors said the bene its o b!ilding a street"ar line bet#een Bailey6s Crossroads and 8entagon City #o!ld ar ex"eed the expe"ted $A%( million "ost o the pro5e"t I boosting property .al!es/ ne# "onstr!"tion and tax re.en!e. 9e.elopment en"o!raged by the street"ar pro5e"t #o!ld res!lt in as many as 7/7(( ne# 5obs/ a""ording to the st!dy/ #hi"h #as "ommissioned by Arlington to #eigh the "osts and bene its o the pro5e"t. The "o!nty has #or$ed or more than a de"ade to de.elop a street"ar in the Col!mbia 8i$e "orridor to pro.ide more transportation options or a gro#ing pop!lation and sp!r rede.elopment along an aging street and "omm!nity. Altho!gh the line #o!ld primarily be in So!th Arlington/ it #o!ld rea"h into 0air ax6s S$yline area aro!nd Baileys Crossroads/ #here tho!sands li.e and #or$. The line #o!ld !ltimately "onne"t to the Crystal City 2etro station/ #here it #o!ld meet another planned street"ar-and-b!s-rapid-transit line that #ill r!n so!th to Alexandria6s 8otoma" Hard. The b!s ro!tes along Col!mbia 8i$e are already the b!siest in Pirginia/ and demographers expe"t tho!sands more residents and "omm!ters to be !sing the o!r-lane road in "oming years. Creating a mass-transit option is "r!"ial/ planners say. B!t the pro5e"t is "ontro.ersial in Arlington/ #here opponents say it6s too "ostly "ompared #ith the $3A million needed or a modern b!s line. Criti"s also say that a street"ar system is less lexible than b!s transit. 8roponents/ in"l!ding many de.elopers and retailers/ "ompare the importan"e o the street"ar #ith the "onstr!"tion o 2etrorail in the %93(s. *t has been a $ey iss!e in t#o Co!nty Board ele"tion "ampaigns/ in"l!ding one no# !nder#ay. Arlingtonians or Sensible Transit atta"$ed the st!dy in ad.an"e o its release/

predi"ting that the "ons!ltants #o!ld tell the "o!nty go.ernment only #hat it #anted to hear be"a!se the "o!nty #as paying or the $9&/((( st!dy. ;1e #ho pays the piper "alls the t!ne/< said 8eter Ro!sselot/ a leader o the antistreet"ar ad.o"a"y gro!p. B!t 1ROA and "o!nty transportation o i"ials said that the "o!nty had no in l!en"e o.er ho# the six-month st!dy #as str!"t!red or its "on"l!sions. The irm examined %7 other st!dies that "ompared the "osts and bene its o street"ars against high-"apa"ity/ arti"!lated b!ses in a #ide .ariety o North Ameri"an lo"ations. *t also "ond!"ted deeper analyses o o!r "omparable pro5e"ts. What the "ons!ltants o!nd/ said Eri" Rothman/ president o the "ompany/ #as ;by and large/ a positi.e impa"t or street"ars and a mixed impa"t or b!s rapid transit and enhan"ed b!ses.< Street"ars "o!ld handle more riders/ tra.el as ast as b!ses and red!"e tra i" "ongestion more e e"ti.ely/ the st!dy o!nd. Be"a!se de.elopers see street"ar rails and #ires as more permanent in rast!"t!re than b!s ro!tes/ they6re more #illing to sin$ their money into ne# pro5e"ts #hen a street"ar line is b!ilt. With a street"ar line/ &( per"ent o Col!mbia 8i$e #ill be !lly de.eloped in A( years/ the st!dy predi"tedK #itho!t it/ de.elopment #ill rea"h 7( per"ent "apa"ity at that point. 9e.elopment along Col!mbia 8i$e as a res!lt o a street"ar system #o!ld bring bet#een $A35 million and $3A5 million in ne# tax re.en!e to Arlington o.er the next A( years/ the st!dy said. 1o# the street"ar #o!ld be inan"ed is not "lear. Co!nty manager Barbara 9onnellan said that a "ombination o state/ regional and lo"al !nds #o!ld most li$ely be !sed. A detailed a""o!nt #ill be in"l!ded in the "o!nty6s %(-year Capital *mpro.ement 8lan/ #hi"h 9onnellan expe"ts to "omplete in the next e# months.