Another Reason Why I Oppose "All Systems Go"

News8Austin: Small steps will lead to commuter rail

To help the project along, Cap Metro is hoping for matching funds from the federal government.

"This is probably the lowest-cost commuter rail project in the country. And, for it not to be ranked very high would be a major disappointment to me," Frank Gilliam of Capital Metro said.

Even if Capital Metro can't secure federal funding work will continue on commuter rail. Though the process may take a little longer.

Copyright ©2004TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin

From CapMet's website:

Advance Towards Federal Funding
Capital Metro will also advance the process to obtain federal transit funding for both commuter rail and Rapid Bus projects with the intent of preparing and submitting a formal New Starts Application for federal funding assistance to the Federal Transit Administration early next year. Capital Metro also is nearing completion of the Alternatives Analysis for the Downtown/Northwest urban commuter rail line. An Alternatives Analysis is required for any transit project seeking federal funding under the classification of "fixed guideway" such as commuter rail. As a first step towards finalizing the Alternatives Analysis for commuter rail, on November 15, the Board is expected to officially adopt the Downtown/Northwest line as the locally preferred alternative (LPA).

The LPA will be officially submitted the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization for their subsequent adoption early next year. Capital Metro will then submit its commuter rail project to the FTA for federal funding and request their approval to enter into the next phase, the preliminary engineering phase of the project. Capital Metro will then begin preparation of the New Starts Application for federal funding.

From the FTA's New Starts website:

The Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) discretionary New Starts program is the Federal government's primary financial resource for supporting locally-planned, implemented, and operated transit "guideway" capital investments. From heavy to light rail, from commuter rail to bus rapid transit systems, the New Starts program has helped to make possible hundreds of new or extended transit fixed guideway systems across the country. These rail and bus investments, in turn, have improved the mobility of millions of Americans, have helped to reduce congestion and improve air quality in the areas they serve, and have fostered the development of viable, safer, and more livable communities.

The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) has authorized $8.2 billion in New Starts funding through fiscal year 2003. An even higher level of funding is anticipated in the next Federal surface transportation authorization beginning in 2004. While the level of New Starts funding has never been higher, neither has the demand for it. TEA-21 authorizes over 190 projects nationwide to compete for these discretionary Federal dollars.

Americans in Boston, Dallas, Fargo, Seattle, Atlanta, Cheyenne, Richmond, Flagstaff, and elsewhere have been threatened with jail time, fines, and property seizures or forced to pay the taxes and "user fees" that finance these projects. It is bad enough these regional transportation authority groups have (some) government power. It is even worse when the revenue net is cast beyond the local population and snares the nation.

Posted by Drizzten at November 04, 2004 08:51 AM