Finally, Arlington to scrap streetcar projects

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rapid bus maybe?

+1

I think streetcars are great when they have dedicated space. As I understood the Columbia Pike street car, it would be sharing the road with cars. So, there wouldn't have been any savings in regard to traffic and at least buses can move around a blocked lane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great news. Now they can spend that money on actual county priorities like expanding and updating schools. Hopefully once we get rid of Tejada and Hynes we can stop the $1 million bus stops and what not for good. Even more money for schools, affordable housing, etc without stealing resources from parks and community centers.

I personally can't wait to vote Fisette out, though. I'm sure his concession speech will include that his loss must be a "miscommunication" involving the ignorance of the Arlington electorate or something, though

This is so short sighted. Every single study of modern streetcars show that PERMANENT streetcar infrastrucutre significantly increases property values and desirability of businesses and new houses want to locate on permanent infrastrcuture not a bus line. Columbia Pike sucks. But I guess you all think its awesome and that there is a money tree growing somehwere to continue build subsidized housing etc...

must be wonderful living in fairy land with all the free-spenders like yourself. it's my tax dollars at work. too bad not a single one of these "studies" was ever produced or cited by the County Board - interesting that never happened since you said it and it must be undeniably true. all the board did was to make claims with no evidence or data to back it up - kinda like what you're doing.

this is not a priority, nor is aquatics center or million dollar bus stops. add to that the band-aid fixes for core services (like education) and this is the fiscal entanglement the country is in.

if you want cheap housing, look in western or southern FFX, Arlington, pockets of PG county or SE DC. if you want to live and prosper in a free and open society, then roll up your sleeves, make the sacrifices and stop asking for handouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Columbia Pike getting shafted again.

Cherrydale wins again.

Demographics on the Pike are shifting - maybe we'll get something next time around, when more people can vote.

[Anonymous]

I hope they kill the water slide park next. I'm all for adding a new pool somewhere for swim meets and lessons, but we don't need to be spending money on that crazy wave pool/water slide thing that looked like it belonged at Kings Dominion. I'm a Dem and like Howze as a person, but I voted against him largely because of his leadership in developing that excessive pool design.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great news. Now they can spend that money on actual county priorities like expanding and updating schools. Hopefully once we get rid of Tejada and Hynes we can stop the $1 million bus stops and what not for good. Even more money for schools, affordable housing, etc without stealing resources from parks and community centers.

I personally can't wait to vote Fisette out, though. I'm sure his concession speech will include that his loss must be a "miscommunication" involving the ignorance of the Arlington electorate or something, though

This is so short sighted. Every single study of modern streetcars show that PERMANENT streetcar infrastrucutre significantly increases property values and desirability of businesses and new houses want to locate on permanent infrastrcuture not a bus line. Columbia Pike sucks. But I guess you all think its awesome and that there is a money tree growing somehwere to continue build subsidized housing etc...

that must be why streetcars are so popular these days and are everywhere......er....wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great news. Now they can spend that money on actual county priorities like expanding and updating schools. Hopefully once we get rid of Tejada and Hynes we can stop the $1 million bus stops and what not for good. Even more money for schools, affordable housing, etc without stealing resources from parks and community centers.

I personally can't wait to vote Fisette out, though. I'm sure his concession speech will include that his loss must be a "miscommunication" involving the ignorance of the Arlington electorate or something, though

This is so short sighted. Every single study of modern streetcars show that PERMANENT streetcar infrastrucutre significantly increases property values and desirability of businesses and new houses want to locate on permanent infrastrcuture not a bus line. Columbia Pike sucks. But I guess you all think its awesome and that there is a money tree growing somehwere to continue build subsidized housing etc...

that must be why streetcars are so popular these days and are everywhere......er....wait.

Yes! What we really need is a monorail! You know - like Detroit :-/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great news. Now they can spend that money on actual county priorities like expanding and updating schools. Hopefully once we get rid of Tejada and Hynes we can stop the $1 million bus stops and what not for good. Even more money for schools, affordable housing, etc without stealing resources from parks and community centers.

I personally can't wait to vote Fisette out, though. I'm sure his concession speech will include that his loss must be a "miscommunication" involving the ignorance of the Arlington electorate or something, though

This is so short sighted. Every single study of modern streetcars show that PERMANENT streetcar infrastrucutre significantly increases property values and desirability of businesses and new houses want to locate on permanent infrastrcuture not a bus line. Columbia Pike sucks. But I guess you all think its awesome and that there is a money tree growing somehwere to continue build subsidized housing etc...

Oh, hi, Jay!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:let's hope MD peope see the purple line the same way. a total waste of moeny

Absolutely. East-west transportation in Montgomery County right now is a breeze! No, wait...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great news. Now they can spend that money on actual county priorities like expanding and updating schools. Hopefully once we get rid of Tejada and Hynes we can stop the $1 million bus stops and what not for good. Even more money for schools, affordable housing, etc without stealing resources from parks and community centers.

I personally can't wait to vote Fisette out, though. I'm sure his concession speech will include that his loss must be a "miscommunication" involving the ignorance of the Arlington electorate or something, though

This is so short sighted. Every single study of modern streetcars show that PERMANENT streetcar infrastrucutre significantly increases property values and desirability of businesses and new houses want to locate on permanent infrastrcuture not a bus line. Columbia Pike sucks. But I guess you all think its awesome and that there is a money tree growing somehwere to continue build subsidized housing etc...

that must be why streetcars are so popular these days and are everywhere......er....wait.

They actually are everywhere -- well, everywhere except in the US. American exceptionalism, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rapid bus maybe?

+1

I think streetcars are great when they have dedicated space. As I understood the Columbia Pike street car, it would be sharing the road with cars. So, there wouldn't have been any savings in regard to traffic and at least buses can move around a blocked lane.

The Columbia Pike street car could not have a dedicated lane because the state of Virginia said that it couldn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great news. Now they can spend that money on actual county priorities like expanding and updating schools. Hopefully once we get rid of Tejada and Hynes we can stop the $1 million bus stops and what not for good. Even more money for schools, affordable housing, etc without stealing resources from parks and community centers.

I personally can't wait to vote Fisette out, though. I'm sure his concession speech will include that his loss must be a "miscommunication" involving the ignorance of the Arlington electorate or something, though

This is so short sighted. Every single study of modern streetcars show that PERMANENT streetcar infrastrucutre significantly increases property values and desirability of businesses and new houses want to locate on permanent infrastrcuture not a bus line. Columbia Pike sucks. But I guess you all think its awesome and that there is a money tree growing somehwere to continue build subsidized housing etc...

that must be why streetcars are so popular these days and are everywhere......er....wait.

They actually are everywhere -- well, everywhere except in the US. American exceptionalism, I guess.

well yes, they are all over Europe, and come with heavy government subsidies to offset operating costs...subsidies that governments can no longer afford across of much of Europe.

and glad you noted the exceptionalism of this great country

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great news. Now they can spend that money on actual county priorities like expanding and updating schools. Hopefully once we get rid of Tejada and Hynes we can stop the $1 million bus stops and what not for good. Even more money for schools, affordable housing, etc without stealing resources from parks and community centers.

I personally can't wait to vote Fisette out, though. I'm sure his concession speech will include that his loss must be a "miscommunication" involving the ignorance of the Arlington electorate or something, though

This is so short sighted. Every single study of modern streetcars show that PERMANENT streetcar infrastrucutre significantly increases property values and desirability of businesses and new houses want to locate on permanent infrastrcuture not a bus line. Columbia Pike sucks. But I guess you all think its awesome and that there is a money tree growing somehwere to continue build subsidized housing etc...

that must be why streetcars are so popular these days and are everywhere......er....wait.

They actually are everywhere -- well, everywhere except in the US. American exceptionalism, I guess.

You do not know much about population density, do you?

[Anonymous]

You could in theory take that money, build better bus shelters (maybe have them fit 15-20 people, be heated, etc.) and increase the 16 series bus service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rapid bus maybe?

+1

I think streetcars are great when they have dedicated space. As I understood the Columbia Pike street car, it would be sharing the road with cars. So, there wouldn't have been any savings in regard to traffic and at least buses can move around a blocked lane.

+100

Streetcars need their own lanes to perform well. I live in a city with streetcars and some of the lanes are shared. Turns into a real bear when the traffic gets snarled and/or there is an accident. If there is an accident involving the streetcar or involving vehicles that takes place on the tracks, everyone has to either get off the tram and find another way to get where they are going or just sit there and wait. My city also has subways and buses that run very frequently - think every 5-7 minutes during rush hour. If people knew another bus was coming down Columbia Pike in 5 minutes I think they would use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rapid bus maybe?

+1

I think streetcars are great when they have dedicated space. As I understood the Columbia Pike street car, it would be sharing the road with cars. So, there wouldn't have been any savings in regard to traffic and at least buses can move around a blocked lane.

The Columbia Pike street car could not have a dedicated lane because the state of Virginia said that it couldn't.

And that's why the streetcar will be useless.