Eh... the busway. The corridor it runs along is one of the LEAST dense--i.e., has the fewest residents and least number of destinations--in the area!
Light rail running where people actually live, work, shop, and play would be a wiser choice. Like this:
http://www.peopleofgoodwill.com/transit/hart.html
The only changes I'd make is terminating the line in East Hartford center (the destinations further east wouldn't get enough riders to justify the cost) and extending the line from West Hartford Center down to Westfarms Mall (now that would be a LOT of riders.) Later, the line could be extended to CCSU and New Britain.
Point taken and noted, Martin. I will correct the post forthwith. (And before anyone goes and says that my typo is evidence of the glass house from which I cast stones at CRCOG, take note: Martin pointed out the error and I corrected it, CRCOG, in contrast, persists in keeping a misspelling in its name.)
Anon: Maybe you're right - I don't know 'cause I don't ever drive on I-84 west of Hartford, so I can't say whether it's congested. I have heard that it is, but everyone swears their commute is the worst (which is annoying, because mine actually is). Still, I don't think the busway is a bad thing. Surely it will reduce congestion and give more people more opportunities not to drive as much. Apparently, it's also a whole lot cheaper to make than a lightrail system (because, you know, we already have the buses).
January 25, 2009 at 9:04 AM
[Image] Above: The proposed Hard-Hittin' New Britain Busway.
Case in point, your Exexutive Executive* Director, Lyle "Fay" Wray, has a lovely op-ed piece in the Courant today about New Haven-Springfield commuter service and the (Hard Hittin') New Britain Busway. Wray points out that the existence of one big mass transit project doesn't mean others should wait in line, tacitly responding to recent comments by DOT Commissioner Joseph "Sault Sainte" Marie, who was cool to the BeatWater Commuterama train (Hartford to Waterbury) because the Springfield-New Haven line and the busway are in the pipe. Although he favors the busway over the BeatWater train, Wray rightly points out that all these projects serve different needs and will benefit the region in different ways (he enumerates these in the op-ed piece, but leaves out the fact that commuter rail service along the I-91 corridor could greatly reduce the incidence of agency commissioners picking up DUIs).
So good work, Sugar Wray. Now can we please talk about the Capitol/Capital distinction?
* Just as I was grousing about the misspelling in CRCOG's name, I included a misspelling (or, really, a typo - they are not the same thing) in referring to its chief. A commenter took me to task (gently) and I corrected it, but in the interest of transparency, I am making my earlier error manifest.
posted by El Presidente de China at 3:10 PM on Jan 24, 2009
"CRCOG, Grrrrr!"
3 Comments -
Eh... the busway. The corridor it runs along is one of the LEAST dense--i.e., has the fewest residents and least number of destinations--in the area!
Light rail running where people actually live, work, shop, and play would be a wiser choice. Like this:
http://www.peopleofgoodwill.com/transit/hart.html
The only changes I'd make is terminating the line in East Hartford center (the destinations further east wouldn't get enough riders to justify the cost) and extending the line from West Hartford Center down to Westfarms Mall (now that would be a LOT of riders.) Later, the line could be extended to CCSU and New Britain.
January 25, 2009 at 1:24 AM
I think you mean Executive Director, not *Exexutive* Director.
January 25, 2009 at 6:06 AM
Point taken and noted, Martin. I will correct the post forthwith. (And before anyone goes and says that my typo is evidence of the glass house from which I cast stones at CRCOG, take note: Martin pointed out the error and I corrected it, CRCOG, in contrast, persists in keeping a misspelling in its name.)
Anon: Maybe you're right - I don't know 'cause I don't ever drive on I-84 west of Hartford, so I can't say whether it's congested. I have heard that it is, but everyone swears their commute is the worst (which is annoying, because mine actually is). Still, I don't think the busway is a bad thing. Surely it will reduce congestion and give more people more opportunities not to drive as much. Apparently, it's also a whole lot cheaper to make than a lightrail system (because, you know, we already have the buses).
January 25, 2009 at 9:04 AM