The Failing Railbanks

At this point I think everyone understands the basics of the main mechanism underlying the current financial crisis: financial institutions lent money to people who really didn't have the ability to pay it back. The result was that when people tried to cash in on their investments with places like Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, there wasn't enough money. Result: collapse.

A similar crisis is brewing in the railbanking sector. As I've discussed previously, with the intense government investment in competing road infrastructure over the past fifty years, one rail line after another has failed. In 1983 Congress passed a law that allowed the rights-of-way to be used as trails, with the explicit aim of preserving them for future rail use.

Well, the future is now. Across the country, people are thinking about rail travel again, and establishing - or re-establishing - light rail and commuter rail lines. Some, like New Jersey Transit's River Line, reestablish passenger service on active freight lines. Others, like the southern end of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, run on tracks within an active rail right-of-way, next to freight lines. The vast majority of new light rail systems, like the central portion of the Hudson-Bergen line, have at least some new construction along city streets.

Many systems obtain rail lines from existing freight operators: New Jersey Transit took over a section of the former West Shore Line from Conrail for the northern section of the Hudson-Bergen line. Some purchase the line years before any attempt to reestablish passenger service: Dallas and Fort Worth purchased the former Rock Island line between the two cities in 1983 and continued to allow freight trains to use it, but didn't start the Trinity Railway Express service until 1996.

To this day, the only attempt I know of to withdraw any right-of-way from a railbank has been successful - somewhat: according to a report by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (PDF), the Heritage Rail-Trail County Park in south central Pennsylvania allowed a company to reconstruct a single rail line and run a dinner train three times a week. According to a trail review on the Conservancy's website, though, the dinner train hasn't run since 2001. Almost every other rail-with-trail in the Conservancy's report seems to have come about by adding a trail to the rail right-of-way.

Now there are some attempts to reactivate rail lines. The most famous is the Georgetown Branch in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, which was railbanked by Montgomery County in 1988 and developed into the Capital Crescent Trail. There are currently plans to use the right-of-way for the Purple Line, a planned circumferential light-rail line, converting it to a "trail with rail." Opponents of the light rail have argued that it would endanger trail users, cut down old trees and disrupt the trail experience, but since much of their funding comes from the adjacent Columbia Country Club, rail advocates have suggested that their true motives are to avoid the restoration of active rail service through their golf course. The project has taken some steps forward recently, but its success is not guaranteed.

In other places like Bellevue, Washington and Humboldt County, California, there are abandoned rail lines with active groups pushing to see passenger service restored. Meanwhile, there are trail advocates pushing for formal abandonment and railbanking for trail use. They have stated that they believe rail service will not happen for many years, or perhaps never, and that the corridor should be converted to a trail, with the possibility of restoring the railroad at a later date.

Some rail activists have said that they don't want to see the rail lines taken out because it would be politically difficult to remove a trail, or even to restore the rail line, converting the structure to a rail-with-trail. Certainly, the existence of the trail is being used to cause problems for the Purple Line. To the extent that this is true, these railbanks are failing. By law, they were set up to preserve the line for transit service, but they may have the effect of preventing transit service.

Why Sidewalk Parking is Bad

Judging by the number of cars parked on the sidewalk all over Queens, a lot of people just don't get why this is a bad thing to do. The new Streetsblog San Francisco has an excellent explanation. And it's not just bad for the disabled.

My head exploded

Jim Cameron of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council tells Newsday, "I don't know why we're talking about encouraging people to use mass transit when the DOT isn't doing anything to increase parking at the stations."

Who Will Save the Z?

Our friends at the Empire State Transportation Alliance have conducted another action protesting the planned MTA cuts: a mock funeral for the Z train. I think we can safely assume that similar actions are in store for the W, and probably for the truncated M and G lines and the bus lines that are also targeted.

I'm puzzled as to why the Alliance, Gene Russianoff in particular, agreed to share a lectern with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, who has publicly opposed the idea of tolling the East River bridges. Markowitz's suggested alternatives may have merit, but unless he can persuade someone to implement them, his opposition to bridge tolls is working against any solution to the budget cuts, and anything he says in support of the J train is just hot air.

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer hasn't opposed the toll proposal, and last year supported congestion pricing, but he's still shown a disappointing lack of leadership on this issue, preferring to criticize the MTA for where they chose to place the cuts instead of taking a strong stand in favor of bridge tolls and thereby heading off the need for any cuts.

No sign of Queens Borough President Helen Marshall at the event. She was quick to condemn the Ravitch Commission proposals. Maybe she doesn't care about Z train riders.

Tuesday we saw one of Assembly Speaker Silver's famous maddening moments: after stalling and ultimately killing congestion pricing last summer, he blithely told NY1's Bobby Cuza that the city could transfer the bridges to the MTA with "no legislation required." Well, why didn't he say that in July? Sadly, there are probably lots of people out there who would just assume that these are completely unrelated issues. In any case, this statement from Silver is a big deal (as noted by Second Avenue Sagas), and it seems to have been completely forgotten since then.

So if Silver is right and "the city" can just go ahead and sell or lease the bridges to the MTA, is this something the Mayor can do, or does the City Council have to act? It'd be nice if someone (like Cuza) had asked a lawyer about it. Whether or not it requires Council approval, certainly a little pressure from various city council members would help to push it along.

Getting back to the Z train, it's nice that the two borough presidents showed up, but it'd be nice if some of the city council members whose districts the line goes through were there too, and it'd be nicer if the ESTA were willing to put them on the line for this. As far as I can tell, none of them were at the event. Some have decried the MTA cuts in general and particular bus lines, but not so much the Z train. None of them have taken a public position on the Ravitch Commission recommendations. Here, for your reading pleasure, are the City Council members in order by number of Z train stops in or near their districts.

Councilmember	Stops	Notes
Gerson	6
Dilan	5
White	4	Who?
Reyna	3
Mealy	2
Crowley	2
Comrie	2
Addabbo	2	Addabbo is now in State Senate; seat vacant
Yassky	1
Vann	1
Gennaro	1	May be elected to State Senate
Barron	1	This firebrand has been conspicuously silent on the whole issue.

Finally, third track, anyone?

Six Things for Obama

Via the Sustainable Cities Blog, via Streetsblog.net, here's a list (PDF) of "51 specific recommendations for what the federal government could do to help New York City" from the Center for an Urban Future.

5. Dramatically increase the share of federal transportation spending
that goes to mass transit.
6. Reform Washington’s anti-urban funding formula for infrastructure
projects.
7. Fund Amtrak at a level that enables vast improvement to inter-city
rail service.
8. Accelerate plans to develop and implement a more advanced air
traffic control system that would reduce flight delays.
9. Include more ferry projects in future federal transportation infrastructure
packages.
10. Expand dredging of New York City’s waterways.

I'm honestly a little skeptical about some of these. I'm in contact with a bunch of transportation people - and admittedly, not so many marine transportation people - but I honestly don't hear anyone saying, "gee, if only our waterways were more dredged!" The air traffic control problems have already gone down with the economy, and they're going to go away pretty much for good when the price of jet fuel finally gets rationalized. And I've already made it clear what I think of ferry system investments. So there's three wasted.

So here's some things to replace those three.

First, fund the cross-harbor rail freight tunnel.

Second, (and this might fit under their #5 and #6, but why not make it explicit?) abandon the "cost effectiveness index" used by the Federal DOT to judge transit projects - or else apply it to road projects as well.

Third is a simple change that will hardly cost anything, but could make a huge difference: Reform the Federal Railroad Administration's regulations to allow European-style "light" diesel multiple unit trains to share tracks with freight trains. From what I've read, Colorado Railcar went under because it was run by greedy incompetents, but the reason no one's rushed to fill that void - and the reason it had no competition - is because the FRA regulations make it almost impossible to build a DMU cheaply enough to make a profit, despite a very high demand. It's also why the Acela and Talgo sorta-high-speed (sHSR) trains used in this country are so much more expensive than the high-speed trains used in Europe and Asia.

From everything I've heard, the European DMUs are just as safe as commuter trains. The only reason that these FRA regulations are still in effect is bureaucratic inertia. Getting them back in line with reasonable expectations would be change I could believe in.

Getting Something Together

In my last blog post, I reprinted a press release from the Empire State Transportation Alliance, one of the few groups holding actions directed at the State Legislature, but tweaked them a little for not having a website. Today I got a new press release about their action pointing me to a website, http://www.keepnewyorkmoving.org/, where you can fill out a postcard to Governor Paterson.

It seems a little odd to send a note to the Governor when he's pretty much on board. In his State of the State address he seemed pretty satisfied with the Ravitch commission's recommendations. I guess if you send it to him, he can then turn to the Legislature and say "I got this many petitions in favor of the Ravitch plan." Still, you might want to look up your State Senator and Assemblymember by zip code and let them know directly how you feel.

In any case, this web page was set up in December (if not earlier) by the Campaign for New York's Future. It's just a single page on their website, but hopefully it'll be enough. Here's the press release:

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release Contact:

Tuesday, January 13, 2009 Gene Russianoff, (917) 575-9434, grussian@nypirg.org ;

Neysa Pranger at (917) 532-0567, npranger@rpa.org ;

Bennett Kleinberg, (212) 576-2700, bkleinberg@goodmanmedia.com

Groups to Legislature: Rescue Transit System

Unless Albany Acts by March, Downstate Fares Will Soar, Service Will be Slashed, and Rebuilding Work Faces Grim Future

Coalition Urges Governor, Legislators to “Keep New York Moving”; Launches New Campaign to Benefit Commuters, New York City and State Economies

ALBANY – Two broad coalitions of civic, business, labor and environmental groups gathered here today to urge Governor Paterson and the state legislature to rescue the downstate transportation system or face a deeper and far more serious economic crisis.

The two coalitions -- led by the Empire State Transportation Alliance (ESTA) and the Campaign for New York’s Future -- launched the “Keep New York Moving” campaign and vowed a ‘full-court press’ until state legislature agrees to take action. Campaign partners will aggressively reach out to the public and elected officials through an on-the-ground and advertising effort. The groups already have set up a website, www.KeepNewYorkMoving.org, and they have distributed leaflets to transit riders urging they take action at the site. Thousands of people already have signed the online petition and postcards in support, which were on display during the news conference. Coalition partners also will hold community events, such as funerals for the “death of transit services,” and will visit Albany regularly.

“Riders are looking to Governor Paterson and the legislature to come to our rescue,” said Gene Russianoff, senior attorney for the Straphangers Campaign. “We urge them to agree on new revenue sources to make sure the costs and benefits of transit are shared fairly.”

The potential impact on riders on the pending MTA “doomsday” budget is staggering. Transit officials say they will vote by late March to raise the base subway and bus fare from $2.00 to $2.50; charge $103 for a 30-day MetroCard (up from the current $81); and make major service cuts, including eliminating two lines (W and Z), shortening three others (G, M and N) – increasing subway wait times and crowding – and eliminating or shortening dozens of bus routes.

Not only would commuters suffer, but the economies of both the city and state would be at serious risk. The current MTA 2005-2009 Capital Plan already has resulted in $29.2 billion dollars in statewide economic activity and sales in municipalities as far north as Plattsburg and west as Buffalo and Rochester. The effect on the downstate economy would also have wide ranging impacts for all New Yorkers. Every $1 billion in MTA capital spending generates 8,700 jobs, $454 million in total wages and $1.5 billion in economic activity in the NYC metropolitan region. Under the MTA “doomsday” budget, almost 30,000 construction jobs would be stripped from the city’s workforce by 2010, which would lower construction spending by 22 percent, putting industry employment at its lowest level in a decade and the effect on state revenues will be disastrous.

“We have a transit crisis on our hands with major service cuts, fare increases and no capital funding available. If not averted, it’s a crisis that will affect every community in the state,” said Kevin S. Corbett, co-chair of the Empire State Transportation Alliance. “The state is going to have to make tough choices for saving the transit system. It is in every New Yorker’s interest to keep transit, and revenues, flowing. We’re looking to Albany for the leadership New York State needs.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is projecting a $1.2 billion deficit in its $10 billion operating budget for 2009 and having no money available for its next $25 billion-plus five-year rebuilding program. The MTA has set a deadline of March 25 for the state legislature to act before the “doomsday” budget goes into effect.

“Even with the investments of the last several years, the transit system still is relying on portions of infrastructure that have been in place for eight decades. We need to ask where we would be today had previous generations of leaders not had the foresight to invest in the transit system, and we must recognize we are still are paying the price for those generations of leaders who did not maintain that investment,” said Denise Richardson, managing director of the General Contractor’s Association of New York. “We are faced with a clear choice: are we the leaders that will make the investment to maintain jobs and create a 21^st century transit system or are we the leaders that will skirt responsibility and put New York City’s future as an economic powerhouse at risk?”

“Adequate support for operating, maintaining, and expanding New York's transit system is essential for not only the New York City metropolitan region but also for the economic well being of New York State,” said Jim Melius, President of the New York State Laborers’. “We have procrastinated for too long. We need to provide a solid base of support for the MTA now and for the future.”

“In these tough economic times, fully funding and expanding transit is the key to keeping New York open for business,” said Mary Barber, campaign director for Living Cities at Environmental Defense Fund. “It’s not just essential for the economy; it’s also a green solution that improves the downstate quality of live and residents’ health. It is time to expand the transit lifeline to more people.”

“New York City’s transit system keeps virtually all New Yorkers moving since 94% of all commuting within the city use mass transit,” said xx, of the Transit Workers Union. “Transit workers know just how important the system is to the city and state, and we know that the way to keep that commitment is through improving and expanding service, not through cuts that cripple mobility and the economy.”

Recognizing the transit’s system critical role in the health of the downstate region’s economy, last June, Governor Paterson appointed former MTA chairman Richard Ravitch and a panel of experts to examine how the state could meet the MTA’s financial needs,. In December, the Commission released its plan, which recommended bridge tolls on the Harlem and East River bridges, a modest fare increase and a regional payroll tax.

Members of the Keep New York Moving campaign added that they believed that city and state leaders now had the chance to hammer some combination of the proposals into a stable funding program to keep commuter rails, buses and the subways running and growing to meet riders’ needs.

“We will need strong leadership to turn the ideas into reality,” said Kate Slevin, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a regional policy watchdog group. “There will be tough choices, but we must share the transit system’s cost. Everyone benefits from our robust public transportation network, so everyone – including businesses, riders, and drivers – should share the burden of paying for it.”

“Riders already bear an extremely high percentage of the cost of transit service and are now threatened with an even higher burden,” said William Henderson, Executive Director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. “It is time for our elected officials to back up their statements of support for transit with decisive action to ensure all who benefit from the MTA system will make an appropriate contribution to meeting its operating and capital needs.”

“Full, fair funding for a high-quality transit system is vital to keep New York moving toward a greener, healthier, more prosperous future, especially as we confront climate change, continued population growth and global economic turmoil,” said Michael O’Loughlin, director for the Campaign for New York’s Future. “The Commission’s recommendations should jumpstart action from our elected leaders on a plan that stems the draconian cuts certain in the next few months, while also making the long-term investments that are so essential to New York’s long-term environmental and economic sustainability.”

“With the MTA facing its worst crisis in a generation, business-as-usual will not cut it this time. Unless legislators act now, the riding public will face skyrocketing fares and crippling service cuts,” says Peter Goldwasser, General Counsel and Special Projects Director for Transportation Alternatives.

Those signing on to today’s call for action and joining the “Keep New York Moving” campaign include prominent members of the business, civic and labor community, including the Regional Plan Association, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, New York League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Defense Fund, General Contractor’s Association of New York, Campaign for New York’s Future, New York Building Congress, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, Long Island Contractor’s Association of New York State, Natural Resources Defense Council, Construction Industry Council, Associated General Contractors of NYS, Transportation Alternatives, Vision Long Island, American Council of Engineering Companies, New York Roadway Improvement Coalition, New York State Laborers’ Unions, Building Trades Employers’ Association, NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and Partnership for Sustainable Ports, Inc. (*list subject to revision)

Press Release: Empire State Transportation Alliance (ESTA) To Rally

The whole deal with the MTA budget cuts and the Ravitch plan is very simple: transit riders have to make the State Legislature fear their wrath as much as they fear the wrath of drivers faced with the prospect of paying for the bridges they use. So far, the riders and their advocates have been doing an absolutely shitty job of it, letting themselves be led around by the nose and distracted by every dog-and-pony show in town.

Second Avenue Sagas has a rundown of some campaigns to stop individual MTA service cuts. Sadly, the only ones who seem to be pointing the blame where it belongs - at the state legislature - are the MTA board and Lee Sander's fifteen-year-old daughter. The "Save the M8" coalition is not targeting Deborah Glick, the "Save Local Bus Service in Gerritsen Beach and Marine Park" petition does not address Alan Meisel, and Councilmember Gentile isn't inviting his constituents to complain to Alec Brook-Krasny.

The only non-MTA-related people who are doing something to target the Legislature are the Empire State Transportation Alliance. They just sent me a wonderful press release about a rally they're holding tomorrow, and I was going to post a link to it on their websites. Sadly, their PR folks at Goodman Media haven't set up a web site, and the first Google result for "Empire State Transportation Alliance" leads to a 404 page at the Regional Plan association. I don't know whether the ESTA didn't pay Goodman Media enough to put up a website or Goodman Media hasn't gotten around to it, but seriously, doesn't anyone have their shit together?

In any case, if you've got time tomorrow and actually want to accomplish something instead of whining to the MTA board who can't do squat to raise more money, I suggest you call one of these people and see if you can get on the bus to Albany tomorrow. Here is the press release.

* *Media Advisory for January 13, 2009* *

EMPIRE STATE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE (ESTA) TO RALLY AT NEW YORK STATE CAPITAL URGING LAWMAKERS TO FULLY FUND MASS TRANSPORTATION

News Conference And Advocacy Day With Legislators In Albany

WHO: Members of the Empire State Transportation Alliance (ESTA) along with a coalition of officials, union leaders and mass transit advocates including:

· Kevin Corbett, vice president, AECOM and co-chair, ESTA

· Gene Russianoff, senior attorney, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign

· Jim Melius, president, New York State Laborers’

· Denise Richardson, managing director, General Contractors Association of New York

· Vernon Thorpe, Transport Workers Union, Local 100

WHAT: ESTA will be hosting an Advocacy Day and News Conference urging additional funding for Metropolitan Transportation Authority and specific components of the Ravitch Commission plan

WHEN: Tuesday, January 13 at 11:30 am

WHERE: Legislative Correspondents Association (LCA), Press Room 130, to the right of large staircase in the lower level of the Legislative Office Building

WHY: The MTA’s proposed cuts threaten to propel the New York City region and New York State into an economic, social and environmental tailspin. The Ravitch Commission plan offers fundamentally more equitable transportation opportunities for all New Yorkers. Other attendees expected to attend the news conference include:

· Mary Barber, campaign director for Living Cities, Environmental Defense Fund

· Bill Henderson, Executive Director, Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA

· Neysa Pranger, public affairs director, Regional Plan Association

· Cate Contino, campaign coordinator, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign

· Jason Chin-Fatt, field organizer, NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign

· Peter Goldwasser, general counsel, Transportation Alternatives

· Wiley Norvell, communication director, Transportation Alternatives

· Lindsey Lusher Shute, director, environmental campaigns, Transportation Alternatives

· Felice Farber, external affairs director, General Contractors Association of New York

· Pat McCandless, research associate, Regional Plan Association

· Kate Slevin, executive director, Tri-State Transportation Campaign

· Marc Herbst, executive director, Long Island Contractors’ Association

· Salvatore Rinaldi, Jr., Deputy Executive Director of LICA.

CONTACT: John Bianchi, Goodman Media, (212) 576-2700 or (917) 693-4290

jbianchi@goodmanmedia.com

Bennett Kleinberg, Goodman Media, (212)576-2700 or (917) 416-4012

Bkleinberg@goodmanmedia.com

GOODMAN MEDIA: ON THE MOVE

(Please note our new address, effective Jan. 26, 2009)

Havelock Nelson

Senior Account Executive

Goodman Media International, Inc.

750 Seventh Avenue (between 49^th and 50^th)

28^th floor

New York, NY 10019-6829

212.576.2700

212.576.2701 FAX

www.goodmanmedia.com