[sustran] Negative thoughts on metro in general (and on from there)

[eric.britton at ecoplan.org]

Eric Bruun writes on this date: "It seems pretty paradoxical to me that as
the world supposedly gets wealthier,  and  cities get larger, that the
justification for Metros gets more difficult?  What would you suggest for
Athens if  the decision to invest was being made today if not a metro?  Eric
Bruun "

Excellent question. I have some slight advantage with this city choice
having lived and worked there on two occasions for several moths at each
time.  Thanks for asking, Eric. So here's what I'd do. Step by step:

1. Ask by way of reminder to have in front of us the best estimates of costs
of the metro project as planned, with of course additional estimates for
externalities, including the cost to commerce, traffic, etc., of the
disruptions created by and during the process of construction.

2. That will yield a number... whatever it is, along with, hopefully, a very
brief summary of who is going to pay for what and when.

3. I then will ask for a brief point to point resume (say on 1-3 pages) of
what are the exact targeted benefits, to whom, when, etc.

4. I then would put these numbers and short documents before this august
group for a first set of ideas, reactions, and comments
.
5. Then I will move to Athens.

6. In parallel I will start to work with the budget which I have requested
and been given - exactly 5% of the estimated total cost (incidentally less
than the annual interest otherwise paid on the total bill) - and will go to
work to achieve a substantial proportion of the objectives within the next
two years (so as to be in time for the Olympics with our new transportation
infrastructure), along with a whole bunch of objectives and programs of my
own.

7. One of my first steps will be to organize a REAL Car Free Day (not to be
confused with the laconic variants that one sees in some places.. see
http://www.ecoplan.org/carfreeday/ for more on that) - which will not only
give ma lot of my policy and investment targets, but which will also give me
the overwhelming political base I shall need in order to get done what we
need to do.

8. I'll put up traffic cams all over the place (say a couple of hundred)
linked to the Web.

9. All of this will be posted on the world's best bilingual Web site with
all details, proposals, progress, etc. available for public information,
discussion, and international expert comment and feedback.

10. We'd then also develop the world's best All-Mode Advanced Passenger
Information System (see our first rough attempt ins Bilbao on this at
http://www.transbilbao.net)

Two years later, you'd see world level results and probably 80% of the
Athenians would want me to run for mayor. Or maybe get the Elgin (or
Parthenon, to give them their rightful name) Marbles back.

Or should we just give the money to Bechtel and all go on vacation?

With all good wishes,

Eric Britton

ecopl at n ___  technology, economy, society  ___
Le Frene, 8/10 rue Joseph Bara, 75006 Paris, France
Eric.Britton at ecoplan.org     URL www.ecoplan.org
Voice/Videoconference +331.4441.6340 (1-4)
Voicemail/Fax hotline: Europe +331 5301 2896
Voicemail/Fax hotline: North America +1 888 522 6419 (toll free)