[sustran] Interesting Piece on LRT in US Context - a commentary

[ecoplan.adsl at wanadoo.fr]

-----Original Message-----  On Behalf Of P. Christopher Zegras
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2004 7:50 PM
Subject: Interesting Piece on LRT in US Context

 

>From the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis....
http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/re/2004/c/pdf/light_rail.pdf

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Friday, July 02, 2004, Paris, France, Europe

 

Thanks Chris for that good heads-up on the LRT piece.  A comment and
invitation for further discussions if I may, since I think this gives us
a policy platform which stretches well beyond the intention of the
authors (which was basically to be clever).  (This letter incidentally
is also being transmitted to the authors of the piece at the Fed in
Saint Louis for their comments in turn.)

 

Molly and Tom, economists let's note, have in their article trotted out
a tired old trick that has been around for a long time in the 'give the
poor a Beetle instead ' variant of transit bashing.  This is not only
one of the oldest games in town but also I am afraid rather
mean-spirited stuff, because it attacks LRT on the cheap, dragging it
out of its full and necessary longer term and structural context.  (Not
incidentally that I have LRT on my personal short list for immediate
action to move toward  more sustainable mobility system, but more on
that another day.)  

 

We have to look at and decide about LRT case by case and as part of a
larger package of policies, actions and services. And indeed perhaps its
major contribution in many places where they managed to get it right is
that it works to catalyze and justify a whole web of related
transportation improvements --  including for walkers, cyclists, and
users of other parts of the transit system - which otherwise just may
not have got done, or at least had to wait another and perhaps far
distant day.  Moreover, when wisely done as we have seen in many places,
let's cite Portland Oregon as one of many shining examples in the US, it
helps to cluster activities.

 

Pity that the authors stretched beyond their remit and competence to
provide such a poor assault, but it's not the first time this has
happened so no great damage is done.

 

But the Bible says that "out of the mouths of babes and sucklings may
come the greater truth", and if suckings also includes economists, well
then we have to listen.  

 

By this I mean that the major contribution of their piece lies
elsewhere, and specifically in the important section in which they
kindly explain to us what externalities are and then go on the make the
critical point in which I believe all (or at least most) of us are in
full agreement: and that is that drivers should pay their way (just like
airline passengers, eh?).

 

The trick of course is how to create a new culture -because that is
definitely what it will take - in which this is accepted.  Because once
it is, IT CHANGES EVERYTHING!

 

Hmm.  Let's think about that..

 

One small step might be for you to go to the New Mobility Agenda at
http://newmobility.org and cast your vote for Ken Livingstone and
Congestion Charging, warts and all. Or if not your vote, let us hear
your vigorous views as to why that may not be the best way to go. 

 

In closing, kind thanks to the Molly and Tom, together with an
invitation to tune in here if they wish to learn something about the
full context of the little sub-issue that they chose to take on without
apparently quite understanding the greater whole.  Welcome.
Sustainability and social justice is a big house.

 

Eric Britton

"Almost an economist"

1962-1966, Department of Economics, School of Graduate Faculties,
Columbia University

 

 

 

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