#occupywallstreet is working, shaking loose #transit funds

FTA - Press Releases - U.S. Department of Transportation Signs $900 Million Funding Agreements Advancing Light Rail in Houston: "HOUSTON – U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today sealed two agreements providing $900 million in federal funds to extend Houston’s major light rail system by an additional 12 miles.

The two projects being funded, the North and Southeast lines, are already under construction, with over 400 workers on the job now and 1,800 additional jobs expected over the next two years."

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Durham-Orange #transit wins! Free-transit advocate Bell re-elected

Bill Bell - free-transit advocate

WRAL.com:

DURHAM, N.C. — Voters in two counties approved sales tax hikes to support transit and education initiatives, while incumbents and challengers battled for mayoral seats across the region Tuesday.
...Incumbent Bill Bell was elected to his sixth term, "
...Bell supported two referendums for local sales taxes on the ballot. A countywide measure for a half-cent sales tax increase to be used for transit needs, including commuter rail to Wake County and light rail to Orange County, passed by 60 percent with 98 percent of precincts reporting.

Regions with #transit will flourish economically

Spare change for change | The Chronicle: "over the long term, each $1 billion investment in public transportation added a whopping $3.5 billion to GDP. It’s time that we stop asking blanket questions like “Are taxes too high or too low?” and instead ask “Is this particular expenditure a good use of taxpayer money?” In the case of this public transportation tax, that question can be answered with a resounding yes! Durham’s system is already good, but because of network effects, the more that routes are connected and that service is expanded, the more the existing routes become used—the benefits keep compounding until you reach a point where people find it so convenient that they free themselves from their car entirely."

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Jacksonville #transit blog is back!

JACKSONVILLE TRANSIT: "we've been going in the wrong direction, with what amounts to a developer ponzi scheme. Eventually as development reaches further into the countryside the expenses become too much to bear and the whole economy collapses, note the current economic conditions. Red hot sprawling development outran our ability to sustain it and the key expense in new development is the automobile. If we learn to internalize our new developments and build on what is already in place we will be able to continuously improve our financial conditions. And to build internally, within the urbanized areas we are talking about mass transit."

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Cost of fatal car accidents averages $6 million, says AAA | Florence KY Personal Injury Attorneys Blog

Cost of fatal car accidents averages $6 million, says AAA | Florence KY Personal Injury Attorneys Blog: " AAA found that American society loses nearly $98 billion every year to traffic congestion. This is a huge loss, but it pales in comparison to the nearly $300 billion lost in medical bills, legal bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses associated with car accidents."

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The case for Durham-Orange #transit

It’s time to build world-class transit

Durham is at a historical crossroads. Our way of life, our prosperity, and that of our children is at stake. With our projected population boom, people and businesses will be plagued with long commutes, congestion and lack of transportation choices. Building more roads is not the answer. The regions that we are competing with for new industry and better jobs are already investing in transit. For Durham to compete, we need a transit system that will move people, goods and services quickly and dependably. 

As we sprawl, we are devouring farm land, forests and open space. We are polluting our air and water. We are harming our health and ruining what makes Durham a great place to live and raise a family. As we sprawl, infrastructure costs are draining our the financial resources for basic services, as well as for the arts and cultural amenities. We need a transit system which will encourage good land use.

Our family budgets are being squeezed by the costs of commuting. Many people cannot afford to commute by car. Many people cannot become productive members of our society because they lack basic transportation. We need a transit system that will move everyone efficiently and economically.

Our challenge is to build a transit system which makes us a world class place to live, work and raise a family. We cannot wait because it is only going to get worse and the costs will only go up. Transit — it works for all of us. 

http://www.durhamorangefriendsoftransit.org/ 
 Robert Bo Glenn

Durham

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Letters Sept 1