Political Commentary: Heath Haussamen
Invest In Commuter Rail Only Where It Makes Sense
As north-central New Mexico has shown, commuter rail makes sense even in smaller urban areas in the West. But a proposal to connect two urban areas in New Mexico with a commuter rail that must travel through 162 desolate miles doesn't make any sense to me.By Heath Haussamen, 5-12-09
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I’m a big fan of programs that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and our impact on the environment. I’ve become more impressed with the Rail Runner Express—the commuter train that runs from Belen through Albuquerque to Santa Fe—over time as significant numbers of people have continued to ride and expressed satisfaction with the system.
And, because of that, I like the idea of another commuter train between El Paso and Las Cruces, connecting communities in this populated region like the Rail Runner has done in north-central New Mexico.
But, as an El Paso-Las Cruces train continues to be discussed, another idea keeps coming up that makes no sense to me.
First, it was state Rep. Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces, who, earlier this year, publicly floated the idea of funding a study on the possibility of extending the state’s commuter train from Belen to Las Cruces.
He introduced a memorial in this year’s legislative session calling for such a study, at a cost of about $100,000. Following some public criticism, he wisely changed courses and introduced a substitute calling instead for a study of the Las Cruces-El Paso idea.
“With 10,000 commuters currently traveling the (Las Cruces-El Paso) corridor daily, the Rail Runner would not only take considerable traffic off the highway, it would facilitate incredible economic development opportunities for our state and our university,” Steinborn said at the time. “With a combined population of over 2 million people, the El Paso region provides a compelling cost-benefit analysis to consider constructing a viable segment of the Rail Runner.”
Even in changing courses, Steinborn added that he eventually wanted to connect a future Las Cruces-El Paso commuter rail system to the Rail Runner up north.
Enter a spend, spend, spend administration
Then came an administration in Washington that wants to spend, spend, spend its way out of recession and into the 21st Century on energy, transportation, health care and other issues. Suddenly, anything is on the table. We can always borrow money from China to pay for it.
Enter Democratic U.S. Reps. Harry Teague of New Mexico and Silvestre Reyes of Texas, who have introduced legislation that would fund a feasibility study of extending the Rail Runner all the way from Belen to El Paso.
“Residents of Las Cruces and El Paso deserve a first-rate transit option like commuter rail. This study will determine whether or not that’s feasible,” Teague said in a news release. “With funding from the Recovery Act we are already adding more lanes to I-10 between Las Cruces and El Paso, which is great. But adding more lanes can’t always be the solution. We need public transportation to ease congestion and save energy.”
Agreed. The Las Cruces-El Paso area is a heavy populated region that would benefit from a commuter rail. In between the two cities are a number of impoverished communities whose residents would have new access to jobs in El Paso and Las Cruces if public transportation were available. If the Rail Runner makes sense in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area, it certainly makes sense in the metro area along the U.S.-Mexico border.
But Las Cruces to Belen? That’s a completely different story.
162 miles and a lot of dirt
I’ve been making that trip regularly for more than a decade for various reasons, and the best word I can think of to describe it is desolate. There are 162 miles between Las Cruces and Belen. Along that stretch of Interstate 25 are the towns of Truth or Consequences (population 7,000) and Socorro (population 9,000). There’s also a lot of dirt.
People aren’t going to commute between Las Cruces and Albuquerque for work like they do between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. It’s too long a trip to be practical for most.
And I just don’t see how T or C and Socorro are populated enough to justify spending what would likely be well over $1 billion to connect them via public transportation to far-off metropolitan areas. Belen is close to Albuquerque, so connecting it to that system makes sense, just like connecting communities such as Doña Ana makes sense in the case of a Las Cruces-El Paso train.
But if we’re going to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars to invest in rural, small towns, couldn’t it be better spent? Socorro has a college that could use some cash. The state is building Spaceport America near T or C. Both towns probably need upgrades to roads, schools, parks and other public infrastructure. The area is ideal for some sort of solar-power pilot program, if the federal government is looking to get into the business of pushing people to convert their homes and businesses.
If we’re going to spend money we don’t have, let’s at least spend it on things that will be useful.
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Comments
Few people understand the triggering economics for rail, light or heavy.
Darn few understand the conditions that need to be met for rail or other public transit to be used at all by anyone. Build it, and they might come, IF you have the kind of scheduling and price that makes the choice at least a "wash" if not "easy."
Nor do very many understand the "economics" of public commuter systems. Los Angeles' heavy rail system, like almost all, only rakes in about 18 percent of its costs at the farebox.
The justification is not whether it covers the costs any more. The question is whether the up front cost of more capacity in the alternatives (also subsidized "public goods") is higher or lower. Adding freeway lanes in LA was pretty much a nonstarter.
As for Railrunner, I don't think it was such a bright idea, as Fanta Se is not exactly a megalopolis and I sort of think that living in one while working in the other is sort of irresponsible anyway. It doesn't reach my "trigger point" -- but again, this is heavy federal subsidy, paid by everyone else, for a concentrated benefit.
I remember when Steamboat Springs, yep, THAT one, and Routt County paid a high five figures to have a consultant tell them what it would cost for "commuter rail" along the D and S L from Craig to Oak Creek. The driver was, our workforce was forced out of Steamboat by the yuppies, and the snow-day commutes were pretty much an epic disaster. Think bald-tired VW leading a hundred car line at 10 MPH through the canyons.
It would be cheaper to build third and passing lanes, much. So, after the consultant proved it, the numbskulls nonetheless recommended trying to score pork for it.
So keep that in mind if Belen to LC stays on the radar. Practicality has nothing to do with politics.
Any examination of the history of transportation in this country will demonstrate that our policies area result of profit for privilege...
The way light rail has worked in Oregon, it is so costly to have light rail the economies are made by cutting bus service. That makes links with light rail even more trying, and puts past bus riders in the car pool. But, when you Congressmen can get you billions in light rail subsidies, BILLIONS!! (earmark city, that Portland), and Democrats can excuse the largesse as being a pollution reducer, light rail shoved up your wahooo is what you get. It is a liberal chest puffer. That it is an amazing waste of precious money does not get recognition. Show before substance. The Potemkin Village transportation system. Looks good from here. I think about that song from my youth about the woman home from the ball, who takes off here wig, out her glass eye, off her peg leg, her teeth to the glass of water....on and on, and that is what you have left after subsidies. And, by the way, in the morning paper, the lone remaining ethanol from corn producer is close to banko, too, which will leave us with a mandate to have 10% ethanol in our gas, and nobody left instate producing it. Even with subsidies.
The Portland area inter-urban trolley system on freight lines could only find one manufacturer, a poorly managed money pit of an outfit in Denver, to build cars to run commuter trolleys on existing freight rails at peak hours. At the end of the contract, with bankruptcy looming, Portland's TriMet actually took over the management of the company, infused millions of dollars, and even hauled parts to Portland so as to be able to complete the cars. We don't have the manufacturing capability in the US to build a damned product we used to lead the world in producing. We can't get there from here. The very same movers and shakers who have the political reins can't figure out they have crippled this US ability to make stuff to the point we not only can't but don't!! When government workers were not union, and manufacturing workers were, this country made stuff, and economic headway. Now that ratio has changed, and unions run government and work for government, and serve food, wash dishes, and make beds, we don't have a manufacturing industry. Anyone see the thread there? Grow government, take more money from the economy to grow government even more, and we ended up with no manufacturing or jobs selling stuff made here. Toyota lost more money last quarter than GM. Today, GM stock is a dollar a share. Out of bankruptcy, when the stockholding public (you, me, pension funds) will get a stock trade out of bankruptcy: ten shares of today's GM stock for one share of the future GM stock, the unions will dance the victory dance. Banana Republic-Zimbabwe financial deal. Oh, and out of bankruptcy, if they make it, the non-government, non-union ownership of stock will amount to------trumpets, a drum roll-----1%. Yes, here in capitalist 'Merica, where what was good for General Bullmoose was good for 'Merica, the IRAs, the 101Ks, and those lucky enough to have a 301K, can invest in a share of GM. We all should own one share. If you buy one today, you can have a tenth of one in a few months. Blfffffff!!!! puke gag.
So run right out and rip us off for some more light rail our kids and grandkids can't afford. We need more union service jobs. The equipment will come from some other country to bolster our trade deficits. If it wasn't for red ink there wouldn't be any ink at al.....USA 2009...rah rah raw......
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mario
<a >real estate</a>