Local: Candidates pander to train enthusiasts
Well, that’s ONE way to look at it. Today’s Word on the Street compares Aaron Schock and Colleen Callahan in regards to their position on bringing Amtrak service back to Peoria. Turns out both of them are in favor. Current 18th District Congressman Ray LaHood says it’s probably not going to happen because there’s no money.
My position? Feh.
It’s not that I’m opposed to rail. But I can think of better ways to spend scare transportation dollars: Expand bus service in Peoria. Honestly, what’s going to benefit the city more: An alternative way to get to Chicago, more buses and routes that reduce the amount of traffic on street, and letting people lower the cost of their daily commute.
There’s a demonstrated need. CityLink ridership is up. The only thing that kept me from using it to get and forth to work at my previous job is that I’d half to walk about too far to and from the bus stop out on Pioneer Parkway. Also, there’s that fear that I’d miss the bus and have to wait 30 minutes for the next one.
Here’s an idea that I’ve discussed before: Community circulators. We’ve got about 20 routes that are, for lack of a better term, linear. They are designed to get people from one end of the city to another. Circulators concentrate on moving people around one area. These routes would be, well, circular. From what I can see, circulators would benefit employers in the Pioneer Park area, as well as residents of the West Bluff.
Whether we’re talking about more routes or more buses on existing routes, I think Peoria would be better off if these theoretical transportation dollars would go to bus service to help Peoria in the Greater Peoria Mass Transit District commute to work every day, and not to giving people a new way to get to Chicago or St. Louis to attend an occasional business meeting or attend baseball games.
August 17th, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Not really sure who these two are pandering to with these types of statements. Could it be the question was posed and they just arbitrarily responded without a real inkling as to what they were agreeing with? I agree, money should be put into both the buses themselves and perhaps some sort of overhang shelters for riders. We see these shelters so much in larger towns across America. Don’t the riders of Peoria deserve a little protection from the cold and rain? Here in E.Peoria guys sit under trees in peoples yards because there is one small bench at the stand closest to me. In winter they huddle together to keep warm. These are workers at a company near the bus stand. You can tell this is their chief transportation to and from Peoria. It’s shameful that the bus company isn’t more concerned with the riders safety and the protection from the elements these shelters would add. It would be easy enough for them to obtain a survey of the most used stops and provide these shelters there. I’m certain the money it would take to redo a failing Amtrak system in which FEW Peorians utilize this form of transportation to Chicago, would definitely be better spent within the confines of the city of Peoria.
August 18th, 2008 at 12:05 am
They used to have real covered shelters. Not sure why they aren’t used anymore. Probably cost. Might also be because of vandalism.
And I have another beef: Because the bus routes are static and don’t change often, why not post a copy of the schedule at the bus stops.
And I admit my headline was a BIT sensational.
August 18th, 2008 at 8:17 am
I listened to a podcast the other day that argued that bus was a much better way to do mass tansit than rail, simply because bus routes can be altered and train tracks can’t be moved, and so the routes can be adjusted as community priorities change.
Good post, Billy. I’ve changed my mind on rail recently (though for long transportation I still think it’s a good option that should be better run for a profit, not like AmTrak)
August 18th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Why pit one against the other? Why not have better bus service AND better revive train service? You have to remember that train service is not simply about transportation, but also economic development. Trains don’t just take Peorians elsewhere; they bring people from other cities here — you know, tourism.
August 18th, 2008 at 9:31 am
CJ has it right. Rebuilding the rail infrastructure in this country would have massive benefits, especially if they include a supporting metropolitan rail system, then a local bus system that supports that.
By George, it would make our expensive automobiles obsolete!
August 18th, 2008 at 11:34 am
We have to get the old stereo type out of the mind that Amtrak to Chicago or St. Louis is just for occasional business or ball games. This could be the daily commute to work, school and many other places outside of Peoria. Also, the return is that many would come here to school and work from other places, thus spending their dollars here not just for tourism. As CJ said, economic development for our territory. This connects us to the rest of the state not just Chicago and connects them to us. And just for clarification Amtrak NEVER did run in Peoria. So having it “come back to Peoria” is incorrect. It ran into East Peoria, not Peoria. We need this element in our daily lives to help promote business here and make more money for our area.
August 18th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I moved to a city three hours from Chicago that is home to a major university. Just in the five months I’ve been here, Amtrak ridership is up 300%. You can’t get a train from here to Chicago on Friday or Saturday. With gas prices, the college kids are now all taking the train home for the weekend instead of driving.
I pretty much agree with Bill that transportation resources need to be spent on bus service. Amtrak would benefit Bradley students more than anyone. I happen to live now in a city that has been voted best public transportation in the country multiple times. A good bus service is more vital to a communities development than the prospect of going to a major city to drink for a couple hours.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I agree that bus service needs to be improved, but rail transportation also needs to be established. There’s no need to turn this into an either/or proposition as Billy and others have done. It’s a false dilemma. We can do both.
August 18th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
In a perfect world, there’s be so much wealth that we can afford everything that’s a good idea.
But in reality, when we are talking about public financing, it often is a competition between good ideas. I one thing gets funded, another thing does NOT.
When Congressmen and women sit down and discuss how to divide up all that tax money, they are very much aware of how much money goes to each district. And those decisions are made based on need, but who has the loudest voices and who has the most clout.
If we get money to re-establish Amtrak in Peoria it stands to reason there’s less money for expanding bus service. I contend Peorians will get more bang for the buck is they get more money for buses.
That doesn’t mean I’d object to Amtrak service in Peoria. Far from it. I’d applaud it. But I’d be ecstatic is bus services expand.
August 18th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
It stands to reason, huh? Does it stand to reason then, that any money we get for buses will mean less money to keep up the roads? Kind of a catch-22, don’t you think?