Watch your checkbook Jacksonville

[Ocklawaha]

Here is an old story that I just stumbled across. Imagine paving Philips ever 15-20 years, CHA CHING!

December 22, 2006|Jean Guccione | Times Staff Writer

Barely a year after it opened, the Orange Line busway in the San Fernando Valley is crumbling and transit officials are locked in a battle with the contractor over who is at fault. Here's an excerpt:

The busway -- supposedly built to last 20 years -- began cracking even before the first bus rumbled down the Chandler Boulevard right-of-way in October 2005, according to a study released Thursday.

The problem has only worsened. And as transit officials explore the causes of the failed pavement, they also are reconsidering their own decision to use rubberized asphalt to reduce street noise in residential areas.

"Even though there is much more use along the Orange Line than we had expected, it shouldn't be falling apart," said Richard Katz, a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority board member.

SOURCE: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/dec/22/local/me-orangeline22

A quick review

Subways are prohibitively expensive as are elevated railways and monorails. Bus Rapid Transit on the other hand is more a smorgasbord of features with improved vehicles and stops, no more, no less. BRT is the subject of intense promotion by a massive highway and fuel industry. In fact several conservative think tanks have paid cheerleaders who appear anywhere with rail (it's a four letter word) is mentioned, holding rallies and press conferences. One favorite line is that light rail or streetcars are 19th century technology, maybe so, but the ancient Romans and Aztecs were building roads. Cleveland should be proud of the Health Line, it's been successful but it connects with rail at both ends and in the middle. Do you really believe the medical centers would not have expanded with the bus? Fact is, the LA Orange line was blocked from being light rail because BRT would NOT cause a building boom-it hasn't. Speed is another failure the Orange Line promised a forty-minute savings, which turned out to be 9-10 minutes. Both the Orange Line and the highly praised system in Bogota are experiencing bus bunching at stations. Costs? In average cost per mile for the Minimal installation projects studied, BRT does appear to have some advantages but then minimal BRT is really 'rapid transit?' Substantial BRT has proven to be as much as 5x more costly. Lower ridership and much higher costs over the life of a substantial BRT system should be grounds for a more critical look. BRT Lite, a minimal installation has an initial cost benefit, but don't sell it as 'Just like rail, only cheaper.' Please define the word 'cheap.'