Detroit‘s Brand New ’Train to Nowhere’
- Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:27pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Is a new light rail system really the best use of the city’s scarce resources these days? Not so much, according to Reason.tv:
In a town lacking essential services, what do local leaders and federal politicians have in mind for helping the city? What’s needed to hoist Detroit back to its 1950 heyday, when it was America’s fourth largest city, with more than double its current population?
Why, light rail, of course!
The Motor City is moving ahead with a plan to build a 9.3-mile light rail line that will run from downtown Detroit to the edge of the suburbs. It’ll cost an estimated $500 million. Three-quarters of the bill will be paid by federal taxpayers, with the rest picked up by a consortium of foundations and businesses.
If built, the project will end up on the Mackinac Center’s list of government-subsidized white elephants touted as “crucial to Detroit’s comeback,“ its ”rebirth,“ and pivotal to ”turning things around.” In reality, it’ll just be another train to nowhere, much like Detroit’s existing light rail line, the unfortunately named “People Mover,” which operates at 2.5% of capacity.
For more on Detroit’s light rail folly, check out Reason Foundation‘s Adrian Moore and Shikha Dalmia’s rebuttal to PBS’s recent documentary, “Beyond the Motor City,” which laid out the case that light rail can, yes, “revive” Detroit.
What do you think? Will a transportation system really “revive” the city?
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Comments (76)
Enuff Zenuff
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:20pmNo one living in the relatively safe suburbs will ride a light rail into an unsafe downtown. Instead, the criminals of the downtown will use it to gain easy access to victimize the suburbs. I speak from experience – This is exactly what happened when I lived in Miami before moving to Detroit.
Without integrity and security, no one wants to operate a business in Detroit, much less live there. While I feel sorry for those who are ‘stuck’ in Detroit, I believe they bring it on themselves by always electing Progressives as their representatives. Detroit has been given $Billions and $Billions in taxpayer and corporate aid but has only decay to show for it because Progressive Liberalism ignores both self-reliance (integrity) and property rights (security).
Detroit serves an important purpose as the poster child of Progressivism’s natural consequences. We need to show that poster more often until we learn to recognize Progressive’s tears as the poison they really are.
Report Post »Steverino
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:41pmWell put.
Report Post »starman70
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 3:37pmWell said! It’s happening to every American large city. Many other cities have yet to “Enjoy” the annual ritual on Halloween known as “Devil’s Nite” a traditional Detroit affair. Soon most any city ruled by progressives will meet the same fate.
Report Post »Steverino
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:19pmI grew up in Warren, MI. The southern border of the city is the infamous “8 Mile Rd.” I have watched Detroit gradually fall into a state of progressive – induced entitlement over the last 40 years. This project is a joke. There once was light rail in Detroit, right down the middle of Woodward Ave. ‘Course, they were called “streetcars” back in the day. Can you guess who made sure that was eliminated ? – The liberals in bed with the unions and the “Big 3”. The “People Mover” is yet another example of government failure. This is a classic case of closing the barn door after the horse has run away.
Report Post »The Democrats have ruled Detroit right into the hole it’s in now, and will continue to do so. They’ve been in power since 1962, and yet, the city keeps voting for them. The definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results. The parties are both a joke now, but that “D” next to the name on the ballot seems to be a major criteria here.
Detroit has got to be a close second to Chicago in terms of corruption – ever hear of Kwame Kilpatrick? Let’s pray that Dave Bing will do some housekeeping.
“This town needs an enema”. SERIOUSLY.
LadyIzShy
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:17pmok I hate to admit that I live in MI just north of this area. used to live in Royal Oak. this would be a HUGE HUGE waste of money for no reason what so ever. NOBODY will use this.. take that money and tear down ALL empty buildings and hey if there is anything left (which I doubt ) donate it to the city schools
Report Post »outwest
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:10pmLight rail is a trillion dollar bottom-less money pit from which the tax-payers will never escape.
Report Post »PA_BOB
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:05pmHuh… Sort of reminds me of a Simpsons episode….
“Monorail, monorail, monorail…”
Except that episode was actually funny–and didn’t cost me anything…
Report Post »sebastian1
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:05pmAt 2.5% capacity there must be more empty shell casings in the current train than people.
Report Post »DSTSS2010
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:03pmThis must be one of those “Shovel Ready” projects. Our tax dollars being buried in the pockets of a corrupt City Administration! $500,000,000.00 dollars will disappear!
Report Post »Susan Harkins
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:03pm“The Motor City is moving ahead with a plan to build a 9.3-mile light rail line that will run from downtown Detroit to the edge of the suburbs. It’ll cost an estimated $500 million.”
To say that 9.3 miles of rail will revitalize Detroit and its getto state, is akin to saying that, if 9.3 miles of traffic congestion was removed from the suberb residents, they would flock into the city in such numbers as to bring a boon to the Detroit Economy.
This type of thinking is child-like. The city officials need to go, before they further break the back of Detroit. They are obviously Democrats, and dellusional. Its that immature mindset of thinking that small changes bring big results. You want to turn around the Detroit Economy? Reduce taxes and city government, kill $500 million in city expenditures, starting with the current train that has 2.5% average occupancy! Why do Democrat Socialist loons always have it BACKWARD?!!!
Report Post »starman70
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:23pmDetroit is a shining example of a great American city destroyed by progressive democrat politicians, union greed, union retirement packages, crooked contracts, environmental over regulation and welfare programs which have taken away pride in neighborhood and the desire to work.
The other big urban areas of America better take notice – - – You’re next!
Report Post »KWH
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:02pmDetroit was killed by Environmentalists and should be an omen to the rest of us as to what is coming if we dont do something to curb the EPA and it’s subsidiaries. People movers are the next step in the Environmentalists scheme of events. They want us all to be prepared to give up our cars and take public transportation everywhere we want to go in the future when they tax and regulate fuels to the point that nobody but the extreme rich can purchase it. Oh yeah, they want to take all of the money from the extreme rich too, so I guess we will all end up as servants to their grand scheme…
Report Post »pajamash
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:58pmIf light rail is so great then why aren’t private investors clamouring to be the ones to build the lines?
Report Post »PA_BOB
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:07pmShe answered that question pretty well in the clip…. Private investors have limited amounts of money and actually expect results (like return on that investment)–but the government, on the other hand….
Report Post »starman70
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:57pmAt the rate the population is leaving that “Progressive” city, it would be far more productive to build it to Anywhere, USA.
Report Post »pajamash
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:54pmHey Ms. Donigan. If you are over the legal limit when you get on the train…does the train magically detoxify you? Wouldn’t you still be over the legal limit at the other end of the line? I don’t know many light rail lines where the ride is much more than 30 minutes tops. I think you would still be over the limit when you got into your car at the end of the light rail line. This sounds like a bad argument for building the system.
Report Post »firedragon
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:54pmI am beginning to think that our president is autistic. he is fascinated withe the spinning of gold, the dollar, & coins, of american people & the the tires of trains spinning up & down america. Why did hitler love trains so much? What was destination “A” & destination “B”. UMMMMMMM perhaps in the NWO there will be fema camps or gas chambers or big nuclear plants to discard of those homer simpsons. i don’t know just wandering. It seems as the elitis are becoming fascinated with things that go round & round like experimental illusions , circles, illusions ahhhhh etc. etc, frequency waves. Time for more current events & research. Of course, he just wants Chicago to become the elitis state b/c he is president. I’m sure his intentions are good since he is the president. They’re helping the people spend their money b/c they only know how to work for it not spend it. Ha! Ha! Ha! Think a little bit in a different way. Oh, & by the way if marijuana is legalized peoples minds will be a little clearer YEAH!
Report Post »BeckFan1964
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:54pmin a word… KICKBACKS.
Report Post »BernieKittyCat
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:50pmI live near Detroit. Just like the People Mover it will only be used by commuters twice a day, 5 days a week. Until the novelty wears off. There isn’t much reason to go into Detroit otherwise.
Report Post »KenInIL
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 2:24pmShe said the light rail isn’t to go to work, it’s to go to football and basketball games. Therefore the sports franchises ought to pay for it.
Report Post »BernieKittyCat
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 2:34pmI don’t have sound on my computer :(
Report Post »missmarie
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 4:49pmI was thinking the same thing – what happened to the people mover? Back in the day, I used to take it from Greektown to Joe for Red Wing games……o.k. way, way back in the day…..but we stopped when the gangs took over riding them.
SnapTie
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:49pmYou are never going to fix that city. It’s a carbon copy of a bombed out Beirut. Same as East St.Louis where the train runs you wouldn’t dare get off it and walk two blocks to the riverboat casino. Believe me they have signs in the station with armed guards telling you to wait for the casino shuttle.
Report Post »American Capitalist
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:49pmI hope they get their priorities straight. Maybe make it a more buisness friendly city, more family friendly city… THEN you will get growth. Then maybe, when all your PRIORITIES have been taken care of, then start a rail project. This is not a case of, “if you build it, they will come.”
Report Post »TEXAS
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:48pmDallas started the DART transit system and all it did was give the crooks a way to get to the better parts of town to commit there crimes.
CBMiller72
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 2:14pmYou forget, this will give the homless a dry place to sleep. How dare you forget the homless. Now all we need are beds in the train cars.
Report Post »bobmontgomery
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:45pmRepeal two thousand laws. Abolish two hundred federal agencies. Eliminate six cabinet-level departments. Discard 4,000 federal programs. Furlough 600 federal judges. Erect a sign in every precinct of every county in every state of the Union emblazoned with the text of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United STATES of America.
Report Post »Susan Harkins
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:13pmAnd just WHY are you trying to cloud the ‘issues’ w/ effective solutions?
;;;tongue-in-cheek;;;
Report Post »2
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:44pm“YOUR TAX” Dollars at work. FEDERAL MONEY comes from all of US!
Report Post »angrymob
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:17pmThis is what they are doing with our money!!!
No wonder the stimulus hasn’t worked. States, not the federal government know best how to spend this money…but we first have to deal with those pesky libs before anything of true value gets done.
Report Post »Prospero
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:41pmThe lady’s argument is a straw man. The problems with Detroit aren’t symptoms of lack of mass transportation. Thus, mass transportation will not solve the problems.
The problems with Detroit are liberal policies. The solution to Detroit is to expunge liberalism and liberal policies from all levels of government.
Report Post »Mike777
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:39pmUnfortunately I live in Lansing my family left Detroit in 1968. Its very sad what the progressives and the unions have done to this once great state. Hopefully with a new governor Rick Snyder things will get better but the libs have this state under there control.
Report Post »NoName22
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:36pmHere in Orlando, Disney offered to build a monorail/high speed train/people mover from Downtown to Disney. Disney offered to COVER ALL COSTS OF BUILDING IT. Yet the city council decided to vote against it, because they didn’t want to pay the upkeep.
I don’t understand. Follow that green paper trail.
Report Post »Prospero
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:35pmAny advocate of “light rail” demonstrates his compleat absorption by the Borgzilla of big government. “Light Rail” is to a big government stooge as “Hail Mary” is to a devout Catholic. A phrase with a holy, canonical meaning, based purely on faith.
“Light Rail” is the holy phrase, “Abortion” is the holy sacrament, of liberalism.
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:53pm““Abortion” is the holy sacrament, of liberalism” ? How can you make sweeping generalizations like that about ALL liberals – do you know all liberals – no, I didn’t think so, so how can you speak for ALL liberals?. Liberals are as diverse as ALL conservatives are and all Tea Party members are – sweeping generalization mis-characterize and muddle up any debate.
Report Post »http://wp.me/pYLB7-dX
kb1200cc
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 3:01pmListen to walkwithme LOL hes trying to tell you of the millions of pro life liberals out there! PAY ATTENTION! hes very smart……
Report Post »john seven eighteen
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:32pm“Three-quarters of the bill will be paid by federal taxpayers, ….” THAT’S WHY!
Report Post »NoName22
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 12:42pm3:30-3:53 is the Democratic mindset.
Report Post »angrymob
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:12pmDon’t forget the stimulus to nowhere.
Report Post »BBill
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:17pmyeah, The main diffference between democrat/socialist is that they want toy trains on the streets paid for by tax payors and republican/conseratives want their toy trains in their basement paid for by their own hard work.
Report Post »snowleopard3200
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 1:46pmHere in phoenix we also have a government sponsored light rail system that went over budget, caused more hassel than it is worth during construction, and is even running less than normal at this time due to lack of funds for the whole light rail-bus system in the city!
The only thing to me it did any good for is that in one part of the construction they uncovered a number of indian ruin sights – community garbage mounds – and some 30,000 artifacts were recovered for the archieologists.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm (mixed art)
Report Post »duncan
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 3:51pmI have lived here for 10 years and the corruption that is in this city is incredible. Not only incredible but the majority of the citizens don’t care. One half of the adult population is illiterate so I suspect the train signs will have to be pictographic. >>>> turn right.
Report Post »jds7171
Posted on October 14, 2010 at 8:49pmWhat will help detroit is to lower the murder rate. I read that detroit leads the murder rate then any country in the European union.
Report Post »bonestattoo
Posted on October 15, 2010 at 3:16amremember when the simpson’s built their monorail in springfield? and homer was in charge of it? it makes me wonder, is cass sunstien the conductor or baggage man.
at any rate, $500 million could be better spent to create or improve an existing business that would employ more people permanently rather than create 2 years of temporary work on the construction just to lay the builders or contractors back off upon completion.
my question is why wasn’t a dime of the stimulous money spent to promote growth in existing established businesses, why was it only spent on temporary jobs at a rate of about $1,000,000 per person hired. I bet the people that did get those temporary jobs didn’t get $1,000,000 for their couple of months worth of work.
Report Post »nc freedom
Posted on October 15, 2010 at 12:15pmAhhhh, that will revive Detriot…of couse I thought Government Motors (GM) would do that, or was it the UAW? Perhaps pictorials of the murder rate would help.
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