RTD finally deserves a compliment
by Jon Caldara As you may know, I have a hard time giving RTD a compliment. But they’ve earned one. My political career started when I was elected to the Regional Transportation District board in 1994, where I later became chairman. I was quick to realize that not only does RTD do little to increase […]
Why rapid-buses are preferable to rail transit
Transit agencies from Baltimore to San Diego and from Seattle to St. Petersburg are planning new light-rail lines. Yet light-rail is not only vastly more expensive than buses, it is slower, less comfortable, less convenient and has lower capacities than a well-designed rapid-bus system. Being expensive to build, light-rail can only reach parts of a […]
Diminishing returns: time to end public transit subsidies
Rail advocates often call me “anti-transit,” probably because it is easier to call people names than to answer rational arguments. I’ve always responded that I’m just against wasteful transit. But looking at the finances and ridership of transit systems around the country, it’s hard not to conclude that all government transit is wasteful transit.
Taking the Trolley, er, Light Rail
by Rob Natelson Commuting by car from my home in Lakewood to the Independence Institute usually takes an intense 18 minutes—25 minutes in heavy traffic. But today I decided to take “light rail.” I use the term “light rail” somewhat awkwardly. When I was growing up, I was taught to call it the “trolley,” and […]
The Breakdown of America
A nation’s health and prosperity depends on good institutions. These institutions are political and private. Good political institutions include balanced government with a significant amount of popular control, the rule of law, freedom from corruption, and respect for individual rights. Good private sector institutions include free and open markets and positive moral codes in religious […]
Denver Post: RTD riders demand return of west side express bus service
Some long-time Regional Transportation District customers are angry that their express bus service was dumped in favor of the newly opened W light rail line.
II in Denver Post: RTD FasTracks is still a boondoggle
The Denver Post has published an op-ed co-authored by Independent Institute Fellow Randal O’Toole & Brian T. Schwartz. It begins: With great fanfare, RTD opened its West Rail Line for business on Friday. This light-rail line was a boondoggle when it was first planned in 1997. Its even worse today. Read more: Has RTDs FasTracks been […]
Blight at the End of the Tunnel
As the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks program begins to materialize, RTD is colluding with several Denver-area urban renewal entities to redevelop areas around new and existing light rail stations. Taxpayers and property owners should beware.
I-70 Train Plan Will Lead to More Congestion
The Colorado Department of Transportation recently announced how it plans to try to fix the capacity and congestion problems in the Interstate 70 mountain corridor. The plan has two major problems. First, it’s going to take 20 years or more to implement, and second, it will do nothing meaningful to relieve the worst area of congestion from east of Idaho Springs to west of Georgetown.
Colorado Transit: A Costly Failure
Public transit is often portrayed as a low-cost, environmentally friendly alternative to auto driving. In fact, transit is much more costly than driving, and requires huge subsidies to attract riders. Moreover, transit systems in the vast majority of American cities use more energy and emit more greenhouse gases than the average car.
For every dollar collected in fares from transit riders, the average transit system in America requires more than $2 from taxpayers for operating subsidies plus more than $1 for capital improvements and maintenance. So it is not surprising that transit systems in Colorado require large subsidies. What may be surprising is that most are far less environmentally friendly than a typical sports utility vehicle.
