Another BFOC fan forwarded us the following excerpt from the June 12, 1988 Dallas Morning News Article titled “OPPOSITION IS SMALL BUT VOCAL” in regards to DART’s plan to develop Light Rail in Dallas:
“A commuter rail system won’t work in an auto-dominated region, would carry too few passengers to justify its cost and would actually create traffic congestion by crossing some city streets, they say.
Though they disagree over what alternatives to pursue in place of rail, opponents have advocated more highways, tollways, special bus and carpool lanes on freeways, special bus freeways and new parking regulations to encourage use of mass transit.
Sensible Metro Area Rapid Transit — SMART — is the largest group of opponents, with about 300 members. The group is chaired by Former Dallas County Judge Dave Fox and includes scores of business and civic leaders.
In the suburbs, only one group has announced it will oppose the DART measure — the Garland Chamber of Commerce. Chamber spokesman Bill McCoy said members are concerned that the system may cost too much and are frustrated that there is no definite date for rail service to become available in Garland. “
Many of the arguments against bike lane development are eerily similar (too car-centric, not enough density), and our position on promoting them are no different than DART’s in 1988…de-emphasize the automobile, and give people alternatives that will act as catalysts for livable communities. DART has now proven that if you build it, they will come. Ridership for the inaugural light rail line in 1996 was 18,000 riders per day. The following year, ridership jumped to 30,000.
This month’s the Atlantic lead article is titled “How the Crash Will Reshape America”. The writer Richard Florida notes the trends in urbanism taking place throughout the nation. He delves deeper into the subject stating that the density we see taking shape will only be hastened by the realities of our current economic environment. It’s a lengthy article, but well worth the read.
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff 
“A commuter rail system won’t work in an auto-dominated region, would carry too few passengers to justify its cost and would actually create traffic congestion by crossing some city streets, they say.”
All of which has been proven 100% correct. DART has, by their own admission, a 2% market share. Financially, they are one of the least efficient transit authorities in the world, with a 12-13% farebox recovery ratio of operating expenses (0% of capital expenditures). And after years of having to dodge their construction through my neighborhood (Deep Ellum), I ‘m now going to get to spend my time waiting at the rail crossings and the additional stop lights. Who else but DART is stupid enough to think that trading grade-separated intersections for traffic lights and weaving rail lines though roadways and across what was a highway will help with traffic?
First of all, please cite your numbers.
Secondly, if you’re going to use that logic, you have to remember, no transportation infrastructure pays for itself. Whether it be airport, train station, sidewalk, or…yes, road….ESPECIALLY road. From TXDOT itself:
“no road pays for itself in gas taxes and fees.
For example, in Houston, the 15 miles of SH 99 from I-10 to US 290 will cost $1 billion to build and maintain over its lifetime, while only generating $162 million in gas taxes.
That gives a tax gap ratio of .16, which means that the real gas tax rate people would need to pay on this segment of road to completely pay for it would be $2.22 per gallon.
This is just one example, but there is not one road in Texas that pays for itself based on the tax system of today. Some roads pay for about half their true cost, but most roads we have analyzed pay for considerably less.”
Read more here: http://www.cnu.org/node/2329
Other estimates state that for every mile you drive, we pay $0.70 over and above gas taxes to pay for that infrastructure.
Now, as we saw during the summer, when gas shot up to $4 a gallon, DART ridership increased substantially (http://www.dart.org/about/board/boardchairreport/DARTBoardChairReport24mar09.pdf). Do you think it’s going to stay $2 for more than a year? Can gas companies survive with barrels selling under $50?
Lastly, with the recentl Billions given to GM and Chrysler, looks like we’re paying more than you realize for the privilege of auto-centric decentralized transportation. Also, the reason private rail streetcars and train companies went under in the first place was due to having to compete with the highways that were being bought and paid for by Uncle Sam.
One other thing…please clarify “market share” in the statement:
“DART has, by their own admission, a 2% market share.”
This year they broke 70,000 riders per weekday for rail alone. Bus is double that number. If you’re stating that they’re only handling 2% of overall ridership in the city, that means there are over 3 million vehicles on the road. The city’s population is 1.6 Million. The metro area population (of which, not all are DART members, including the largest suburb Arlington), is 6 million. Subtract out those who are either too old or too young to drive, and your numbers still don’t add up.
I’m a big fan of the DART Light Rail; I ride it every week. For me, it makes Dallas a more tolerable place to live. Was it “worth the money”? Has it significantly contributed to a reduction in pollution and highway congestion? I don’t know.
FYI, here is another guy who still thinks DART Light Rail was a bad idea:
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/mar/13/effects-dart-light-rail-plano/?refscroll=1539