Finally! At least one editorial board sees the folly in the proposed rail system in the Triangle. The Garner-Clayton Record recently ran this editorial providing the facts not emotion on the “all cost, no benefit” rail system.
Speaking of federal dollars for mass transit, some states are starting to say “no thanks,” noting that rail projects invariably cost more than advertised, never generate the promised ridership and therefore become heavily subsidized operations that divert dollars from other needs. Those needs include buses, which cost less than rail and can reach more places.
While many taut Charlotte’s LYNX light rail system as a success, the facts paint a different picture. The JLF report “Public Transit in North Carolina” shows that the taxpayer subsidy paid for Charlotte’s rail system is nearly $3.50 per passenger mile and the subsidy per trip is $20.14. This is what Triangle taxpayers have to look forward to if the governmental, environmental and private sector contractor special interests get their way.
