Here’s another reason to invest in rail transit along the I-5 corridor from Vancouver to Portland: the environment.
Of course it will cost billions, but we should begin the process with the money we have amassed in recent years. If we don’t, we’ll never be able to afford it. Ticket revenue would defray a portion of the cost, and productivity gains will help offset the cost.
If we add tolls along the corridor based on the amount of car traffic, the economics of a rail alternative would improve even more.
Comments
2 responses to “Build rail transit to help the environment”
Somehow, transit is always portrayed as a public subsidy and road projects are seen as a job creation engine. They both cost money, create jobs and are used to move people. I think transit projects costs should always be put to the public in the context of an alternative to putting new road lanes. Seen in that light, transit probably make sense in some cases but not in others.
Compared with the prospect of adding more road lanes, when would transit investment not make sense?