Get On The Train

Governor Pawlenty will push for funds for the Northstar Commuter Rail line:

The rail line would extend 40 miles from Minneapolis past Anoka, Fridley and Elk River. To meet federal approval the project was cut in half. It was originally proposed to extend to the St. Cloud- Rice area.
Pawlenty said he would consider support for an extension sometime if the future if the cost and ridership made sense.
The immediate challenge is getting the bonding proposal approved by the Legislature which convenes next month."

In this post-Lewis, Soucheray-dominated market for conservative opinion, we have to make one thing perfectly clear: Commuter Rail is not light rail. It uses existing tracks - the same ones that freight trains run on. It uses common, wide-gauge rollling stock - it can even be purchased used (although I'm sure it won't be).

Above all - it can be self-supporting, and quickly.

This is potentially a good thing on several fronts: it outflanks the Democrats on sensible mass transit (the Northstar will actually move people from where they are to where they want to be, unlike the Ventura Trolley), it will probably be capable of supporting itself before too terribly long, and it makes what could be an important step in providing a free-market-compliant transit solution that could work.

Not for everyone, of course - but for enough people to take some of the pressure off the road system, and for a fraction of the cost of building enough roads to handle the traffic.

Who knows? You might even be able to get through the Fish Lake Interchange without packing a lunch one of these days...

Posted by Mitch at January 14, 2004 04:50 AM