Saturday, October 25, 2003

Monorail News, 25 Oct 2003

Is monorail light years ahead of a light rail? (News 8 Austin) - Traffic creates major headaches for Central Texans on a daily basis. Leaders know a solution to the problem is crucial, but the question is, "Do we need more roads or some sort of passenger rail system for commuters?" Austin residents Michael DeBrino and Thomas Denney were so sick of traffic they created the Austin Monorail Project.

Light Rail News, 25 Oct 2003

Victory day for fans of light rail (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) - It's official. The deal is done. Construction on the 14-mile light rail line from Westlake Center to South 154th Street near Sea-Tac Airport starts in two weeks at the Metro Busway and South Royal Brougham Way.

Friday, October 24, 2003

Light Rail News, 24 Oct 2003

Light rail work within sight (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) - Construction on Seattle's long-sought light rail line likely will begin in a few weeks as the Sound Transit board moved quickly yesterday to deal with conditions laid down by an influential congressman for freeing up a critical $500 million federal grant agreement for the project.

Editorial: White House sides with light rail plan
(Seattle Post-Intelligencer) - Could it be that we're really going to build a transit system here? Credit the Bush administration for sticking with light rail, although the impetus may have come from the political wing of the White House.

Congressman OKs Sound Transit funds if Eastside tax dollars are not used (King County Journal, Washington State) - The proposed light-rail line serving the Seattle area chugged forward Wednesday as a key lawmaker withdrew his opposition. U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., gave conditional approval to an agreement authorizing $500 million in federal funding for the rail line. If approved, the deal will bar Eastside tax dollars from being spent on the project.

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Light Rail News, 22 Oct 2003

City leaders would like new downtown light rail line (KATU 2 Portland) - Portland city leaders want to expand light rail in downtown and they spent Tuesday night listening to what the public thinks about the plan. The idea is to have the MAX run along the bus mall on 5th and 6th Avenues, connecting Union Station and Portland State University.

In key week for light rail, a meeting at White House (The Seattle Times) - U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn, an Eastside Republican and longtime critic of Sound Transit, traveled to the White House yesterday to speak with President Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove. Dunn, R-Bellevue, brought along Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., an influential subcommittee chairman who is holding up a $500 million federal grant Sound Transit needs to begin construction of its light-rail system. Also attending the half-hour meeting was Rep. George Nethercutt, a Spokane Republican running for U.S. Senate. Sound Transit officials say the federal money is crucial to breaking ground on the Seattle-to-Tukwila route. Without it, they say, the project will die.

Tuesday, October 21, 2003

Light Rail News, 21 Oct 2003

Meetings to provide information on light-rail construction (Phoenix Business Journal) - Starting tonight, Valley Metro Rail is holding a series of forums to unveil its plan to assist businesses during construction of the light-rail route.

Memphis light rail route expected to be announced by next summer (WMC-TV5 Memphis) -
The final route of the planned $400 million light rail line from downtown to Memphis International Airport will be decided next summer, officials say.