Sustainability
Smart Growth America talks to Tommy Wells
For a series of videos with local officials, Smart Growth America spoke with Tommy Wells about what it takes to make great neighborhoods in DC.
From their writeup:
"Great neighborhoods are not necessarily what we thought they were," Wells says. "We used to think we divided ourselves in sections…you put schools over here, housing over here, stores over here. And what we found was that in order to get anywhere and to do anything, you had to get in your car…And the more that we lived in our cars and in this sort of a sectional, stove-piped community, the more we didn't see each other."Wells gave a name to the type of lifestyle for which he advocates: "Five-minute living." Being able to walk, bike or take public transit to one's destination as opposed to driving further away offers innumerable benefits to the community, Wells says. It makes for healthier lifestyles, keeps money in the local economy and supports the growth of strong traditional neighborhoods.
In Ward 6, Wells has spent much of his time emphasizing the need to break down barriers to change and to better connect sections of the city.
 | David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.   |
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May 12, 2012
Governor Martin O'Malley
110 State Circle
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Your Dreadful Bus Rapid Transit Decision
Your decision for BRT instead of LRT (Light Rail) for the Corridor Cities
Transitway (CCT) in Montgomery County is no doubt the worst transportation
decision you have made since taking office as Governor of Maryland.
When you first came into office one of the first decisions you made was to
continue construction of MD 200 highway despite many objections. That road
was built in record breaking time between 2007-2011 during our worst
recession cutting a wide swath of right of way through Montgomery County.
Other major roads were also built during that time.
It took you several years to make the wise decision for LRT for the Purple
Line. The decision was very slow in coming but you finally did the right
thing.
Meanwhile a modal decision for the CCT languished while you did nothing
about a timely decision. Although Montgomery County leadership and
citizens preferred LRT they became so disgusted with a non decision and
super delayed construction schedule, they eventually decided to go with the
state vaunted BRT for the CCT. Maybe politically a good strategy to get
Montgomery County to switch to BRT but a despicable course of action for
good transportation for the county and state.
Now you can blame the county for wanting BRT and in keeping with that
political decision you followed suit. Not your fault, not your strategy?
You think BRT will be useful 10, 25, 75 or 100 years from now? You should
know better. You made all the right comments about LRT for the Purple and
Red lines. But now, all of a sudden LRT is unaffordable and takes too long
to build for the CCT, especially in one of the most heavily traveled
corridors in the state.
Convince me that a wide super 8 lane divided highway can be built so
quickly while a simple 2 track LRT takes eons to plan and build.
Meanwhile, all over the US and world LRT is getting built, even in
Washington, D.C. It's LRT the public wants, not junk BRT.
Montgomery County is going nuts about BRT with its plans for a 160 mile BRT
network. They are thirsty for diesel bus exhaust everywhere. You want
Maryland to be transformational with energy use and clean environment -
Montgomery claims to be a green county. How do you propose to achieve that
with more and more buses polluting the environment?
You have little control over the price of noxious fuel. Not only do buses
consume tons of it but also the delivery trucks bringing it to the depots.
Buses require fuel on an endless basis no matter the efficiency - forever.
Buses have much less capacity than modern LRT that you boasted about for
the Purple Line. "This is not your grandfather's LRT" - remember? LRT
trains can be coupled together as needed and controlled with a single
operator. Each bus requires an operator and more buses needed to match the
capacity of LRT. That's greater bus frequency and fuel consumption
forever. Over the long run LRT is by far more efficient than any bus and
certainly more attractive to riders. LRT enhances the county, buses do
not. Montgomery County has too many buses now. Rail is what is needed -
not more buses.
If true BRT is built with separate lanes, etc. how is that so much cheaper
than LRT which can also be built in many places with only ballast, ties and
rail. You can't possibly justify the long construction schedule of LRT
while roads get priority and built quickly. Apparently, you want to send
more money abroad to buy foreign oil. The new patriotism? That money can
be used to construct clean, smart LRT.
BRT is a loss in every conceivable way. Buses will wear out in 10-15 years
and need replacing. LRT cars can last 50 years and more. BRT roadways
will need heavy repairs frequently due to heavy bus usage.
Your BRT decision for the CCT is totally unwarranted from a practical and
transportation need. Maybe a smart political decision but lousy from every
other perspective for the community.
You have now made me and many others feel ashamed of your considerable anti
rail decision when you could have made it years ago for LRT. Shame on you
for giving Montgomery County a worthless, needless and expensive
transit monster.
As with LRT, BRT could be all electric powered by clean renewables. Bet
nobody thought of that. Thanks to you we can all breathe more noxious
pollution from buses. Your legacy for generations to come. You will make
us green OK, But from breathing in more O'Malley bus pollution.
It's time to reverse course or you will be the next Titanic captain.
Moving ahead … in the wrong direction.
BRT = Build Rail Transit
George Barsky
by George Barsky on May 15, 2012 1:49 pm • link • report
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