Last night at the taxpayer-funded Raleigh Convention Center, some taxpayer-funded consultants made a presentation to sell area residents on a taxpayer-funded transit scheme that includes wildly expensive light rail. From the N&O
About 600 people came to the Raleigh Convention Center Monday for the opening pitch for a hotly anticipated transit plan, billed as holding transformative power for the region.
Consultant Jarrett Walker, hired this year by the Wake County Board of Commissioners’ then-Republican majority, introduced himself with a broad argument for transit, then laid out choices ahead.
According to the Wake County website, local light rail would cost $1.1 billion to build and $14 million annually to operate. Funding in part would likely come from a 1/2 cent local sales tax hike, which is currently estimated to cost taxpayers $53 million per year. Of course, that means actual construction costs will likely be more than $2 billion because average cost overruns worldwide for light rail is 104 percent – and let’s not forget the Lynx south corridor line in Charlotte was originally estimated to cost $227 million and the final costs exceeded $520 million – good for nearly two and a half times initial estimates.
The snake oil salesman consultant then reportedly with a straight face told residents and elected officials that “transit brings a ‘triple bottom line’ – benefits for the economy, for disadvantaged people and for the environment.”
Wrong.
The triple bottom line of those benefitting from light rail transit is: crony developers, overpriced deceitful consultants and government bureaucrats. Meanwhile, the bottom line for taxpayers takes another big hit.
Hey, it’s the “snake oil salesman” here.
This piece is an entirely false description of what I said, what occurred at the meeting, and what the study is about. No decision has been made to include light rail in the new plan. I am neither an advocate nor an opponent of light rail. Nothing I said at that meeting had anything to do with light rail.
Not one person in Wake County has told me, in public or in private, that the plan must include light rail. Not one! Our job is to design a total transit network for the county, not to promote any transit technology. In fact, I have a long track record of criticizing technology-first thinking about transit.
While it is easy to slander strangers, you’re now attacking someone who has written a great deal about transit, including my book “Human Transit.” You can find its introduction by googling “human transit introduction.” Your readers might find it helpful to look at that, as it will help them understand the actual principles and ethics that guide my work and career.
Cheers, Jarrett Walker.
Mr. Walker,
Thanks for reading our blog and for your comment.
Perhaps this passage from the article mischaracterized your remarks at the meeting:
“Forgive me if I sound like an advocate for this little bit,” said Walker, who will work alongside the firm Kimley-Horn to gather residents’ opinions, review past work and draft possible general maps for buses and light rail.
To me that sounds like you described yourself as an “advocate” for drawing up a plan that includes “buses and light rail.”
Brian
Yes, this is why quotation marks matter. When reading an article, note carefully what’s in quotation marks and what isn’t.
The reporter’s sentence probably should have said “who will work … to draft possible general maps for transit, including various possible technologies.” But in any case, that’s the journalist’s words, not mine.
In any case, there’s now a video of my presentation, so you can listen for yourself. The link is on the “Meetings” page at WakeTransit dot com.
Look forward to getting started.
Thanks for clarifying.
I look forward to seeing a transit plan being developed free of light rail and tax increases.
I can’t wait until they put this light rail on the ballet. Citizens have made it clear in the commissioner elections that they are pro-education and pro-public transportation.
If you don’t like it, move to one of the many rural counties in North Carolina that commonly hold your extreme right views and share in the wealth of economic success your extreme brand of conservatism brings.
As usual, Civitas get it all wrong. The only “snake oil salesman” at work are those that write this nonsense.
“The triple bottom line of those benefitting from light rail transit is: crony developers, overpriced deceitful consultants and government bureaucrats. Meanwhile, the bottom line for taxpayers takes another big hit.” Based on what research exaclty? Clueless at best, deceitful at worst.
I think Bob nailed it, for the sort of NC and society you all want to see, move at let those who want to see NC flourish again take the lead. Organizations like this exist for one reason only, they have zero credibility in any academic sense, whose policies would be laughed out of any classroom.
Glad to see this organization is still hard at work censoring comments it doesn’t like.
YoYo,
What comment was “censored”?
Brian,
The comment was delayed in posting, I assume for moderatiopn purposes. It is now there.