tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post3739392491103632252..comments2023-10-08T04:12:46.273-05:00Comments on The Political Environment: The Road To Sprawlville, Chapter XVII, "Gas Station Blues"James Rowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10203270946492159686noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-74053993174040593502008-06-26T19:57:00.000-05:002008-06-26T19:57:00.000-05:00Federal matching funds was a topic that came up in...Federal matching funds was a topic that came up in an interview with the president of the CTA on this evening's broadcast of Chicago Tonight. The state of Illinois didn't contribute so gets no matching funds.<BR/><BR/>Going back to the discussions about Janesville a couple weeks back, the president said that CTA's system is rather old. A recommended lifetime for a bus is 12 years; CTA has some 19 year old buses. Some of their rail cars are 40 years old. I always suspected that; the tracks and cars look the same as I remember from long ago, only more rusted and run down.<BR/><BR/>CTA budgeted 2008 at $2.60/gal for diesel so have come up short. Rather than raise fair, they are making administrative cuts.<BR/><BR/>There are jobs to be made here in both rail and buses, but it's not happening. In fact, going the other direction. Just doesn't make sense, policy-wise.<BR/><BR/>At least the CTA president was in Washington lobbying for money from the transportation bill.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6621691715090523319.post-85869420440439969282008-06-25T09:40:00.000-05:002008-06-25T09:40:00.000-05:00Aoparently, there is a June 30th deadline for appl...Aoparently, there is a June 30th deadline for applications -- for up to $30 million! -- to the Federal Railroad Administration's Intercity Rail Program. This new program provides 50/50 matching funds to the states -- on a first-come, first-serve basis -- for upgrades and improvements, etc., needed to provide new passenger rail. I wonder if our local politicians are on top of this? <BR/><BR/>I sure hope we are not missing yet another opportunity to fund local rail!<BR/><BR/>For more info, please see: http://www.progressive railroading.com/news/article.asp?id=16902 (as well as the FRA website).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com