More on the RTA and Commuter Rail

Some other observations from the RTA meeting the other night.

• It can't be said often enough that the current question is simply whether to take the next step forward to secure federal funding for commuter rail. Specifically, the issue is whether to apply for permission to do preliminary engineering from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under its New Starts program. The FTA needs to see that there is "adequate local support for the project" including a governing body and a financial plan to pay for the costs not covered by federal funding. The FTA does not need to know the details nor does approval of the body or financing have it be finalized at this stage. In sum, the fed just want to know if the a community is really serious about the project or not.
• Submitting the plan to the FTA in September will avoid long delays in federal review based on the wat the FTA workload flows.
• Saying 'no' at this stage will kill commuter rail in Dane County. If that is what you want to do, that's fine, but say so. It makes no sense to say that you favor commuter rail, but you don't want this plan to go forward - that's just so much political eyewash. (You can see the plan and alternatives at Transport 2020 .) Now, the FTA may come back and say, "are you nuts? we aren't helping pay for commuter rail", or require you to pursue a different alternative.
• We can say 'yes, go ahead to the next step and submit the information to the FTA' and still have many opportunities to say 'no' later.
• One of the Sun Prairie alders opposing the plan, Mike Bruhn, is an aide to Republican State Rep. Scott Gunderson. He appears to have an ideological agenda not related to the interests of Dane County or Sun Prairie. The guy lives in Sun Prairie and works in the Capitol and can't see the benefit of commuter rail running from Madison to Sun Prairie!
• The larger proposal, the RTA, will provide direct benefits to every community in Dane County. Moreover, a transportation system that helps keep Madison strong is good for the whole county. And how many of us work in Madison and live in another community?
• After watching Kathleen Falk calmly, patiently, and rationally answer questions at the DCCVA and Towns Association meeting, I am more comfortable than ever with her at the helm of county government. She exudes competence, intelligence and a willingness to listen.