We've been growing. Petition signatures are increasing, and due to our overflow meeting at Starbucks earlier this month, we've been able to get a larger space donated for use for our next meeting.
The Pioneer Valley Advocates for Commuter Rail will have a meeting in late April.
Please bring all completed petitions & updates.
DAY: Thursday
DATE: April 24
TIME: 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM.
PLACE: Lathrop House B&B
188 Sumner Avenue
Springfield, MA 01108
Park on Forest Park Ave. or Washington (adjacent streets). No parking on Sumner Ave.
www.SpringfieldRail.org
pvacr@yahoo.com
Questions? Call Becky at (413) 847 - 0166
Friday, April 11, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Updates
What a week! Some points of interest:
1. Pioneer Valley Advocates for Commuter Rail launched a new web page (http://www.springfieldrail.org/)
2. We had great media coverage (Reminder, WWLP, ABC40).
3. Membership from that web page has grown by 19 in the last week.
4. Our meeting at Starbucks on April 3 brought 20 people (not the ones included in the count above).
5. We're now up to 106 signers of the online petition.
6. We've been meeting with many local leaders, some of whom are 100% in support, and some of whom are more cautious about having their names associated with this new $152 economic development initiative.
7. At the caucuses this weekend, we collected 80+ signatures at one, and await figures from the other. Petitions have been distributed to members for collection.
8. the Green City forum went well: One of our members wrote "During the forum, Congressman Neal was asked a question about his support for commuter rail and he had a 5-minute or so discussion about how he supports rail transit and he would like to see a Worcester-Boston link. I went up to him afterward to ask him about NHHS and he said he supports it."
9. That same member had also attended the TIMBY forum, with this report:
"The bulk of the audience was Boston area folk, and most of the discussion centered around MBTA, MassHighway and MTA issues
- Representative Wagner & Congressman Olver were both in attendance.
- Mary MacInnes from the PVTA talked about the various transit projects in the region, including Union Station (and she alluded to US as being a destination for the NHHS line), the Holyoke & Westfield Intermodal stations. She spent the bulk of here time talking about those projects, but she did mention an early study on a Spfld-VT CT line, an EOT study on a Worcester-Spfld line CR and the NHHS line.
- Mike Rennicke from Pioneer Valley Railroad talked about how various states are investing in freight railroad infrastructure by setting up state "banks" and other methods, and he wants MA to help out with the short-haul freight railroad companies as a way of reducing congestion and fuel costs from highway truck traffic.
- Pretty much the issue that dominated discussion was the fact that the MBTA and MTA have huge debt which is eating up all the transportation money right now, and they might very well need a state bailout.
Most of the discussion centered around how infrastructure is crumbling since we don't have much money to fix it (things are better now that the Big Dig is done, but maintenance spending still has reached pre-Big Dig numbers). There was also discussion about debt restructuring (MassTrans), cost cutting and new revenue sources like per use pricing.
What I really took away from the TIMBY conference, with respect to NHHS, is that the biggest obstacle the NHHS faces in Massachusetts is that fact that the state has no money to spend on transporation because the MBTA and MTA are sucking it all up.
The case really needs to be made that the commuter rail will drive economic investment in an area that needs it.
10. We're considering an event for National Train Day. (next meeting tba)
1. Pioneer Valley Advocates for Commuter Rail launched a new web page (http://www.springfieldrail.org/)
2. We had great media coverage (Reminder, WWLP, ABC40).
3. Membership from that web page has grown by 19 in the last week.
4. Our meeting at Starbucks on April 3 brought 20 people (not the ones included in the count above).
5. We're now up to 106 signers of the online petition.
6. We've been meeting with many local leaders, some of whom are 100% in support, and some of whom are more cautious about having their names associated with this new $152 economic development initiative.
7. At the caucuses this weekend, we collected 80+ signatures at one, and await figures from the other. Petitions have been distributed to members for collection.
8. the Green City forum went well: One of our members wrote "During the forum, Congressman Neal was asked a question about his support for commuter rail and he had a 5-minute or so discussion about how he supports rail transit and he would like to see a Worcester-Boston link. I went up to him afterward to ask him about NHHS and he said he supports it."
9. That same member had also attended the TIMBY forum, with this report:
"The bulk of the audience was Boston area folk, and most of the discussion centered around MBTA, MassHighway and MTA issues
- Representative Wagner & Congressman Olver were both in attendance.
- Mary MacInnes from the PVTA talked about the various transit projects in the region, including Union Station (and she alluded to US as being a destination for the NHHS line), the Holyoke & Westfield Intermodal stations. She spent the bulk of here time talking about those projects, but she did mention an early study on a Spfld-VT CT line, an EOT study on a Worcester-Spfld line CR and the NHHS line.
- Mike Rennicke from Pioneer Valley Railroad talked about how various states are investing in freight railroad infrastructure by setting up state "banks" and other methods, and he wants MA to help out with the short-haul freight railroad companies as a way of reducing congestion and fuel costs from highway truck traffic.
- Pretty much the issue that dominated discussion was the fact that the MBTA and MTA have huge debt which is eating up all the transportation money right now, and they might very well need a state bailout.
Most of the discussion centered around how infrastructure is crumbling since we don't have much money to fix it (things are better now that the Big Dig is done, but maintenance spending still has reached pre-Big Dig numbers). There was also discussion about debt restructuring (MassTrans), cost cutting and new revenue sources like per use pricing.
What I really took away from the TIMBY conference, with respect to NHHS, is that the biggest obstacle the NHHS faces in Massachusetts is that fact that the state has no money to spend on transporation because the MBTA and MTA are sucking it all up.
The case really needs to be made that the commuter rail will drive economic investment in an area that needs it.
10. We're considering an event for National Train Day. (next meeting tba)
Monday, March 31, 2008
Approve this Bond Bill
The Republican has this story on the upcoming Bond Bill:
"A $2.9 billion, three-year, state transportation bond bill headed to the House floor for action this week is an urgently needed step to address the commonwealth's deteriorating roads and bridges, lawmakers and regional planners say."
This bill should be approved. But it doesn't have funding for the NHHS line in it, you may note....why do we still think it should be approved? Because we want to be sure the WMASS delegation is prepared to argue for the NHHS line. Right now, they are not--there are too many other pressing needs, for example:
"The bond is a microcosm of the funding needed to ensure safety of roads and bridges across the state, he said. Citing the work of the state Transportation Finance Commission, Brennan said the state will need to spend $15 billion to $19 billion over the next 20 years just to bring existing roads and bridges up to a state of good repair. "That's the situation, and the situation is gloomy," Brennan said."
Fix what needs fixing for safety's sake, and add the project to help the environment, stimulate the economy, and ease transportation problems in the subsequent bond bill. Plus, the state of Connecticut only just recently signed a contract with Wilbur Smith, the firm that will do the environmental assessment....in other words, there's still time left.
"A $2.9 billion, three-year, state transportation bond bill headed to the House floor for action this week is an urgently needed step to address the commonwealth's deteriorating roads and bridges, lawmakers and regional planners say."
This bill should be approved. But it doesn't have funding for the NHHS line in it, you may note....why do we still think it should be approved? Because we want to be sure the WMASS delegation is prepared to argue for the NHHS line. Right now, they are not--there are too many other pressing needs, for example:
"The bond is a microcosm of the funding needed to ensure safety of roads and bridges across the state, he said. Citing the work of the state Transportation Finance Commission, Brennan said the state will need to spend $15 billion to $19 billion over the next 20 years just to bring existing roads and bridges up to a state of good repair. "That's the situation, and the situation is gloomy," Brennan said."
Fix what needs fixing for safety's sake, and add the project to help the environment, stimulate the economy, and ease transportation problems in the subsequent bond bill. Plus, the state of Connecticut only just recently signed a contract with Wilbur Smith, the firm that will do the environmental assessment....in other words, there's still time left.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Falling Behind
In the Boston Globe today, New England received a wake-up call.
The new report,
Falling Behind
New England Must Act Now to Reduce
Global Warming Pollution
Suggests that NE must:
Build a more sustainable transportation system for the region that would reduce
emissions by:
o Investing in the region’s rail infrastructure and developing a long-term
rail plan.
o Improving transit in suburbs and smaller cities.
o Encouraging downtown redevelopment in a sustainable, pedestrian
friendly way.
o Supporting transit-oriented, compact residential and commercial
development.
o Reallocating the costs of driving, such as pay-as-you-drive insurance and
elimination of parking subsidies.
o Considering global warming pollution in transportation planning and
development projects.
hmm....perhaps our legislators might want to listen?
The new report,
Falling Behind
New England Must Act Now to Reduce
Global Warming Pollution
Suggests that NE must:
Build a more sustainable transportation system for the region that would reduce
emissions by:
o Investing in the region’s rail infrastructure and developing a long-term
rail plan.
o Improving transit in suburbs and smaller cities.
o Encouraging downtown redevelopment in a sustainable, pedestrian
friendly way.
o Supporting transit-oriented, compact residential and commercial
development.
o Reallocating the costs of driving, such as pay-as-you-drive insurance and
elimination of parking subsidies.
o Considering global warming pollution in transportation planning and
development projects.
hmm....perhaps our legislators might want to listen?
Monday, March 24, 2008
Fuel Cell Locomotives
CT Rep. David McCluskey from New Haven (and Assistant Majority Whip) has an innovative idea regarding the NHHS line: fuel cell technology. in his blog, he writes (emphasis mine):
"The state wants to expand its commuter rail service. Ideally, we should have one seat rides that do not have the long delays caused by switching from diesel to electric service. Unfortunately, the Danbury, Waterbury & the New Haven to Springfield branch lines are not electrified like the main coastal one from the New York state line to the Rhode Island state line. The cost of doing so would be high and would take a long time. However, if we use fuel cell locomotives on the branch lines, including the Springfield to New Haven one, we do not have to electrify the line OR change locomotives to get to New York City."
How would it work? "Fuel cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently, without pollution. Unlike power sources that use fossil fuels, the by-products from an operating fuel cell are heat and water."
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Status report on NHHS in MA
Status report:
The Governor filed the transportation bond bill late (supposed to be in June-July). Half of it is money the state is fronting so that the Federal government will reimburse us from federal transportation revenue. It's a traditional style $4 billion transportation bond bill pending for this fiscal year (which is half over), now before the Senate. It contains a dollar amount for the Fitchburg expansion--a worthy project.
There is no money for the NHHS line in this bond bill. While not great, this is OK, since CT has not been as fast as expected in getting a contract for Wilbur-Smith. They have that contract now. The environmental assessment and design study (involving public participation processes) will take 18 months to 2 years.
CT-MA Conversations about NHHS are ongoing (Sec. Cohen spoke about it as a key project at Bradley Conference, high-ranking CONN DOT official speaks about it there too). Oh, and there’s that $40 million federal money for the Springfield Union Station intermodal transportation facility. HDR is working on the design.
The Governor filed the transportation bond bill late (supposed to be in June-July). Half of it is money the state is fronting so that the Federal government will reimburse us from federal transportation revenue. It's a traditional style $4 billion transportation bond bill pending for this fiscal year (which is half over), now before the Senate. It contains a dollar amount for the Fitchburg expansion--a worthy project.
There is no money for the NHHS line in this bond bill. While not great, this is OK, since CT has not been as fast as expected in getting a contract for Wilbur-Smith. They have that contract now. The environmental assessment and design study (involving public participation processes) will take 18 months to 2 years.
CT-MA Conversations about NHHS are ongoing (Sec. Cohen spoke about it as a key project at Bradley Conference, high-ranking CONN DOT official speaks about it there too). Oh, and there’s that $40 million federal money for the Springfield Union Station intermodal transportation facility. HDR is working on the design.
Next meeting 4/3
The Pioneer Valley Advocates for Commuter Rail will meet at 7:30pm on Thursday April 3 at the Starbucks on Columbus Ave. in Springfield.
Interested residents of the Pioneer Valley can learn how they can participate in promoting the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail line.
The PVACR is advocating that the next version of the Transportation Bond Bill include a line for $30 million to cover the cost of the line. According to a conservative estimate from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, this public investment would stimulate an additional $152 million in new economic activity for the Greater Springfield region. Other examples of similar projects, like the ‘Downeaster” line from Maine to Boston, have demonstrated successful intermodal cooperation.
Those interested in the meeting may feel free to contact the PVACR at pvacr@yahoo.com.
Interested residents of the Pioneer Valley can learn how they can participate in promoting the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Commuter Rail line.
The PVACR is advocating that the next version of the Transportation Bond Bill include a line for $30 million to cover the cost of the line. According to a conservative estimate from the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, this public investment would stimulate an additional $152 million in new economic activity for the Greater Springfield region. Other examples of similar projects, like the ‘Downeaster” line from Maine to Boston, have demonstrated successful intermodal cooperation.
Those interested in the meeting may feel free to contact the PVACR at pvacr@yahoo.com.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Join the network: Meeting March 13
The next meeting of the Pioneer Valley Advocates for Commuter Rail will be on March 13, at 7:30pm, at 688 Bliss Road, Longmeadow, MA. For more details, email us at pvacr@yahoo.com.
In the process of letting others know about this meeting, we came across another petition. Ours is here and another one is here. Yet a third is here. That third petition is sponsored by the Massachusetts Commuter Rail Initiative, a fellow organization started from Greenfield. It's clear that in the age of rising pump prices, we cannot afford to stall plans for improved rail any further. We need to act now, and when more of the public speaks up for what we want, things will change.
Who knows? Perhaps one of the following potential new state legislators might speak up for the region???
In the process of letting others know about this meeting, we came across another petition. Ours is here and another one is here. Yet a third is here. That third petition is sponsored by the Massachusetts Commuter Rail Initiative, a fellow organization started from Greenfield. It's clear that in the age of rising pump prices, we cannot afford to stall plans for improved rail any further. We need to act now, and when more of the public speaks up for what we want, things will change.
Who knows? Perhaps one of the following potential new state legislators might speak up for the region???
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Businesses coming...
There are two interesting stories in the news: Liberty Mutual and Socaplast USA.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—Liberty Mutual Group announced plans Thursday to hire up to 300 people for a new Springfield office, the second business to announce expansion plans in the city in as many days.........
SPRINGFIELD - Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and economic development officials yesterday praised plans by a Belgian company to open a recycling facility in Indian Orchard, investing $3.4 million and creating about 15 full-time jobs.
Socaplast USA, expects to begin operations in May, in a warehouse at the Solutia Inc. business park at 730 Worcester St., set to become its United States headquarters. Raf van der Perre, chief executive officer of Socaplast Belgium, was among officials participating in yesterday's announcement at City Hall. ......
It seems they'd benefit from having reliable transportation infrastucture so that employees could get to and from work in a fast, reliable way.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—Liberty Mutual Group announced plans Thursday to hire up to 300 people for a new Springfield office, the second business to announce expansion plans in the city in as many days.........
SPRINGFIELD - Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and economic development officials yesterday praised plans by a Belgian company to open a recycling facility in Indian Orchard, investing $3.4 million and creating about 15 full-time jobs.
Socaplast USA, expects to begin operations in May, in a warehouse at the Solutia Inc. business park at 730 Worcester St., set to become its United States headquarters. Raf van der Perre, chief executive officer of Socaplast Belgium, was among officials participating in yesterday's announcement at City Hall. ......
It seems they'd benefit from having reliable transportation infrastucture so that employees could get to and from work in a fast, reliable way.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
so far
What a busy time!
* PVACR members handed leaflets to about 150 commuters in Enfield this morning.
* We've had good conversations with companies around the region
* We've had good discussions with local muncipal and state leaders
And all have been positive.
-------
It's also good to see towns planning :
Wallingford to start commuter line plannning committeeMeriden Record-Journal - Meriden,CT,USAWALLINGFORD - The Town Council will create a committee that will consider how the town could begin planning for the upcoming commuter rail line. ...
* PVACR members handed leaflets to about 150 commuters in Enfield this morning.
* We've had good conversations with companies around the region
* We've had good discussions with local muncipal and state leaders
And all have been positive.
-------
It's also good to see towns planning :
Wallingford to start commuter line plannning committeeMeriden Record-Journal - Meriden,CT,USAWALLINGFORD - The Town Council will create a committee that will consider how the town could begin planning for the upcoming commuter rail line. ...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Environmental Study is Underway!
Connecticut is making progress.
The DOT noted, (last updated in 2005):
The DOT noted, (last updated in 2005):
The Connecticut Department of Transportation has hired Wilbur Smith Associates to perform a feasibility study for the implementation of commuter rail service between New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts. The corridor was identified as a key component in meeting the goals of improving and sustaining the regional economic viability and improving regional livability in the Capitol Region Council of Government’s (CRCOG) Regional Transit Strategy (RTS). This was further recognized by the Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board as an important first step in implementing a statewide strategic plan and has allocated funding to undertake the implementation study. In addition to serving commuters traveling between the towns and cities along the corridor, the service could provide a connection to Bradley International Airport, multiple links to Amtrak Intercity service and a direct link to the existing Metro North and Shore Line East Commuter Rail in New Haven.
I've received word that Wilbur Smith Associates has just signed a contract with ConnDOT and are underway with the Environmental Assessment for the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail project. There will be extensive public involvement....Stand ready to support this project!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Meridan wants it
The Meriden Record-Journal wrote an update about the NHHS line, available through this link.
To ride from Meriden to Hartford would cost about $4, based on the 2005 study and adjusted for inflation. On Amtrak, that ride costs $6 or $8, depending on the time of day.A monthly pass from Wallingford to New Haven costs $90 on Amtrak, but would be about $65 on the commuter rail.Riders would also likely be able to buy combined passes with Metro-North, something that provides additional savings for Shoreline East travelers."
"[Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce president and a member of the state's Transportation Strategy Board Sean Moore] says commuter rail is coming; the question is simply ho
w soon.
The legislature has approved the estimated $300 million it will take t
o get the trains up and running, and Rell, who supports the idea, will decide when to bond it. [Stephen] Delpapa, [supervising transportation planner at the DOT] said [CT Governor Jodi] Rell [photo left] has mentioned ways to speed up the process, such as phasing in the construction and starting service before the three new stations are built."
About 40 people commute daily via the two buses that travel weekday mornings and afternoons, said Joseph Zajac, administrator of Meriden's Transit District. That's down from 60-70 people on three buses during the middle 1990s.The service costs $100 per month, $44 less than Amtrak, but slightly more than is estimated for the rail line.Zajac thinks there will still be a market for the bus, given that most rail commuters would either have to walk to work or take another bus from Hartford's station.
He supports the commuter railroad though, and the transportation hub, which could bring interstate bus service back to Meriden for the first time since early 2006.
Corporations and the federal government also support mass transit through pre-tax payroll deductions for commuting expenses, subsidies and other incentives. With parking at a premium in urban cores, companies such as Aetna offer monthly payments to employees who don't drive to work.
Aetna employees receive $50 per month if they don't park on Aetna's Hartford campus, where spots range from $25 to $125 per month.
(Aetna Home office photo right)
The company will move 3,600 employees from Middletown to Hartford by 2010, including Stephen T. Zerio, a former Meriden City Councilor who works at the insurance giant. Zerio said he would definitely examine the train as an option to get to Hartford. "It's got to have a lot of flexibility," he said. "I think of rail lines like Metro-North. You know that if you miss a train, there'll be another one half an hour later. Right now if you miss the bus or train, you're out of luck."
Zerio, who chaired the council's Economic Development, Housing and Zoning Committee, also likes the service's potential in Meriden."More rail creates more foot traffic," he said. "I could stop past a luncheonette on my way to work, or pick up some fresh bread on the way home. There would be more opportunities for places in Meriden to open up during rush hour traffic morning and night.
"Then there's the savings on gas." Partridge, of Wallingford, said rising gas prices and parking fees at her employer, the Yale Medical Group in New Haven, prompted her to start taking the train in late 2006. Now she's comfortable with her commute, which takes about the same amount of time as when she drove. A shuttle bus takes her to work and back from New Haven's Union Station.
(Union Station photo, right, from Bridge & Tunnel Club --more photos at site...and also here ).
"It works out for me," Partridge said, although there have been some delays on evening trains coming home. Amtrak said its New Haven to Springfield service was 75 percent on-time last year. For Metro-North, it was 97.7 percent. Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole said track improvements are underway, which would increase on-time performance.
Mass transit users often gain other benefits, such as a less stressful commute. On a train, there's time to work, relax or socialize, as Partridge, Brainard and Sobral typically do."The truth is, (employees) will arrive significantly more prepared to work, as opposed to arriving completely stressed out having fought traffic the entire time," Moore said. "I hear that on a regular basis."
[...]
To ride from Meriden to Hartford would cost about $4, based on the 2005 study and adjusted for inflation. On Amtrak, that ride costs $6 or $8, depending on the time of day.A monthly pass from Wallingford to New Haven costs $90 on Amtrak, but would be about $65 on the commuter rail.Riders would also likely be able to buy combined passes with Metro-North, something that provides additional savings for Shoreline East travelers."
"[Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce president and a member of the state's Transportation Strategy Board Sean Moore] says commuter rail is coming; the question is simply ho
w soon.The legislature has approved the estimated $300 million it will take t
o get the trains up and running, and Rell, who supports the idea, will decide when to bond it. [Stephen] Delpapa, [supervising transportation planner at the DOT] said [CT Governor Jodi] Rell [photo left] has mentioned ways to speed up the process, such as phasing in the construction and starting service before the three new stations are built."About 40 people commute daily via the two buses that travel weekday mornings and afternoons, said Joseph Zajac, administrator of Meriden's Transit District. That's down from 60-70 people on three buses during the middle 1990s.The service costs $100 per month, $44 less than Amtrak, but slightly more than is estimated for the rail line.Zajac thinks there will still be a market for the bus, given that most rail commuters would either have to walk to work or take another bus from Hartford's station.
He supports the commuter railroad though, and the transportation hub, which could bring interstate bus service back to Meriden for the first time since early 2006.
Corporations and the federal government also support mass transit through pre-tax payroll deductions for commuting expenses, subsidies and other incentives. With parking at a premium in urban cores, companies such as Aetna offer monthly payments to employees who don't drive to work.
Aetna employees receive $50 per month if they don't park on Aetna's Hartford campus, where spots range from $25 to $125 per month.
(Aetna Home office photo right)
The company will move 3,600 employees from Middletown to Hartford by 2010, including Stephen T. Zerio, a former Meriden City Councilor who works at the insurance giant. Zerio said he would definitely examine the train as an option to get to Hartford. "It's got to have a lot of flexibility," he said. "I think of rail lines like Metro-North. You know that if you miss a train, there'll be another one half an hour later. Right now if you miss the bus or train, you're out of luck."
Zerio, who chaired the council's Economic Development, Housing and Zoning Committee, also likes the service's potential in Meriden."More rail creates more foot traffic," he said. "I could stop past a luncheonette on my way to work, or pick up some fresh bread on the way home. There would be more opportunities for places in Meriden to open up during rush hour traffic morning and night.
"Then there's the savings on gas." Partridge, of Wallingford, said rising gas prices and parking fees at her employer, the Yale Medical Group in New Haven, prompted her to start taking the train in late 2006. Now she's comfortable with her commute, which takes about the same amount of time as when she drove. A shuttle bus takes her to work and back from New Haven's Union Station.(Union Station photo, right, from Bridge & Tunnel Club --more photos at site...and also here ).
"It works out for me," Partridge said, although there have been some delays on evening trains coming home. Amtrak said its New Haven to Springfield service was 75 percent on-time last year. For Metro-North, it was 97.7 percent. Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole said track improvements are underway, which would increase on-time performance.
Mass transit users often gain other benefits, such as a less stressful commute. On a train, there's time to work, relax or socialize, as Partridge, Brainard and Sobral typically do."The truth is, (employees) will arrive significantly more prepared to work, as opposed to arriving completely stressed out having fought traffic the entire time," Moore said. "I hear that on a regular basis."
[...]
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Perez supports Commuter Rail (and reminders of philosophy and Cianci)
Kudos to Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez for advocating for commuter rail
He writes that "a regional transportation system is an investment in our economy as well as our ecology. It will build on the various modes of transportation that already exist and connect them, with the goal being that they run more effectively and efficiently and serve more people. It will create jobs and make it easier to get to existing jobs."
Mayors sometimes be leaders of their own cities, but some can actually lead a region. The importance of mayors (and SelectBoards) across CT and Massachusetts working for a common regional purpose is more critical now than ever before. Transportation is communication: we link
Witness this scene from RI:
In the late 1800s, the powerful railroads filled in the remnants of the Great Salt Cove. Further development covered over large swaths of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket rivers, which flowed into the Providence River to the Bay.
Early in the 1990s, some of [then Mayor Vincent "Buddy"] Cianci’s staffers gave him an old black-and-white photograph of downtown Providence, bisected by unsightly railroad tracks and freight yards, with the inscription: “Prov – B.C. – Before Cianci.”
By then, the rail yards were gone, replaced by the glittering Waterplace Park and the resurrected rivers, which had been uncovered and moved during the 1980s in an ambitious, $40-million project financed primarily by the federal government.
In 1974, when Cianci first ran for mayor against Joseph Doorley, he championed a plan by a Rhode Island School of Design professor to move the railroad tracks and uncover the river. But there was no money, and Cianci, faced with other challenges, never pursued it after he was elected.
Four years later, when the Federal Railroad Administration planned a major upgrade of rail service between Boston and Washington, the then-director of the Providence Foundation, Ron Marsella, suggested that the federal money be used to move the tracks instead of simply fixing them.
The idea caught on with then-U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, a railroad buff, who proved key in winning approval. Cianci and his political rival, Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy, both jumped on board and lobbied in Washington, even as they were preparing to run against one another for governor in 1980 — issuing dueling press releases about who deserved credit.
Moving the tracks opened up downtown land for redevelopment, including the site of the Providence Place mall.
The Capital Center Commission, a quasi-public agency whose members were appointed by the governor, the mayor and the nonprofit Providence Foundation, was created in 1980 to shepherd the development.
The project was moving forward in 1983 when the new director of the Providence Foundation, Kenneth Orenstein, saw the plans and panicked — Capital Center engineers had proposed paving over the rest of the Providence River for a new road. Orenstein turned to architect Bill Warner, who was studying potential waterfront uses, and Warner sketched out a plan to uncover the river and move the confluence of the three rivers 100 yards east, to its current location near the Citizens Bank building. "
(for a more theoretical turn, see here (from Mattelart): "Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), a railway engineer turned philosopher, took the idea of communication as an organic system even further. His 'social physiology' - which existed in outline form in 1852, seven years before the publication of Darwin's major work, The Origin of Species, and was explicitly formulated starting in 1870--carried to an extreme the hypothesis of continuity between the biological and the social order. The physiological division of labour and the progress of the organism went together. From the homogeneous to the heterogeneous, from the simple to the complex, from concentration to differentiation, industrial society is the embodiment of 'organic society': an increasingly coherent, integrated society-as-organism in which functions are increasingly well defined and parts increasingly interdependent In this systematic whole, communication is a basic component of organic systems of distribution and regulation. Like the vascular system, the former ,(made up of roads, canals and railways) ensures the distribution of nutritive substance."
He writes that "a regional transportation system is an investment in our economy as well as our ecology. It will build on the various modes of transportation that already exist and connect them, with the goal being that they run more effectively and efficiently and serve more people. It will create jobs and make it easier to get to existing jobs."
Mayors sometimes be leaders of their own cities, but some can actually lead a region. The importance of mayors (and SelectBoards) across CT and Massachusetts working for a common regional purpose is more critical now than ever before. Transportation is communication: we link
Witness this scene from RI:
In the late 1800s, the powerful railroads filled in the remnants of the Great Salt Cove. Further development covered over large swaths of the Moshassuck and Woonasquatucket rivers, which flowed into the Providence River to the Bay.
Early in the 1990s, some of [then Mayor Vincent "Buddy"] Cianci’s staffers gave him an old black-and-white photograph of downtown Providence, bisected by unsightly railroad tracks and freight yards, with the inscription: “Prov – B.C. – Before Cianci.”
By then, the rail yards were gone, replaced by the glittering Waterplace Park and the resurrected rivers, which had been uncovered and moved during the 1980s in an ambitious, $40-million project financed primarily by the federal government.
In 1974, when Cianci first ran for mayor against Joseph Doorley, he championed a plan by a Rhode Island School of Design professor to move the railroad tracks and uncover the river. But there was no money, and Cianci, faced with other challenges, never pursued it after he was elected.
Four years later, when the Federal Railroad Administration planned a major upgrade of rail service between Boston and Washington, the then-director of the Providence Foundation, Ron Marsella, suggested that the federal money be used to move the tracks instead of simply fixing them.
The idea caught on with then-U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, a railroad buff, who proved key in winning approval. Cianci and his political rival, Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy, both jumped on board and lobbied in Washington, even as they were preparing to run against one another for governor in 1980 — issuing dueling press releases about who deserved credit.
Moving the tracks opened up downtown land for redevelopment, including the site of the Providence Place mall.
The Capital Center Commission, a quasi-public agency whose members were appointed by the governor, the mayor and the nonprofit Providence Foundation, was created in 1980 to shepherd the development.
The project was moving forward in 1983 when the new director of the Providence Foundation, Kenneth Orenstein, saw the plans and panicked — Capital Center engineers had proposed paving over the rest of the Providence River for a new road. Orenstein turned to architect Bill Warner, who was studying potential waterfront uses, and Warner sketched out a plan to uncover the river and move the confluence of the three rivers 100 yards east, to its current location near the Citizens Bank building. "
(for a more theoretical turn, see here (from Mattelart): "Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), a railway engineer turned philosopher, took the idea of communication as an organic system even further. His 'social physiology' - which existed in outline form in 1852, seven years before the publication of Darwin's major work, The Origin of Species, and was explicitly formulated starting in 1870--carried to an extreme the hypothesis of continuity between the biological and the social order. The physiological division of labour and the progress of the organism went together. From the homogeneous to the heterogeneous, from the simple to the complex, from concentration to differentiation, industrial society is the embodiment of 'organic society': an increasingly coherent, integrated society-as-organism in which functions are increasingly well defined and parts increasingly interdependent In this systematic whole, communication is a basic component of organic systems of distribution and regulation. Like the vascular system, the former ,(made up of roads, canals and railways) ensures the distribution of nutritive substance."
Friday, January 11, 2008
What Rail Means for Local Businesses
Rail means more than just $152 million new economic activity to our region. That's terrific, but general. How might we see some of that growth? 
Erica Walch, the owner of Speak Easy Accent Modification (a downtown business), observed: "I currently commute to Boston twice per week to work with clients. If we had a commuter rail to Boston, I would definitely ride it. If we had commuter rail to Southern CT, I would explore working with clients in that area, as they would be easier to reach (whet
her I went to them or they to me). I would also use both of these services to commute to Boston and the NYC area for recreational outings. I drive to NYC/Brooklyn about twice a year, and would probably go more often if I didn't have to drive."
She could grow her business into Southern Connecticut and stay in her home base of Springfield. That helps Erica, Springfield, the Pioneer Valley, and Massachusetts. Local businesses benefit from commuter rail.
Erica Walch, the owner of Speak Easy Accent Modification (a downtown business), observed: "I currently commute to Boston twice per week to work with clients. If we had a commuter rail to Boston, I would definitely ride it. If we had commuter rail to Southern CT, I would explore working with clients in that area, as they would be easier to reach (whether I went to them or they to me). I would also use both of these services to commute to Boston and the NYC area for recreational outings. I drive to NYC/Brooklyn about twice a year, and would probably go more often if I didn't have to drive."She could grow her business into Southern Connecticut and stay in her home base of Springfield. That helps Erica, Springfield, the Pioneer Valley, and Massachusetts. Local businesses benefit from commuter rail.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
WNEC Communication Conference
I went to the WNEC Communication Conference today and spoke with the following people:
Domenic Sarno, Mayor of Springfield;
Brian M. Connors, Deputy Director of Economic Development for Springfield
Barb Campanella, Vice President of Marketing and External Affairs, WNEC;
Tony Cignoli, President, A. Cignoli Company
Dianne Fuller Doherty, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, UMass
Nick Fyntrilakis, of MassMutual;
Dave Madsen, Anchor, ABC40;
Mike Dobbs, Managing Editor, Reminder Publications;
Jaclyn Stevenson, Senior Writer, BusinessWest;
Tom Vannah, Editor, Valley Advocate;
Ed Kubosiak, Editor, Masslive.com;
Natalia Munoz, President, La Prensa;
Janine Fondon, Editor & CEO, Unity First;
Pari Hoxha, Publisher, Predvestnik;
Hopefully we will have meetings or stories with these people. I received very positive feedback.
If you would ride the line: Please send me a 2-3 sentence quotation with your name and city/town that the PVACR can use in communicating with the media.
Domenic Sarno, Mayor of Springfield;
Brian M. Connors, Deputy Director of Economic Development for Springfield
Barb Campanella, Vice President of Marketing and External Affairs, WNEC;
Tony Cignoli, President, A. Cignoli Company
Dianne Fuller Doherty, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, UMass
Nick Fyntrilakis, of MassMutual;
Dave Madsen, Anchor, ABC40;
Mike Dobbs, Managing Editor, Reminder Publications;
Jaclyn Stevenson, Senior Writer, BusinessWest;
Tom Vannah, Editor, Valley Advocate;
Ed Kubosiak, Editor, Masslive.com;
Natalia Munoz, President, La Prensa;
Janine Fondon, Editor & CEO, Unity First;
Pari Hoxha, Publisher, Predvestnik;
Hopefully we will have meetings or stories with these people. I received very positive feedback.
If you would ride the line: Please send me a 2-3 sentence quotation with your name and city/town that the PVACR can use in communicating with the media.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Wagner
Rep. Wagner showed some vision for the Pioneer Valley region recently, when he me with a couple of members of the PVACR.
The story was picked up on Urban Compass .
Watch for a meeting announcement from PVACR soon.
The story was picked up on Urban Compass .
Watch for a meeting announcement from PVACR soon.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Discussing the Rappaport article
UrbanCompass.net has had terrific coverage of all things Springfield. Of note to Commuter Rail advocates, however, is the discussion on the recent Globe article (see below).
http://urbancompass.net/?p=843
* and a note about the "500 million" figure, that it would "cost over $500,000 per person to add 800 new commuters to the proposed service over a 14 year period." This figure is devised by including CT's contribution (dividing ridership by the total cost of project). It is inaccurate to indicate that MA will pay this amount.
****MA will only contribute 30 million for the construction, and about 2mil for annual operating.****
And even CT's total project cost (about 270m) includes a 40% contingency built in. They have to spend more on stations and infrastructure than MA does.
CT is going ahead with the NHHS line. If, due to Massachusetts' apathy, Enfield is the end of the line, Springfield will lose.
http://urbancompass.net/?p=843
* and a note about the "500 million" figure, that it would "cost over $500,000 per person to add 800 new commuters to the proposed service over a 14 year period." This figure is devised by including CT's contribution (dividing ridership by the total cost of project). It is inaccurate to indicate that MA will pay this amount.
****MA will only contribute 30 million for the construction, and about 2mil for annual operating.****
And even CT's total project cost (about 270m) includes a 40% contingency built in. They have to spend more on stations and infrastructure than MA does.
CT is going ahead with the NHHS line. If, due to Massachusetts' apathy, Enfield is the end of the line, Springfield will lose.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Suburb of NewYorSton*
How do the builders of a better Springfield get around? Do they continue to pollute the region?
Fortunately it won’t cost the Commonwealth of Massachusetts “hundreds of millions of dollars” to connect Springfield to the State of Connecticut’s a commuter rail system to alleviate the congestion along I-91, thus lessening the pollution that creates the an area with some of the worst air quality in the nation. It only would cost $30 million. Far cheaper than other rail options on the table in our Commonwealth. Perhaps the Rappaport Institute for Greater BOSTON does not include enough focus on Western concerns.
Professor Glaeser’s map of possibilities is limited. “Human capital” needs transportation too. Looking only at Springfield, and failing to connect the dots prevents him from seeing the real opportunities rail presents. If we see the connections Springfield makes to Hartford, and connect it to New Haven, we then see the rail line that connects New York to Boston. Keeping us disconnected to New York and Boston will NOT make entrepreneurs want to move here. Allowing those innovators to have a fast, reliable and easy connection to their former networks WILL make them want to move here, as the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council has found in its network studies.
Rail is one part of economic development and environmental responsibility. Society is far too complex for us to pretend there is only one solution to problems.
Professor Glaeser’s map of possibilities is limited. “Human capital” needs transportation too. Looking only at Springfield, and failing to connect the dots prevents him from seeing the real opportunities rail presents. If we see the connections Springfield makes to Hartford, and connect it to New Haven, we then see the rail line that connects New York to Boston. Keeping us disconnected to New York and Boston will NOT make entrepreneurs want to move here. Allowing those innovators to have a fast, reliable and easy connection to their former networks WILL make them want to move here, as the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council has found in its network studies.
Rail is one part of economic development and environmental responsibility. Society is far too complex for us to pretend there is only one solution to problems.
*The New York-Boston "mega region"
Saturday, October 20, 2007
"Everything you do affects your neighbor and everything your neighbor does affects you."
At a recent conference in CT, Speakers talked of regionalism and the benefits of rail.
"CHESTER - Connecticut cities and towns need to work together to focus on the future of the state instead of warring against each other, according to experts speaking at the 21st annual Rockfall Symposium Friday morning. The symposium included four experts who spoke to an audience in excess of 100 people from Middlesex County. Hosted by the Rockfall Foundation of Middletown."
The second speaker was the main proponent of rail: "W. David LeVasseur, undersecretary of intergovernmental policy at the Office of Policy and Management for the state of Connecticut. LeVasseur's staff is responsible for the preparation and submission of the Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut for 2005 to 2010."
"A large part of LeVasseur's presentation covered the potential growth involved in restoring the commuter train from New Haven to Springfield, Mass., and he says he is excited about the work his agency is doing with regional governments."The governors of New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are working to look at how to enhance commuter and freight mobility throughout the region. If Rhode Island does their part and we do our part, we would be able to take a commuter rail as far as Pennsylvania ... This would be such an economic advantage for this state.' [AND FOR THE REGION!!--pvacr]
LeVasseur cited lack of a bridge over the Hudson River for large trucks as creating an excessive amount of traffic on Connecticut roads, and made several suggestions for improving the infrastructure of the state based on an executive order issued by Governor M. Jodi Rell. The order creates a basis to pull communities together and pushes a statewide effort to conserve and develop areas around the region."The goal is to coordinate efforts among state agencies," LeVasseur said. "We need to get these things in a room and put peoples' heads together.""
Other speakers included
* Myron Orfield. Apparently, "the most influential social demographer in America's burgeoning regional movement." An expert in geographic information systems (GIS) and the president and founder of Ameregis, a research and GIS firm based in Minnesota, he has done work on local, state and federal levels to gauge and report on growth and changes in cities and towns across the country."
Orfield had the quote of the day: "Everything you do affects your neighbor and everything your neighbor does affects you."
* Maureen Hart, "introduced as the president of sustainable measures and an internationally recognized expert on indicators of sustainable development. Hart is the author of the book "Guide to Sustainable Community Indicators," a frequently referenced book by communities and organizations looking to measure long-term progress."
Hart: "'Historically, we've measured things on a short scale ... we need to begin by looking at our natural resources, then go from there.' Hart illustrated an intricate connection between natural resources to government, to communities, and showed the balance needed to sustain each of these levels of development."
Further, "'Getting people involved is important ... start a dialogue and get people talking,' she said."
* Christine Nelson, AICP. town planner for Old Saybrook, CT. "Nelson, born in Meriden and raised in the area of Middlesex County, offered suggestions for planning for a better future, including some strategies the town of Old Saybrook has adopted."
"CHESTER - Connecticut cities and towns need to work together to focus on the future of the state instead of warring against each other, according to experts speaking at the 21st annual Rockfall Symposium Friday morning. The symposium included four experts who spoke to an audience in excess of 100 people from Middlesex County. Hosted by the Rockfall Foundation of Middletown."
The second speaker was the main proponent of rail: "W. David LeVasseur, undersecretary of intergovernmental policy at the Office of Policy and Management for the state of Connecticut. LeVasseur's staff is responsible for the preparation and submission of the Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut for 2005 to 2010."
"A large part of LeVasseur's presentation covered the potential growth involved in restoring the commuter train from New Haven to Springfield, Mass., and he says he is excited about the work his agency is doing with regional governments."The governors of New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts are working to look at how to enhance commuter and freight mobility throughout the region. If Rhode Island does their part and we do our part, we would be able to take a commuter rail as far as Pennsylvania ... This would be such an economic advantage for this state.' [AND FOR THE REGION!!--pvacr]
LeVasseur cited lack of a bridge over the Hudson River for large trucks as creating an excessive amount of traffic on Connecticut roads, and made several suggestions for improving the infrastructure of the state based on an executive order issued by Governor M. Jodi Rell. The order creates a basis to pull communities together and pushes a statewide effort to conserve and develop areas around the region."The goal is to coordinate efforts among state agencies," LeVasseur said. "We need to get these things in a room and put peoples' heads together.""
Other speakers included
* Myron Orfield. Apparently, "the most influential social demographer in America's burgeoning regional movement." An expert in geographic information systems (GIS) and the president and founder of Ameregis, a research and GIS firm based in Minnesota, he has done work on local, state and federal levels to gauge and report on growth and changes in cities and towns across the country."
Orfield had the quote of the day: "Everything you do affects your neighbor and everything your neighbor does affects you."
* Maureen Hart, "introduced as the president of sustainable measures and an internationally recognized expert on indicators of sustainable development. Hart is the author of the book "Guide to Sustainable Community Indicators," a frequently referenced book by communities and organizations looking to measure long-term progress."
Hart: "'Historically, we've measured things on a short scale ... we need to begin by looking at our natural resources, then go from there.' Hart illustrated an intricate connection between natural resources to government, to communities, and showed the balance needed to sustain each of these levels of development."
Further, "'Getting people involved is important ... start a dialogue and get people talking,' she said."
* Christine Nelson, AICP. town planner for Old Saybrook, CT. "Nelson, born in Meriden and raised in the area of Middlesex County, offered suggestions for planning for a better future, including some strategies the town of Old Saybrook has adopted."
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Good bond rating for CT portion of NHHS line
Good news about the financial stability of the CT bonds for the NHHS line (emphasis mine):
"NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fitch Ratings assigns an 'AA-' rating to Connecticut's (the state) $250 million special tax obligation bonds (transportation infrastructure purposes), 2007 series A. Also, Fitch affirms the 'AA-' on $2.1 billion outstanding parity senior lien bonds. The bonds will sell on or about Oct. 9 via negotiation with a syndicate led by Banc of America Securities LLC. The bonds mature Aug. 1, 2008-2027, with call provisions yet to be determined.
[...]
At present the state has $2.2 billion in senior lien bonds, and $590 million in second lien bonds (rated 'AAA/F1+' by Fitch based on insurance and credit enhancement) outstanding, with $2.3 billion in authorized but unissued debt prior to this issue. Authorizations have grown substantially in recent years, with the legislature adjusting pledged revenues to support new bonding. In fiscal 2005, $1.3 billion was authorized for expanded transportation capital needs, notably for new rail cars on the Metro North New Haven line; the plan was supported by a $1 per ticket surcharge on rail users. In fiscal 2006, the legislature authorized an additional $1 billion, including for commuter rail between New Haven and Springfield, Mass. The legislature shifted additional oil companies tax collections to the special transportation fund to cover the expanded authorization."
It seems that bond rating companies see the plan as a good deal....now, when will MA commit to getting on board?
"NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fitch Ratings assigns an 'AA-' rating to Connecticut's (the state) $250 million special tax obligation bonds (transportation infrastructure purposes), 2007 series A. Also, Fitch affirms the 'AA-' on $2.1 billion outstanding parity senior lien bonds. The bonds will sell on or about Oct. 9 via negotiation with a syndicate led by Banc of America Securities LLC. The bonds mature Aug. 1, 2008-2027, with call provisions yet to be determined.
[...]
At present the state has $2.2 billion in senior lien bonds, and $590 million in second lien bonds (rated 'AAA/F1+' by Fitch based on insurance and credit enhancement) outstanding, with $2.3 billion in authorized but unissued debt prior to this issue. Authorizations have grown substantially in recent years, with the legislature adjusting pledged revenues to support new bonding. In fiscal 2005, $1.3 billion was authorized for expanded transportation capital needs, notably for new rail cars on the Metro North New Haven line; the plan was supported by a $1 per ticket surcharge on rail users. In fiscal 2006, the legislature authorized an additional $1 billion, including for commuter rail between New Haven and Springfield, Mass. The legislature shifted additional oil companies tax collections to the special transportation fund to cover the expanded authorization."
It seems that bond rating companies see the plan as a good deal....now, when will MA commit to getting on board?
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