[milwaukee-electric] Re: CNN seeking opinions on traction.

[Gary Schnabl]

On 11/22/2010 12:09 PM, Louis Rugani wrote:
> CNN wants YOUR opinion on streetcars/trolleys
>
> Posted by: "thompattersoncnn" patterson_thom at yahoo.com thompattersoncnn
> Hi, I'm a CNN.com producer seeking opinions on streetcars and trolleys as a modern urban transport.
>
> Please send us video of yourself on your local streetcar or trolley
> while you talk about your views on the local transit system and its
> streetcars. Do streetcars represent part of the future of urban mass transit, or should they remain in the past? What benefits do they offer your community? What harm do they pose? If you can't send us a video of yourself on a streetcar or trolley, please send photos of yourself riding a streetcar or trolley and then write us an iReport with all your opinions. Don't hold back!
> If you're interested, here's the iReport.com link
> <http://ireport.cnn.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=519841>   where you can send your stuff.
> Thanks for considering!
> Thom
>
>
> =Lou=
Detroit is planning a 3.4-mile stretch streetcar line along its main 
drag--Woodward Avenue--connecting downtown with the other downtown, the 
New Center. However, even with generous private funding, its proposed 
cost is going way past the tens of $ millions donated or pledged by the 
Kresge Foundation and others. There are bus lines along that route whose 
ridership will be somewhat cannabalized for the three miles of parallel 
streetcars. Other bus routes were abandoned recently, among other 
service cutbacks.

Personally, I think that streetcar line is a waste of precious funding 
for a city on the verge of bankruptcy. Detroit has two town islands--the 
cities of Hamtramck and Highland Park. Highland Park was once was suburb 
for the wealthy during the boom days a century ago. However, it went 
bankrupt a decade ago and has no police department, although it is 
crime-ridden. Hamtramck won't be able to meet public payroll in two more 
months, so it is now seeking public-sector bankruptcy the past two weeks.

Yet some desire light transit (streetcars) for salvation.

Gary

-- 

Gary Schnabl
Southwest Detroit, two miles NORTH! of Canada--Windsor, that is...