apple juice

Okay, this took 3 minutes on google:

A Review of Bus Rapid Transit Calgary, 2002 (pdf file)

Capital and operating cost data indicate that Bus Rapid Transit applications are significantly less expensive to construct than LRT – i.e. as little as $0.1 million (Cdn) per kilometre. Due to lower passenger capacities and shorter life expectancy of buses, total vehicle costs would be similar to LRT. However, the operating costs of BRT are considerably higher than LRT on a per passenger basis. Overall, BRT applications on urban arterial streets can be more economical as an interim measure or where demand is not expected to justify LRT service capacities.

That whole paragraph sums up my argument. (The emphasis in the quote was mine.)

1. 35W is a heavily traveled corridor, for which a high capacity solution is needed.
2. We should be planning for 30 years from now, when there will be one million new residents of the MSP area.
3. We want the most cost effective solution for the long run.

If I am wrong on any of these three points, please let me know..

The conclusion of the Calgary BRT study:

In Calgary, potential BRT applications are corridors where LRT will not be constructed for many years or where demand is not forecast to be sufficient to justify LRT construction.

I will argue that in Minneapolis’ case, on this corridor, demand for rapid transit more than justifies the initial capital costs of an LRT solution, and in the long run will be the more sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective solution.

Also in the Star Tribune today, an article about Gov. Pawlenty’s proposed mandate that the gasoline in Minnesota contain twice as much Ethanol as it does today. This would help reduce our dependence on oil, while at the same time bolstering Minnesota’s corn farmers.

Everyone’s favorite critic of progress, Rep. Krinke of Shoreview, has a brilliant quote, saying that Ethanol subsidies and mandates requiring Ethanol in gasoline, are

“worst of both worlds from a free-market perspective.”

Remember, Krinke is probably the biggest critic of the Hiawatha Light Rail line in the world, and apparently wants the “free-market” to simply sort things out here.

As far as I’m concerned, anything that makes cars cleaner, and reduces our dependence on oil is a good thing, be it LRT, ethanol, etc.

Unfortunately there was scant mention of BioDiesel in the article, and while Minnesota does have a proposal/mandate to have all the Diesel in the state be 2% BioDiesel by 2006, there are a number of provisions that will cause the mandate to not go into effect if they are not met.

Namely, some number of gallons (8 million? I forget… doesn’t really matter) of the BioDiesel must be produced in the state before 2006, and the last figure I saw suggested we were not terribly close to meeting that goal.

So Gov. Pawlenty, I don’t agree with you on much, but congratulations on pushing forward clean technologies for vehicles in our state. A state that mandates clean technologies for it’s energy usage is a state that I am proud of.

An article out today in the Star Tribune discusses a study regarding a dedicated busway on 35W to alleviate the traffic situation.

While I am in favor of expanding our mass transit options in the city, they are only studying buses. In the face of the overwhelming success of the Hiawatha Light Rail line, in which for every period measured ridership has doubled the projections, they are not even considering light rail.

The bus service is the only transit option being considered to alleviate traffic congestion on I-35W south of downtown.

Why? Since they are not studying Light Rail as an option, we have no idea how this would compare in terms of cost.

I don’t have numbers and figures in front of me, but I believe studies in other muncipalities have shown that in the long term, 20-40 years, light rail will be the cleaner, safer and more cost-effective solution. If we are not planning for the long term in this city, what are we planning for?

Seems as though some residents of Minneapolis are having issues with people parking in front of their houses and getting on the light rail.

Two statements really stuck out.

Rozga laughs at the incident now but was frustrated that residents couldn’t just leave a polite note. “In the city, people park on the street,” she said. “It happens.”

Yeah, not sure if any of the residents on these blocks have been to Chicago, but I considered myself lucky to find a spot within a 3 block radius of friends’ apartments when I would visit. If they really want to have permits, I think the residents should pay for them, and the fees should go towards paying for more parking for commuters. $50 or $100 for 6 months.

Kelly LaDue was the kind of light-rail user folks were supposed to be: a nearby resident who took the bus to the train station. That was until she got tired of waiting. Her 5-minute morning bus ride grew as long as 30 minutes come evening.

So last week LaDue, who lives about five blocks from the 46th Street station, began parking her car on 36th Avenue S., too. “I know it’s not right,” she said. “I just feel bad for them [the residents]. It’s bad for everyone, really. It’s a bad situation that needs some quick remedies.”

(emphasis mine)

Quick remedy for you, Ms. LaDue, walk. It’s five blocks.

update, whoops forgot to post the link, Neighbors seethe over light-rail parkers

I have been severly slacking on my posting as of late…

I rode the bus this morning to work. Inspired by the movie that Sonja and I saw over the weekend, Super Size Me.

Super Size Me was an excellent movie. I’ve heard more than once that, “Well, duh! Of course if you eat McDonalds all the time, it will be unhealthy.” He addresses that in the movie. It may seem like common sense, but there is a significant number of people that eat McDonalds (or “fast food”) everyday. I can think of three people off hand that eat it everyday. Ironically enough, those three aren’t overweight. (Don’t know about their general health).

Anyways, about the bus ride. I was inspired, because, although I’ve been running fairly regularily, I could throw in some extra walking and it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

So out to the bus this morning. Lesson 1: I need to learn to read a bus schedule. I missed this first bus by about 2 minutes, and then had to wait 25 minutes for the next one. Luckily, I started off way early this morning so I would be sure to get to work on time, and I got there at 7:50, not too bad.

The bus drops me off on the far side of Southdale from where I work, so it’s about a 6 block walk to work, and it’s 3 blocks from home to the bus stop. So that adds about 2 miles of walking into my day.

In the movie, he quotes a statistic that says the average New Yorker walks 5 miles a day. I thought I could have a bit of the NY lifestyle without all the people and crazyness. So far so good…

I’ve made my last two fillups with BioDiesel at this location in Apple Valley
Biodiesel making a quiet debut in Apple Valley

For the past several weeks, customers filling their tanks at the diesel pump at the Apple Valley Marathon station have been getting a little soy-based fuel in the mix. The station, owned by the Farmers Union Co-operative, is the first in the metro area to sell “B2,” a diesel fuel that contains a 2 percent blend of soy-based biodiesel.

Inspired by Kottke.org’s rules for the NYC subway, I present my 10 rules for driving on the interstate. Follow these rules and it will help everyone get to where they are going safely.

1. Sell your SUV. Seriously, you don’t need it. Buy a wagon.
2. The left lane is for passing. If you are not passing someone, move over.
3. If you are passing someone, move with a purpose. I’m coming up behind you.
4. It’s nothing personal. You are not the speed limit enforcer.
5. I don’t want to pass you on the right, it’s not safe.
6. Two flicks of the brights is simply a signal. Please move over. Remember, nothing personal.
7. After you pass, move to the right lane again.
8. Do not try to race me. I am not trying to race you. It’s nothing personal. I just want to safely get around you.
9. Pick a speed and stay there. They make this great feature called the cruise control. Know it and love it.
10. Sell your SUV. Seriously, I don’t care if you want it or that its your American right to own one. We share the road. We share the same resources. Didn’t your mom ever teach you to play nice?

I realize that about 2% of you SUV owners out there pull trailers, haul stuff, and generally make good use of your trucks. Fine. I’m talking to the 98% that I see out there with one person in their plush Escalade/Navigator/Tahoe/etc. sucking 8mpg chatting on their mobiles. Buy a wagon. It’s safer for you, your family, and those around you. There is nothing you need to do with a truck that you can’t do with a wagon. And if there is, you can take that $500 you saved on fuel in the year of owning your wagon and rent a truck for the times you actually do need it.