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Re: Gold Line being challenged on possible terminus at Ontario Airport
Author: BOB2
Date: 04-22-2014 - 19:46
SanBag is quite right in questioning an open ended financial commitment to this phase. I have supported the current Gold Line and the initial extensions (to east LA replacing the too expensive Red Line extension) and to Citrus College (which is a very low cost segment for the ridership projected).
Now to burst this bubble, previous studies, by SCAG and others, were not kind to this extension, as the trips get very long, through low density areas, with many stops, resulted in very poor cost benefit, compared to a long list of projects on the wishlist. All of the routes were contorted and costly, partially from trying to cobble together "political support" by trying to connect anybody and everybody, at the expense of travel time.
Metrolink service and funding bus service in the sparsely served west of San Bernardino County are funded with limited funds that could be sucked up the this extension. Metrolink service to connect at Azusa might make more sense and be more cost effective, and faster for most commuters.
Now to burst this bubble, previous studies, by SCAG and others, were not kind to this extension, as the trips get very long, through low density areas, with many stops, resulted in very poor cost benefit, compared to a long list of projects on the wishlist. All of the routes were contorted and costly, partially from trying to cobble together "political support" by trying to connect anybody and everybody, at the expense of travel time.
Metrolink service and funding bus service in the sparsely served west of San Bernardino County are funded with limited funds that could be sucked up the this extension. Metrolink service to connect at Azusa might make more sense and be more cost effective, and faster for most commuters.
