 |
Re: Is SMART meeting ridership projections? Analysis
Author: Barry Scott (CoastalRail.org)
Date: 02-05-2018 - 15:21
Hi Richard,
Re: "(a) it doesn't connect directly to major CBDs (E.g. downtown SF or Oakland) ",
Major infrastructure efforts, under the best circumstances, aren't reactive; they're proactive. Current major origins and destinations may not reflect future ones and, in fact, investments can often lead to new patterns.
Here in Santa Cruz rail opponents are wont to pick at our branch line as useless because it doesn't connect them to jobs "over the hill". Well, that market is really pretty new and there's every chance that the next market will be well served by rail on the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line.
I don't know if SMART can be called a success yet or not, but I think it is regardless of actual numbers meeting projections or not. If it's helping people, then lets see what happens after a year.
Cheers,
Barry Scott
Re: "(a) it doesn't connect directly to major CBDs (E.g. downtown SF or Oakland) ",
Major infrastructure efforts, under the best circumstances, aren't reactive; they're proactive. Current major origins and destinations may not reflect future ones and, in fact, investments can often lead to new patterns.
Here in Santa Cruz rail opponents are wont to pick at our branch line as useless because it doesn't connect them to jobs "over the hill". Well, that market is really pretty new and there's every chance that the next market will be well served by rail on the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line.
I don't know if SMART can be called a success yet or not, but I think it is regardless of actual numbers meeting projections or not. If it's helping people, then lets see what happens after a year.
Cheers,
Barry Scott
