Letter to the editor: Transit data sorely needed

In the Oct. 3 opinion Lisa Weik wrote “Data-driven decisions must serve Washington County.” And so on Oct. 11, at the Gateway Corridor Commission meeting I asked Lisa Weik the cost of the Bus Rapid Transit line for the I-94 Corridor. She indicated the cost of the Gateway Corridor Bus Rapid Transit line development is $400 million. Therefore I asked her what and where are the cost/benefit studies to show the return in this extremely expansive investment. She told me there are no such studies. So this is not data driven.

Commissioner Weik, please get these studies done before the good citizens of Woodbury have Bus Rapid Transit literally shoved down their throats by transportation zealots. By the way, fellow citizens, don’t be fooled by the “bus” word in “Bus Rapid Transit.” Bus Rapid Transit is defined as “limited-stop bus service similar to that provided by light rail. Bus Rapid Transit provides frequent station-to-station service, typically in its own busway.”

This allusion to light rail vividly reminds me of what Washington County Planner Lyssa Leitner told me at the April 5 Woodbury City Hall Gateway Corridor meeting. She said “all construction is built to transfer and switch easily to light rail.”

It is not too late. Email immediately now to Gatewaycorridor@co.washington.mn.us your comments. Or mail to Gateway Corridor, Washington County Regional Railroad Authority, 11660 Myeron Road N., Stillwater MN, 55082. Dec. 3 is the deadline.

I must say to Lisa Weik’s credit she emphasized no-build is an option. And until we know the cost/benefit studies, that is my choice. Improve our roads here and give us more local conventional buses, but no transit extravaganza. National problems are quite enough. We don’t need our own “fiscal cliff.”

Bob Tatreau - Woodbury

Tags: letters to the editor, opinion, updates