Railophilia - chronic mental disorder

“Since 1985 rail transit in Los Angeles has consumed at least $7 billion in capital and operating subsidies, (at the expense of a large effective bus service.) If 1985 transit levels could have been maintained, approximately 1.4b more riders would have been served between 1985 and 1998. Roughly, each million dollars of subsidy directed to these projects saw 200k fewer transit riders. It would be hard to imagine, or to plan, a worse outcome. This (rail) nonsense was sold, and bought, via all of the usual forecasts about “impending gridlock” (on the freeways.) Politicians saw a jobs program and were happy to sell it as a transportation/environment policy. A romp through the archives of local planning agencies (and newspapers) makes it clear how easy it was to spend boatloads of other people’s money. Incredibly, planning for (new) rail in LA persists.” Peter Gordon, School of Policy, Planning & Development, Univ Southern Calif on con-pric list.