First, fix Route 22, and then pursue more rail : The Morning Ca...

First, fix Route 22, and then pursue more rail In his March 23 op-ed column, rail system advocate Dennis R. Lieb bashed the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, its highly regarded executive director, the Route ...

[Wrong]

Sure buddy, today it's from Airport Road to 15th St. Tomorrow it will be from 33 to 309, then you will advocate a northern bypass.

The highway age is over, get used to it. I'm not impressed by the no name highway advocate you decided to cite. If you wish to start citing statistics and sources, you will loose the argument for sure.

You are clearly on the defensive.

[ket19]

"Why has a Lehigh Valley rail system been carefully considered and uniformly rejected by regional, state and national transportation experts? "

because regional, state, and national "experts" have never been known for being forward thinkers.

[Say what]

"Why has a Lehigh Valley rail system been carefully considered and uniformly rejected by regional, state and national transportation experts?"

Carefully considered?... a price has never even been produced!

What national transportation expert considered light rail in the valley? Lies! Lies! Lies!

[krg1976]

Another "benefit" to the Valley that never gets done, or even considered...what a suprise.

[wayno]

ket19 wrote:

"Why has a Lehigh Valley rail system been carefully considered and uniformly rejected by regional, state and national transportation experts? "
because regional, state, and national "experts" have never been known for being forward thinkers.

Good one!

[This New Format Sux]

Clearly, the vast majority of local drivers would benifit from widening Rt. 22.

The only people that would benifit from a light rail service would be the commuters who work in NYC, who see the Lehigh Valley as a place to sleep at night

[Allentown Student]

This New Format Sux wrote:

Clearly, the vast majority of local drivers would benifit from widening Rt. 22.
The only people that would benifit from a light rail service would be the commuters who work in NYC, who see the Lehigh Valley as a place to sleep at night

Actually, Light Rail would transport riders through (around) the Lehigh Valley, not to NYC or Philly. Heavy, or Commuter, Rail would do that.

[ket19]

i think the vast majority of local drivers avoid 22 altogether. i know i always did when i lived up there, and still do when i'm visiting. and by the time it took to complete this expansion (because with penndot doing the work, it's going to take at LEAST 3-5 years) the region will have already outgrown the projected benefits.

[ket19]

New Format, are you David1206?

[Brent457]

Allentown Student wrote:

<quoted text>
Actually, Light Rail would transport riders through (around) the Lehigh Valley, not to NYC or Philly. Heavy, or Commuter, Rail would do that.

Don't we have LANTA bus routes that do that already ?

[krg1976]

I try to travel on 22 before 7 am and after 7 pm. Anything else in between is taking a chance to be late to wherever you are going. How many people would give up their gas guzzling suvs to ride a train? just a thought.

[Allentown Student]

Brent457 wrote:

<quoted text>
Don't we have LANTA bus routes that do that already ?

Lanta offers no commuting advantage because it shares the same right-of-ways with vehicles. Light rail would do the same in some areas but run on private right of ways in others.

A light rail system is also much cheaper to run than buses once the infrastructure is in place. Getting it in place is the only expensive part, but it is still probably cheaper than widening 22.

[Brent457]

Allentown Student wrote:

<quoted text>
Lanta offers no commuting advantage because it shares the same right-of-ways with vehicles. Light rail would do the same in some areas but run on private right of ways in others.
A light rail system is also much cheaper to run than buses once the infrastructure is in place. Getting it in place is the only expensive part, but it is still probably cheaper than widening 22.

If light rail is such a better alternative, then why hasn't the private sector stood up to provide this service ?

[Brent457]

Allentown Student wrote:

<quoted text>
Lanta offers no commuting advantage because it shares the same right-of-ways with vehicles.

In addition, you're also saying that a busload full of riders isn't reducing the number of vehicles on the road ?