I spent time down on Fourth Avenue asking employees of area businesses and the members of the general public their thoughts on the current construction of the modern streetcar.
The general consensus: nobody likes it.
This article appears in Jun 7-13, 2012.
Nobody likes any construction project in the middle of it. I understand fears about how businesses will survive, and whether it’s worth it. But really, what do you expect people to say at this stage?
Grijalva’s Folly Trolley.
Personally, I can’t wait for the completion of the modern streetcar line. I can only imagine how good it will be for Tucson for me to drive to a parking spot on one end of the line, and pay to be taken 3.9 miles away past all the businesses I might normally stop at if I were walking past them.
So what does this mean? Do we just not do any projects that benefit the public at the expense of a few marginal small businesses—like the “oxygen bar” that opened in February, when plans for the streetcar construction were well known? Get a life, Tucson.
What’s interesting about the Old Pueblo’s “modern streetcar” is that it doesn’t cross the huge intersection known as Broadway and Campbell even though light rail on Broadway to downtown (with an offshoot loop to campus) would make more sense transpo-wise, for a larger population of riders.
The reason no one likes it is because the “modern day streetcar” is a waste of transportation dollars, does nothing to eliviate the difficulty of getting around in this town and basically will never generate enough revenue to pay for itself. You know what that means-taxpayer subsidies will be needed.
They need this like I need another a-hole……take the money and add bus routes and you”ll get to hire more people for jobs……
Modern streetcars are a fact of life in most progressive cities (San Diego, Portland, Los Angeles, Phoenix, etc.). The disruption to businesses, during the construction phases, is unfortunate but unavoidable.
Many of those griping about the streetcar never venture downtown – they, in fact, hate the Tucson downtown area. If you really wish to help the businesses effected by the construction hie thee downtown and support those businesses!
Streetcar cost $200,000,000 million plus (if that number sounds familiar it is the same amount mismanaged by our City leaders downtown already, I know blame the Republicans, wait a minute we don’t have any Republicans in Tucson to blame) an annual operating loss estimated at 3 million per year going to the Teamsters Union who will operate this boondoggle. We did get 65 million from the feds but that leaves us owing $135 million without any cost overruns. Let’s add this up, 200 million missing, 200 million for a streetcar to nowhere, that is 400 million the very same cost to build a NEW Hotel Convention Center that would have provided jobs and tax revenue.
Listen, you Democrats run this city and have since I moved here in 1975; we have had a one party political system in Tucson. Stop with the lame “blame the Republicans” excuses. When you go to Phoenix what do you see? Planning, progression, etc, Marana, Oro Valley the same, what’s the difference? Republican leadership? In Tucson we see a failed plan for a downtown few like enough to visit regularly, implemented by the inept leadership that allows 200 million to simply disappear unaccounted for? What do our leaders say? Blame Phoenix, because they know you are too stupid to question them! You want CHANGE? You cannot get there from here; the same old inbred thinking leadership, exempt from debate. Tucson Democrats don’t have to listen too or incorporate Republican ideas they just have to decide how to cut the cake for their own maximum benefit. We have a Downtown Cartel that is stealing our tax dollars; our roads and infrastructure all over town are failing yet the have a contest for who gets your tax money to fix their buildings. The good old boys Downtown Tucson Democrat Club, the 1%. So what do they say “blame the Republicans” lol, good God how long until you wake up and smell the thievery and ineptness our local leadership is steeped in?
The streetcar to nowhere brought to you by your local Democrats! Thanks for nothing, again!
Sad that Bill Heath complains about the Democrats. Guess what A Republican and his buddies took this nation down and then retired with his millions. Guess what Republicans have destroy AZ and the educational system. So Republicans are partly to blame. It takes all politicians to bring back this state and the cities, not one party. Currently we have a puppet for Governor, no brains, on vacation around the world, wasting tax payers monies. She said she is creating business and jobs, but thus far, seen not one job or business from her world travels. Junkets, I think so.
Bill Heath, I’d like to remind you that, for more than a decade, a Republican was mayor of this city. This streetcar was approved on his watch. In fact, he loves the damn thing. Quote taken from a City of Tucson press release:
“The Modern Streetcar will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of transportation in Tucson, while adding new strength to our ability to recruit and expand businesses in Southern Arizona.”
Democrats aren’t the problem. General incompetence is — and that’s common on both sides of the aisle.