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May-07-2009 10:34printcomments

Feds Will Spend Millions on Eugene/Springfield Rapid Transit

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Brings $3 Million in Federal Recovery Act Funds to Pay for Bus Rapid Transit Serving Eugene, Springfield, Oregon.

The Emerald Express Bus Rapid Transit system serving Eugene and Springfield, Oregon
The "Emerald Express” Bus Rapid Transit system serving Eugene and Springfield, Oregon. Courtesy: Wikipedia

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced that Lane Transit District will receive $2.9 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) funds for the Pioneer Parkway extension of the “Emerald Express” Bus Rapid Transit system serving Eugene and Springfield, Oregon.

“By getting these funds to Lane Transit District now, we’re providing a boost that will help this project keep moving forward while jump-starting the economy and putting people back to work,” Secretary LaHood said.

Last year, the Federal Transit Administration signed a “project construction grant agreement” to provide $32.5 million of the $41.3 million total project cost to be paid out in annual increments through 2010.

The ARRA grant announced today does not increase the federal commitment to the project, but expedites funds committed under the agreement between federal government and Lane Transit.

The accelerated arrival of federal funds supplements local resources, which have declined during the economic downturn.

Downtown Eugene will be served with a direct connection to transit service via the Franklin corridor BRT, which also serves 20,000 students at the University of Oregon. Major employment centers along the Pioneer Parkway BRT route include: Symantec, Royal Caribbean, PeaceHealth, and the North Gateway Mall. Total employment within one-half mile of the BRT route is expected to be 15,500 jobs by 2010.

The Pioneer Parkway project will include 14 new stations, traffic signal priority, and the purchase of five low-floor hybrid-electric vehicles. The proposed service will operate every 10 minutes during weekdays. Upon completion, the Emerald Express is expected to carry approximately 3,700 passengers daily.

Source: U.S Department of Transportation




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Anonymous May 7, 2009 7:45 pm (Pacific time)

To all: Anyone now wish to question "stimulus" for "aggregate demand", as heart of any economy ? IF economy does not work to build and maintain that demand as motor for all activity AND any growth, then somehow it must be adjusted to do so. Do you really still believe in "laissez-faire", i.e. DO NOTHING and "miracle of the market" will manage miraculous manipulations all on its own, to protect, preserve, extend and remedy ANY bad situation ? President O's stimulus at work recognized in this "see with own eyes" report: Associated Press Oregon's $175 million stimulus package puts people to work 02:17 PM PDT 5/7/2009 SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Roughly 80 percent of the 547 projects funded by the state's $175 million stimulus package have started putting people to work and several other projects will get under way before June, legislators were told Wednesday night. The testimony from the heads of a dozen state agencies was much more positive than a report released last week by the Department of Administrative Services. That report, based on information almost a month old, said less than one-third of the projects had begun. Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, called for Wednesday's hearing, saying the Administrative Services report was "too dated." ------------------------ Obviously it was,and obvious also is rapid response to rational, reasonable remedy via stimulus from sole source sensible in such situations: The national government. From whence-else can that essential action come ? Do you see it on the way from any international agency ? Those who cavil, complain, and call for anything else do not ever --never !!-- offer a solution of similar saving stimulus from somewhere else. Wonder why ? Can it be that there IS NO other source, and that even otherwise staggering sums are meaningless in the current once-a-century crisis? First we remedy what can be remedied, then we study and learn what else is demanded, and THEN we fix the futile, foolish, falsely-sold, silly stupidities perpetrated purposely by malign neocon cabal and consenting others. When near-normality returns, THEN we set sensible longterm corporate, company, individual and any other taxes specified by new knowledge, per only possible method in democratic republic: Wise Congressional action surveilled, commanded, controlled by awakened citizen responsibility and the VOTE!! OR do you prefer revolution and bloody force to civilized approach by rational people ??


Henry Ruark May 7, 2009 12:20 pm (Pacific time)

Naturally now, those so intensely dissenting to Obama stimulus programs via their stated, repetitive "political principle" will never, ever, be seen riding new sensible rapid transit facilities. To do so after malign attack on Obama expediting action is surely to defy, deny any real political conscience and to disqualify perpetrator from possible further proper principled action. Might make others think there may be another reason for such desperate dissents ! There's a prescriptive word for that retreat from repeated declaration,perhaps revealing true motivation despite their conscious or unconscious denials.

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