Fancy Railroad Buildings, Light Rail and Towns Connected

I wrote this letter to the New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner in 2002:

"I applaud you for looking for funding and short term solutions to our transportation problems. However, with our aging population of folks like myself that are choosing to stay in NJ, and increased highway traffic, you need to start looking for long term solutions. Not everyone in NJ is trying to commute to New York! We have a huge number of businesses, corporate HQ's and shopping malls all along our network of highways. We need a light rail system to take us along Rte 287, Rte. 80 and the Parkway and Turnpike. I shouldn't have to take a train to Newark or NYC to go down the shore from Morristown. 

 If you had light rail down the center of our highways, many businesses would set up shuttles to the station at each exit. You could start planning for park and rides at many of the exits. It will be at least 10 or 15 years before I'm ready to retire. As I get older, I don't want to find myself competing with all of the trucks that have taken over the roads. I also hope to continue to travel throughout NJ. I'd be willing to add a few cents to my gasoline tax now to put this in place in the next 10 years."

Here is the response I got back from the NJ Transit Customer Service Dept:
"Unfortunately there are no resources at present to build light rail lines such as you suggest. There would be many challenges in such an undertaking, the most significant of which would be obtaining funding. Then there would be numerous feasibility and environmental impact studies. Finally, there are many areas of these highways where there are no median strips or medians that would not be wide enough for rail lines.
This suggestion has actually been made many times before and for many reasons is simply not practical.
The unfortunate reality is that in a state as developed and densely populated as New Jersey there are probably always going to be traffic problems to some degree. Budgetary constraints and other considerations prohibit us from offering every type of service we might need, no matter how helpful they might be."

Here is my response back to DOT:
I realize all of the items that would have to be completed. This would be a long term project 10-20 years out.
If you always approach a topic such as this with all of the reasons why it can't be done, then it never would be completed. You should approach it more from the standpoint of what would it take to complete and how can I go about doing it.
For instance, you mentioned the point about median strips. Just like they do in some parts of the Washington DC metro, you go up over the highway. Also, you start where you can put it in and do that first.
The Wash. DC metro took over 20 years to complete. I rode on the very first link to my job in the District 25 years ago. It only went the distance of a few miles from the Union Station. Look at it today!
For instance, start a plan for one that goes out Rte. 80 from PA to Morristown and the northern part of Rte. 287.  to 287 south near Bedminster. You would cut down a HUGE amount of traffic just by giving access along that stretch of road. 
I was in a public meeting about 6 years ago run by DOT and there was an overwhelming response from the public that they would be willing to add 10 cents to every gallon of gas to put in such a light rail system.

For once as government officials, face the challenges that you mentioned below and start the feasibility studies. You'd be amazed at the groundswell of support that you would get from the NJ voters. Who knows, you might even be able to get the funding."

For those living in NJ, you will note that nothing really has changed. If you want to go to any major city in NJ, you basically must first travel to Newark, NJ on the northeast border of NJ and then you can travel to other places in NJ via rail or bus. The biggest light rail change that I am aware of is the ability to travel into New York City, via a link from Newark Airport to Newark. It's a great convenience for traveling flying into EWR.

Just think what the state would look like if they had at least started to investigate feasibility in 1996 when they first held public meetings on transportation issues!

On the other hand, things have changed drastically for me. I had to retire early AND I have moved to the South. Who would have ever thought this Jersey girl would make such a leap? I've changed. An unplanned early retirement due to disability caused life changes and an impact to my financial situation. Strange things can happen to your planned life.  My husband, now in his mid-sixties, works and travels constantly to make up the difference.

Life happens. However, not much has changed in our commitment to Light Rail or railroad transportation, outside of really major cities. It could really help someone in my situation now even more than ever.

I am a huge proponent of Light Rail Systems and have been for decades. I have written numerous letters to Congressmen, Senators, and Governors about the subject. I believe with the soaring cost of energy and the aging population on our roads (I am one of them), it is advisable to plan for light rail systems now.
 
Travel from any small town in Europe is possible via Railroad. It used to be that way in the US. That's one reason why there are so many abandoned railroad lines and Railway station Buildings.

The US is so committed to cars that it is not planning for the overall future of transportation. Initially major highways were built and road improvements made due to the automobile industry. Towns now exist due to developments springing up along roadways, away from cities. We should be taking advantage of the footprint of the current network of highways and start to install light rail systems in the centers of major highways. It is a VERY long term vision that needs to start at some point. It also could be built into the current need to plan for major maintenance on current roads and bridges in dire need of repair and modernization.

As Government Study, Trends in Personal Income and Passenger Vehicle Miles ¹ , backs up this theory. Although the automobile industry in the US is now, thankfully, back and vibrant again and employing US laborers, the study questions whether or not households have reached a saturation point in the number of vehicles per household. Also, the study notes that with changing demographics and an aging population in some areas, the need for public transportation over cars for some types of travel may be required.

There are miles and miles of abandoned railroad lines and actually working lines that could be put to use. Currently, it is less expensive per ton to ship by rail than by truck. The same Bureau of Statistics reveals that more freight travels by rail for long distances and the majority of truck transportation in the US is largely for short distance trips. 

Think about that same model for people for a moment. Look at an Amtrack or bus transportation route for a long distance trip. It might take me 3 hours to drive to Charlotte, but it would take 10 hours to get there by bus. An Amtrack trip to NY city from here would take about 35 hours and a car trip about 13. Of course, those who can afford it would take a plane, which could sometimes involve a 10 hour trip between travel to and from airports, waiting time, transfers, etc.

If you plan now for a light rail system along Rte 20, Rte 71, etc,  it would take millions of cars (and aging boomers like myself) off of the road. You can travel all around Western Europe very easily by train by not around the US. We should be able to travel to and from smaller cities. I now live near Augusta Georgia and would love to be able to take the train between Aiken SC and Augusta GA.

It won’t happen in my lifetime, but with aging infrastructure, why not invest in the right infrastructure. Let’s not only depend on cars to get us from point A to point B. They are now making Hybrid train engines. Smaller cities could support Cable cars like San Francisco!

Let's start planning better Mass transit and light rail for larger cities like Columbia!

Here is a letter I wrote to the Augusta Mayor in 2008, when I lived in North Augusta when they were considering a proposal for a rail system only down Broad street in Augusta:

"I am a huge proponent of Light Rail Systems. I have written numerous letters to Congressmen, Senators and the Gov of SC about the subject. I believe with the soaring cost of energy and the aging population on our roads (I am one of them), it is advisable to plan for light rail systems now. 

However, a system in Downtown Augusta, going down Broad Street is not what I imagined as a useful tool that would get optimum utilization and serve the community's needs. A system that begins in Augusta and can take people to the Augusta Airport, the Atlanta Airport, and Columbia Airport would be ideal. Set up an agreement with Aiken and have a system between the two cities. You will increase shopping downtown and people will come to the Restaurants. 

Consider a link from downtown to the Augusta Mall. That will increase job opportunities for folks living downtown too. Have a stop at the hospital system. Light rail could follow the path of the major highways in GA and SC as the rights of way are already established.

If you brought in Outlets to downtown or some of the old mill buildings, you would have a great link for shoppers and give folks another reason to come from the airports and other towns to Augusta.

Keep thinking light rail. Just don't mar the beauty of downtown Augusta. That is a major draw to the city. You want folks to want to walk around downtown to make it worthwhile for stores and restaurants. Once they are down there, a trolly or open touring bus ride might be just the thing for shoppers to hop on and off of and to be dropped off at the train station to get home. As I age, I'd much rather take light rail than drive. A lot of the retirees moving into the area can afford to spend money in Augusta. We just don't feel a need to go there or drive there that frequently. Give us better reasons."

Now think about hopping on a train that can comfortably take you to Charleston or Savannah for a day trip or Charlotte for a Concert or Nascar race. Not so tired from that drive to enjoy the sights or the event are you? 

North and South Corridors is all we worry about down here and that's where the business goes. Everything is East of us and heads North and South up and down the Rte 95 Corridor. I believe that is one reason that it is hard to bring business to Western South Carolina and another reason why it is so hard to get from point A to Point B from here.

Folks sit in traffic, waste time, and fuel commuting from towns in the North West area along Rte 26 to Charleston and commuters traveling to and from downtown Charleston. Going over some of the bridges in that area is a nightmare. A light rail system along those roads and bridges and to and from the airport would be a boon to the area and the economy.

That is true for so many towns and cities throughout the US. Travel points depend upon Major Highway routes that traverse the US and are main roadway corridors. If you want to travel easily, whether by train or air, pick a major route that parallels a major highway.

Notice all of the abandoned Railroad stations that are now being turned into shops or Museums. In some cases, millions of dollars are spent restoring these buildings to preserve history. Think about it. Folks are preserving history instead of making these buildings useful for the purpose they were built for in the first place. Wouldn't it be nice to have a room dedicated to the Railroad museum history in our local museums and have a functioning Railroad station that actually allows people to travel from that point to another location?

Stop just thinking about the wonderful past but think about a new future that we could have.

1st published 9/14/2012

Updated 1/21/2021

 

1. Dept of Transportation Research and Innovative Technology Administration  Bureau of Transportation Statistics

Times have changed...so, quit complaining - Cranston Herald

Times have changed...so, quit complaining - Cranston Herald

If you like, use the link above to post your comments to the original article so Charlie Lawrence can see them!

To the Editor:

I am white. I am male. I am also 68 and a Vietnam Era veteran. And I am angry.
And I know many people my age who are also angry. They see gays and lesbians demanding the right to get married. They see a black man in the White House with a strange sounding name, changing our health care system and suggesting that we as a nation might have something to do with the sorry state of affairs in the world.

To my fellow seniors who are upset and alarmed at this, I have a message: Stop feeling sorry for yourself! Enough of your whining! The world is changing, and it's about time you got off your mental easy chair and did the same! Your stubborn resistance to change is maddening!

Upset about gay lifestyle? I am married more than 40 years ... to a woman ... and I do not in any way feel threatened by gays and lesbians who wish to be wed. Here's some advice – one senior to another – try minding your own business. 

When I see you no longer eating pork or working on Sunday, then I'll take your Bible-based opposition to gay marriage seriously. 

And while you are at it, stop complaining about this so-called “socialist” president as you sit in your easy chairs collecting both Medicare and Social Security. And don't swallow the hogwash about a Republican saving Medicare and a Democrat “robbing” it. Please, don't make seniors look senile by swallowing that lie. ( I'll deal with that lie in my next letter.)
You constantly lament how things have gotten worse. Yes, they have.

Ours was a noble generation that fought for Medicare, for equal rights for women and blacks, clean air and water and decent wages for all. Now too many of us fight for tax breaks for the wealthiest few and more power and money for corporations. How noble is that?

We admired and respected broadcasters like Walter Cronkite and Paul Harvey. Men of integrity. Now we are taken in by any right-wing blowhard with a microphone, the biggest being a four-times married, self-admitted drug abuser. Another so insane, even Fox News dropped him.

And, yes, there is a black man in the White House. It's a sign of the changing face of America. I fully understand for many this is an uncomfortable sign; your old world is gone. For most, what you feel is not bigotry; it's fear. Deep down fear. 

Please! It's 2012. Stop fearing change! Embrace it! Welcome it as we did so many years ago because change is here and will continue with or without our help.

Charlie Lawrence
Johnston

A Horse Park in Aiken SC? That would be too Logical!

I am not one of the folks with "deep pockets" nor am I one of the old timers with a NIMBY (not in my backyard) attitude or that change is bad.

Aiken missed a great opportunity when the Sheik was interested in purchasing property in the downtown horse area. I know he is now selling the property he bought in place of the downtown property. However, just look at the amazing racing facilities showcased in Dubai a few years ago at the Kentucky Derby to get a feel for what could have been. Change can be good if it means some things are upgraded or improved.

I'm not saying we need a facility like that, but holding the Reining Championships in the Augusta James Brown Arena is a joke and losing the National Barrel Racing Championships due to lack of a facility was a sin. An Equine Community like ours should be ashamed we can't showcase all disciplines. Lack of space or facilities is not a good answer for an open and welcoming horse community like ours.

Yes we have facilities spread around Aiken that could be an adjunct for the Horse Park. However, they are not adequate to bring in the really big events that could bring jobs and an infusion into our economy. Now is an opportunity for Aiken to really claim it's crown as "THE Horse place to be".

I have never seen such an equestrian centered community. It's theme runs throughout all of our daily lives in some small way, even if it's just the horse head on all of the downtown street signs, or the life size statues of painted horses strategically placed around town. Yet "we" resist change when it could mean expansion of the horse community and the events held in the area.

I know there are folks for and against a Horse Park, and many of those against it probably have a stake in local facilities. If done right, the Horse Park could bring even more to the local facilities when folks see the variety of amenities already here, not to mention the welcoming attitude of the people.

I personally like the idea of an Aiken Horse Park. However I don't totally agree with the study's predetermined location north of I20.

After visiting the amazing Horse Park in Macon, GA, I never saw the town. Everything I needed was right there. If not inside the complex, hotels and restaurants have popped up along the outskirts of the facility. Why visit Macon in a busy schedule? Of course if I stayed longer I would want to get out of the facility. The way they structured it is a bit cold for my taste and not that inviting with only one open hamburger shop on premise.

Now if another location was considered, that "forced" visitors to travel, even along the outskirts of town, without disturbing traffic patterns, then it should be considered for many reasons.

The study location would make it easiest for visitors from the north or east. They could get to the facility and leave without ever experiencing Aiken.

Other locations are easily accessed from major Roads. If infrastructure is to be improved, why not look at other alternatives, especially those that would entice folks into town. That could help with one of the goals for local businesses and other horse facilities to do more business. Also a location that could revitalize a neighborhood in need should be considered. We have plenty of those not always thought about in our County or the Western part of the State in general.

Open your minds to the exciting possibilities a beautifully planned and built facility could do for Aiken. It would draw more horse people here to actually experience Aiken and maybe invest in property here.

Let's think completely out of the box and start imagining a light rail system that could take you to the Horse Park, to downtown Aiken, the Columbia and Augusta Airports, downtown Augusta; but that's a subject for another article that will be posted soon...

Whether or not the I20 location is cast in concrete, other facility amenities should be considered. The park should have a "Downtown Aiken" look and feel with sections named after places in Aiken. The walkways could reflect names like Laurens, Whiskey Road, Easy Street, Hitchcock Woods. 

It should be a welcoming place with landscaping and with a duplicate Aiken County Visitors Center Gift Shop in it staffed during expositions. If done right, it can host other events that are not horse related.

While you are at it, figure in a permanent place where County Shelter dogs and cats could be showcased for adoption during an event. Friends of the Animal Shelter FOTAS Aiken volunteers could encourage Travelers with horse trailers to transport some of our over abundance of animals to no kill shelters in other locations. 

Also build an area where local merchants could set up on prebuilt carts, wagons, carriages or "stalls" (you get the equine idea) and bring town merchandise to the travelers like they do at the Steeplechase.

You could even have a food court where some local restaurants or caterers could set up shop for a few days. That would mean that the fare offered would not only be hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries!

Don't charge the vendors and restaurant owners exorbitant fees and rotate the opportunity to be a vendor or food purveyor at the park.

If done right, a Cultural Festival or other large event could be scheduled annually there during off peak from scheduled horse events. Music, art, plays and dance, with strolling musicians and performers in the alleyways! It could be the perfect place for a family oriented First Night New Year's Eve celebration that are so popular in other large towns. An Ethnic Festival like they have in Augusta could be so much fun with the variety of foods they showcase. With a good Event planner on staff, a lot could be done with the right facilities.

Wouldn't it be nice if all of that revenue helps our County tax base and allows us to increase aid to the education of the children of Aiken County without increasing our taxes?

Yes, I am a dreamer and have a positive outlook on life. I believe it's time for Aiken to really embrace change for the better and build a Horse Park that reflects the beauty and spirit of the Aiken Community.

Now all we need are some folks with deep pockets and a dream to make it happen!