Mass-transit rail: Have it on our to-do list
January 19, 2009
Let's not sit idly by while those around us hustle into futuristic projects, even if they are out there in the future. One such is having a rail-based transit plan. But that idea seemed to have gotten only a yawn last week.
Written by Editorial, The El Paso Times
Let's not sit idly by while those around us hustle into futuristic projects, even if they are out there in the future. One such is having a rail-based transit plan. But that idea seemed to have gotten only a yawn last week.
Meanwhile, it was announced last week that nearly a mile of new railroad track has been laid in Santa Teresa. It's part of a planned 1,221 acres of industrial park that will connect with Mexico.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, has been pushing for commuter rail here.
Likely it would have to be a project for the new Metropolitan Planning Commission or the Mass Transit Authority, since such an endeavor would go beyond the city limits.
It's understood that El Paso's No. 1 mass-transit project is developing a bus rapid transit network that is to use designated lanes on some highly traveled city streets.
But it was disappointing last week when Shapleigh made a rail presentation to City Council's Transportation Legislative Review Committee; only two of the five committee members showed up.
Shapleigh has been working on a plan to use abandoned Ferromex tracks in Juárez and connecting them to El Paso tracks via the black bridge that crosses the Rio Grande near the Asarco site.
It's generally believed that at some point in the future, the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains will relocate to Santa Teresa, opening huge acreage along Interstate 10 in Downtown for economic development. Some tracks would be left in place. Thus, the Shapleigh plan already has basic infrastructure for a trolley-like mass-transit network.
Yes, our plate is full with developing the bus rapid transit, and the securing of the federal dollars to make that possible. And rail mass transit might not be a city-sponsored project.
But Shapleigh is right to look toward the future. "Let's not get drowned by the 'Let Mikey Do It' syndrome ..." Shapleigh said.
Let's have rail mass transit issues on the tables of those who can make it happen at some point in the future.
Let's at least be in serious planning stages.
The giant Verde group is moving fast in Santa Teresa. Let's be a "Mikey" and be ready when its feasible for mass-transit rail to happen in El Paso.
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