13th Apr, 2009

Rapid Silver Line – Another Waste of Money

The Rapids Silver Line - Flushing Money Down the Toilet

The Rapid's Silver Line - Flushing Money Down the Toilet

The ITP/Rapid transit agency is again asking taxpayers for a tax increase on Tuesday, May 5th. Once again, they are using an off-election date to try and get as few voters as possible. If you live in Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Walker, Wyoming, Grandville, or Kentwood, you should vote no on May 5th. 

The new “silver line” that is proposed is what’s called a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. What’s that? Basically, they will cut off two of the four lanes on Division and squeeze regular traffic into one lane each way so that these new “rapid” buses get their own lanes. Did you think rush hour was bad before? If this passes, Division will be a traffic nightmare.

Some common-sense reasons to vote no:

  1. This is a $70 million tax increase in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression – plus another $40 million in taxes that will be spent from the Federal and State governments – bringing the cost to over $110 million for buses
  2. There is already a bus line that has the exact same route
  3. The residents of Grandville, Walker, and East Grand Rapids will see absolutely no benefit for their increase in taxes
  4. How many people do you think live and work right along Division Avenue? This is another waste of money on a ineffecient and inconvenient fixed-line bus system
  5. As previously mentioned, the “Silver Line” will absolutely choke up traffic on Division during rush hours

UPDATE: (4/16/09)

Since this original post, I’ve had several people contact me with more information:

  • The Rapid Silver Line will travel 9.8 miles from 60th Street to the Rapid Station near downtown. The total travel time is 36 minutes, which factors out to a whopping 16 miles per hour! Wow, Bus Rapid Transit, indeed!
  • The Silver Line will eliminate crucial parking along Division that small businesses depend on.
  • The pro-Silver Line web site names one source for their claim that this spending will result in a 400% return on investment. However, a quick search on the Internet reveals that this “source” is just a three page article with no data to back up the claim.
  • The Rapid has supposedly done years of studying of this issue. Why don’t they publish any of that information on their web site? What do they have to hide? The Rapid has a history of not publishing data – they still refuse to publish their budget online.
  • The Rapid claims that this project will create up to 189 direct and indirect jobs. This project is costing $110 million (assuming it comes in on-budget). This means that there is a cost of $582,000 per job! Where do I apply?

See our other posts on this subjet:

    For more info, visit the new ITP Watch web site: http://www.itpwatch.org

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    Posted by: GRPundit

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    Responses

    “This means that there is a cost of $582,000 per job! Where do I apply?”

    Where did you get your education? Your math is correct business knowledge is wrong. There is more to a project than human capital.

    “The total travel time is 36 minutes, which factors out to a whopping 16 miles per hour! Wow, Bus Rapid Transit, indeed!”

    How fast can you walk? How far can you run? For those people who don’t have a car, by choice or not, that is pretty fast transportation. Have you ever ridden a bike 9.8 miles? How long do you think it would take?

    Whether this project is a waste of money or not, your opinions on it need to be backed up if you want me to take them seriously.

    By: bob on April 16th, 2009
    at 14:21:36

    Typo:
    “Your math is correct but your business knowledge is wrong. There is more to a project than human capital.

    I think the points you bring up may be valid, however, they would be more persuasive if from a critical as opposed to cynical viewpoint.

    By: bob on April 16th, 2009
    at 14:24:41

    Okay, just one more:

    What do you feel is a good spending of your tax dollars?

    How do you feel about the cameras installed on the expressways?

    By: bob on April 16th, 2009
    at 14:36:19

    I do not believe the Silverline is a good idea and would like to know where one might get “Vote No On the Silverline” signs?. I keep hearing bus ridership is up, but is it all paid ridership? Lots of ozone day free rides are given. What is the average cost per ride for GRATA? As the proposed SilverLine will be given priority at all cross streets this system will trash the City’s attempts at traffic control, and disrupt travel for thousands of cars on cross streets. That result could cause more fuel to be burned then if a buss stopped for signals that are properly timed. As the right lane will be for busses only, how will right turns be accomplished? Does all the traffic stop while a car waits for a pedestrian?. Maybe those thousands of cars will need to go left to go right, that too will save a lot of fossil fuel.

    By: John on April 16th, 2009
    at 23:23:34

    [...] is the Silver Line really? As we’ve previously reported, it is a Bus Rapid Transit line that will dedicate one lane each way on Division Avenue from 60th [...]

    By: The Rapid Silver Line - More Concealment and Deceit | Grand Rapids Pundit on April 19th, 2009
    at 14:32:28

    I guess I don’t understand what this will solve. There are already bus lines up and down Division Ave. If the current schedule isn’t efficient enough, who’s job is it to make sure that any bus changes are timed properly? Additionally, why wouldn’t we just replace our current fleet with the new buses?

    And like John, I’m always extremely frustrated with any commute where it’s completely obvious that no traffic planning has been done. Cross streets are empty yet the light gives a green to no one, making dozens of cars idle while they wait.

    I feel that we already have too many transit issues to address and don’t need yet another expensive project that is being touted by unproven social planning, and unproven “investment return” numbers.

    By: MisterP on April 20th, 2009
    at 14:34:16

    I would like to see some real numbers from the RAPID. How many people would be paying the new tax and of that number, how many would direclty use/benefit from this new service?

    By: cenzo on April 20th, 2009
    at 15:44:43

    VOTE NO Think beyond the HYPE
    I live on this busline. There is a bus stop at the corner here in Wyoming near Kentwood line and I am AMAZED as it is ALWAYS empty. Empty Empty
    Even supporters have noticed this, but they are business owners who think this HYPE will inflate their property values temporarily. Don’t subsidize the businesses that hope to cash in on this B.S.

    Think of all the GOOD that could be done with this money to help homeowners in foreclosure, parks,education, police, fire, you name it. THIS IS A WASTE. The current route runs till nearly midnight and the darn thing is EMPTY. Come on people look past the hype.

    And remember all the cities they talk about that have this rapid transit are HUGE compared to Grand Rapids. They have the POPULATION to support it. We don’t have the numbers. An Empty bus is your money and mine WASTED. There is a great empty bus system that services anyone that needs it on Division now. It is fine.
    It worked to get me downtown and to GVSU for years. More PORK and Waste during a recession is unthinkable! VOTE NO

    http://www.grandrapidsbustonowhere.homestead.com
    http://www.silverlinerapidtransistgrandrapids.com

    By: Mary caldwell on April 21st, 2009
    at 00:37:46

    [...] Rapid Silver Line – Another Waste of Money [...]

    By: Rapid Silver Line - Bus “Slow” Transit | Grand Rapids Pundit on April 21st, 2009
    at 15:03:17

    The last I read Granholm was refusing to answer questions about the money the State of Michigan was supposed to kick in for this project. Since the State has no money, it’s easy to figure out why. The deal is they have to pass this thing to get the funds. But if the State is broke who knows?

    Does it make sense to add a redundant “business class express line” (where it isn’t really needed) when there are other areas of GR that don’t even have regular bus service?

    If anyone knows where I can get a SILVER LINE TO NOWHERE – VOTE NO sign, do something to stop this, or make a donation let me know!

    By: Orwellian Redneck on April 21st, 2009
    at 20:34:21

    To answer the question by John about Rapid ridership being up here’s what it’s all about:

    The numbers are jacked up because the Rapid is being used as a school bus system for the city. The numbers are also up because GVSU pays the RAPID to run students back and forth. That where the increased ridership is from.

    The high school busing makes the RAPID almost unrideable at certain times of days. There’s also a violence issue at Central Station, as a result, that requires police to be on hand on a daily basis.

    By: Orwellian Redneck on April 21st, 2009
    at 20:41:14

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