Light rail dilemma - how to pay for it
By John Vlahovich
Spokane Public Radio
The Spokane region Light Rail Steering Committee spent years studying how, when – even if – to build a regional light rail public transit system. Members made their choice from a host of possibilities. But the committee’s work may not yet be complete.
The regional task force considered everything from a full-blown double track electrified system between downtown Spokane and Liberty Lake to rail stopping at University Road in Spokane Valley, with special buses covering the rest of the route.
Directors of the Spokane Transit Authority, which would operate light rail, and the Spokane Regional Transportation Council that commissioned the light rail study in the first place got together to hear the committee’s recommendations. Steering Committee chair Phyllis Holmes summed up.
“We have come to a fork in the road where we say we’ve analyzed these options. Now it’s time to move forward with an implementation plan and a funding strategy plan,” said Holmes. “But it is impractical and unrealistic to do that for all of the alternatives”
The steering committee thinks the region should proceed with a $300-million start up single track light rail system from downtown Spokane through Spokane Valley to Liberty Lake. They suggest lower cost diesel units rather than electrically powered trains.
But Spokane Valley city councilman Rich Monson says area officials first must figure out how to pay for light rail before deciding to move forward. Otherwise, says Monson, the project will be an impossible sell.
Spokane city councilman Al French says knowing light rail’s cost and how to pay for it goes hand in hand with any decision to proceed – even if that decision is nothing more than right of way purchases and preliminary engineering.
A recent survey found local folks opposed to a local sales tax increase for light rail. It’s also questionable if Spokane could qualify for federal light rail money.
Spokane Public Radio
The Spokane region Light Rail Steering Committee spent years studying how, when – even if – to build a regional light rail public transit system. Members made their choice from a host of possibilities. But the committee’s work may not yet be complete.
The regional task force considered everything from a full-blown double track electrified system between downtown Spokane and Liberty Lake to rail stopping at University Road in Spokane Valley, with special buses covering the rest of the route.
Directors of the Spokane Transit Authority, which would operate light rail, and the Spokane Regional Transportation Council that commissioned the light rail study in the first place got together to hear the committee’s recommendations. Steering Committee chair Phyllis Holmes summed up.
“We have come to a fork in the road where we say we’ve analyzed these options. Now it’s time to move forward with an implementation plan and a funding strategy plan,” said Holmes. “But it is impractical and unrealistic to do that for all of the alternatives”
The steering committee thinks the region should proceed with a $300-million start up single track light rail system from downtown Spokane through Spokane Valley to Liberty Lake. They suggest lower cost diesel units rather than electrically powered trains.
But Spokane Valley city councilman Rich Monson says area officials first must figure out how to pay for light rail before deciding to move forward. Otherwise, says Monson, the project will be an impossible sell.
Spokane city councilman Al French says knowing light rail’s cost and how to pay for it goes hand in hand with any decision to proceed – even if that decision is nothing more than right of way purchases and preliminary engineering.
A recent survey found local folks opposed to a local sales tax increase for light rail. It’s also questionable if Spokane could qualify for federal light rail money.