Light Rail/Communter Rail to the Base and DC?

[sleuth]

Fairly "Calvert"-centric, aren't we?

You realize that a train from PAX to DC doesn't have to go anywhere *near* Calvert in order to serve St. Mary's and Charles.

But I wanna be included too!!!

 

[UrbanPancake]

What point would there be to spend millions in a rail system stretching to PAX if the area's economy collapsed? All that would be left is residential. And eventually the housing market would follow suit...

Take a look at those cities in the Mid West/Northern areas which were spawned by A.F. bases. When the base closed. The city closed.

The point is if the base did close shop, and we did have a commuter rail service in Lexington Park that traveled to DC, it would provide an economic opportunity for the residents that may be affected by the closing of the base. That in turn would slow (or control) the economic impact the closing of the base would have. I bet if the Base did close the former employee's of the base and the contractor's would search for employment within the District of Columbia if sufficient transportation was provided. Plus having a nice transportation package such as light rail to the base would help secure the base's longevity in the area. (BRAC would see that Southern Maryland is willing to invest in it's public transportation infrastructure, and with this investment the area could support even more military employees in the area, making it more viable and strategic to keep this particular base in operation)

 

[Ken King]

The point is if the base did close shop, and we did have a commuter rail service in Lexington Park that traveled to DC, it would provide an economic opportunity for the residents that may be affected by the closing of the base. That in turn would slow (or control) the economic impact the closing of the base would have. I bet if the Base did close the former employee's of the base and the contractor's would search for employment within the District of Columbia if sufficient transportation was provided. Plus having a nice transportation package such as light rail to the base would help secure the base's longevity in the area. (BRAC would see that Southern Maryland is willing to invest in it's public transportation infrastructure, and with this investment the area could support even more military employees in the area, making it more viable and strategic to keep this particular base in operation)

If the base closed up people would be leaving this area in droves looking for new employment or transferring with the leaving jobs and then there would be no population base to support light rail.

Any idea what a mile of track and all of the associated operating costs and infrastructure would cost for something like this?

 

[UrbanPancake]

The cost would be worth it. Do you really think everyone would leave? The DC area has a lot of high paying federal jobs. Plus a lot of the people that live down here like it here. I think they would stay. By train DC wouldn't be a very long commute, and the money would be worth it. People live in Southern Maryland not only for the jobs, but because they love the area. I'm not sure what you do KenKing but if you worked for a defense contractor and it closed would you leave the area for another job? Or would you stay here and try to find a job within the District?

 

[UrbanPancake]

Plus the cost would be financed through state, and local funding. The area could probably secure financing through the federal government. Why wouldn't they? There are a lot of federal employee's in Southern Maryland.

 

[dustin]

The cost would be worth it. Do you really think everyone would leave? The DC area has a lot of high paying federal jobs. Plus a lot of the people that live down here like it here. I think they would stay. By train DC wouldn't be a very long commute, and the money would be worth it. People live in Southern Maryland not only for the jobs, but because they love the area. I'm not sure what you do KenKing but if you worked for a defense contractor and it closed would you leave the area for another job? Or would you stay here and try to find a job within the District?

This area is not developed enough to even sustain a rail system as it is.

And yes most people would leave. Do you think a couple could afford the mortgage on a 300k house while both working at papa johns?

there is little industry in the area. the base takes its place. if the base closes all you have left is consumer and residential area. A city cannot sustain itself on those two alone. havent you ever played SimCity?

 

[Ken King]

The cost would be worth it. Do you really think everyone would leave? The DC area has a lot of high paying federal jobs. Plus a lot of the people that live down here like it here. I think they would stay. By train DC wouldn't be a very long commute, and the money would be worth it. People live in Southern Maryland not only for the jobs, but because they love the area. I'm not sure what you do KenKing but if you worked for a defense contractor and it closed would you leave the area for another job? Or would you stay here and try to find a job within the District?

Nope, not a contractor, a Fed. I would stay in the area, retire, and take the associated buy out that typically goes with a BRAC. Then I would hire on with another agency and probably end up inside the beltway for a couple years before retiring for good.

I think you are delusional if you think that either local or state money will be used for a rail system to support very few and without the base down here that is all you will have, very few. Right now it is like pulling teeth to get money for some of the proposals like the Hughesville bypass and the 235 upgrade. But then again you are of the liberal mindset and expect the government to just give in to all the demands regardless of whether they are fiscally sound and needed or not.

Also, who do you think will pay for it anyway should something like this go through? Right, we the people and why should I or anyone else have to pay higher taxes to finance this scheme just so you don’t have to drive to a job that you chose to take in the first place?

 

[UrbanPancake]

Why would they have to work at Papa John's? They could easily find employment with the federal government in the District of Columbia. I agree some people will leave if the base closes, but just imagine if you built a commuter rail service to DC. This would attract more residents to the area who don't work on base. This would also diversify the area. Here is some interesting information. About 70% of Charles county residents commute to PG and DC, and the same goes for Calvert. St. Mary's has a smaller percentage I think around 25-30%. But that could change with public transit options.
This area would see a housing boom around the transit stations, and the price of your homes would go up because a lot of people like to live near commuter rail stations.

 

[UrbanPancake]

Why shouldn't the people pay for a portion? If the people are riding it they should cover some of the cost. I wouldn't mind if my taxes went towards a project like this. It would reduce the pollution in our waterways, and reduce congestion. It's a win/win situation. I love St. Mary's county and a commuter rail service will help keep the county rural, and we wont have to build new highways. Development would be concentrated around the stations, and it would encourage use.

 

[UrbanPancake]

I rather see some of my tax dollars that are earmarked for building new roads be diverted to build more public transportation infrastructure. I would hate to see Southern Maryland become the jumbled highway mess that Northern Virginia has become.

 

[dustin]

Here is some interesting information. About 70% of Charles county residents commute to PG and DC, and the same goes for Calvert. St. Mary's has a smaller percentage I think around 25-30%. But that could change with public transit options.

Do you have a link to these stats?

This area would see a housing boom around the transit stations, and the price of your homes would go up because a lot of people like to live near commuter rail stations.

more like a "projects" boom...

 

[UrbanPancake]

With all this talk about building bypasses around Waldorf and Hughesville, no one has stopped to think about the fact that these bypasses will be obsolete within a matter of years. When you build more highways it only encourages more development which shrinks the capacity of the new and existing highways, which diminishes the positive and temporary effects these new bypasses will provide us with. Public transportation is not a short term fix. It's the start of a long term fix.

 

[Ken King]

Why shouldn't the people pay for a portion? If the people are riding it they should cover some of the cost. I wouldn't mind if my taxes went towards a project like this. It would reduce the pollution in our waterways, and reduce congestion. It's a win/win situation. I love St. Mary's county and a commuter rail service will help keep the county rural, and we wont have to build new highways. Development would be concentrated around the stations, and it would encourage use.

So for you a win/win situation is one where it benefits you even if it would never benefit me. I would rather see my tax dollars go to providing other things (paid fire and rescue) and not those that only would benefit a few. As many of us don't drive on the water I don't see how it would really benefit the waterways either. The rail system would have to consume some form of energy and expel its own form of pollution, displace more wildlife, encroach on already privately owned property, develop more congestion as the rails cut across established roadways and in general be an eye sore. If that is the progress that you want fine, get elected and get it approved. I don’t want that down here and I shouldn’t have to pay for it.

 

[UrbanPancake]

Do you have a link to these stats?



more like a "projects" boom...

Why do you say "projects"? In Howard, and Montgomery county they have rail stations and near these stations is the priciest real estate.

You know I don't have a link for the information that I provided. It was a state study that I researched a couple of months ago. I'll try to find the website for it. It may have been the MTA website. I'm not sure.

 

[UrbanPancake]

So for you a win/win situation is one where it benefits you even if it would never benefit me. I would rather see my tax dollars go to providing other things (paid fire and rescue) and not those that only would benefit a few. As many of us don't drive on the water I don't see how it would really benefit the waterways either. The rail system would have to consume some form of energy and expel its own form of pollution, displace more wildlife, encroach on already privately owned property, develop more congestion as the rails cut across established roadways and in general be an eye sore. If that is the progress that you want fine, get elected and get it approved. I don’t want that down here and I shouldn’t have to pay for it.

It would benefit you. It would help our waterways and improve the air quality in your neighborhood. It would also benefit your children by protecting their environment, and who knows they may ride this new transportation system. It would benefit you indirectly. I could say the same thing about the widening of Rt. 235. It doesn't benefit me because I don't work on Base. But it probably benefits someone else.

Why would it have to cut across roadways? You could have it run in tunnels under existing roadways and communities, at least that's the way it is in other places in Maryland.

 

[Ken King]

It would benefit you. It would help our waterways and improve the air quality in your neighborhood. It would also benefit your children by protecting their environment, and who knows they may ride this new transportation system. It would benefit you indirectly. I could say the same thing about the widening of Rt. 235. It doesn't benefit me because I don't work on Base. But it probably benefits someone else.

Why would it have to cut across roadways? You could have it run in tunnels under existing roadways and communities, at least that's the way it is in other places in Maryland.

Widening 235 doesn’t benefit me, except indirectly, as I don’t use it. Many do and it is to my advantage that they stay over there and off of 5 so I am cool with it. You say it doesn’t benefit you because you don’t work on the base. Do you shop any where in the county like down the California stretch? If so it does benefit you.

Because it would be good for you doesn’t mean it would be good for the entire county and that isn’t reason enough to build a light rail system. And again I’ll ask, what would it cost to lay down over 45 miles of rail, build ticketing and parking areas, and then operate and insure it for use? Lets see what we are talking about and what it would cost to the taxpayers before we say it would be good for all.

How do you know it will help the environment? What will be used to propel the rail cars? How will that energy be created and what are the associated pollution or risk of using that form of energy?

 

[UrbanPancake]

No it doesn't. The only time I go down that way sometimes on the weekends, but even if the road didnt' expand it wouldn't be congested on the weekends. So it doesn't benefit me. But I still think it was a good idea, regardless if it benefits me or not.

 

[UrbanPancake]

Widening 235 doesn’t benefit me, except indirectly, as I don’t use it. Many do and it is to my advantage that they stay over there and off of 5 so I am cool with it. You say it doesn’t benefit you because you don’t work on the base. Do you shop any where in the county like down the California stretch? If so it does benefit you.

Because it would be good for you doesn’t mean it would be good for the entire county and that isn’t reason enough to build a light rail system. And again I’ll ask, what would it cost to lay down over 45 miles of rail, build ticketing and parking areas, and then operate and insure it for use? Lets see what we are talking about and what it would cost to the taxpayers before we say it would be good for all.

How do you know it will help the environment? What will be used to propel the rail cars? How will that energy be created and what are the associated pollution or risk of using that form of energy?

If people asked the question that you just asked me, then nothing would ever be accomplished. Why do American's think they should get something for nothing? Roads have to be paid for? Schools have to be paid for? And so does public transportation! Get over it.

 

[Ken King]

You don't ask what something costs before buying it? You don't want to know about potential dangers before encountering them? You don't want to know if anyone will be significantly harmed by the required land acquisition necessary to undertake this endeavor? Besides, who said public transportation is a right and has to be grown any greater then providing roadways? Geeze oh flip, no wonder you're a Kerry Klown.

 

[UrbanPancake]

The county owns most of the rail right of way. So that wouldn't be a big issue. Yes I am concerned about the cost, but the economic impact it will have on this area will be substantial. The cost wouldn't be all at once. You start it in phases. Have it run to Waldorf or Brandywine, then extend it to Charlotte Hall. A project like this would take a long time to build, it wouldn't happen overnight. Who says road building is a right? I never said public transportation is a right. Do you commute on 301 and 5 in Brandywine?????? If you do, then you know something other then highway building has to be done. If you don't commute that way, then try it...you wont like it. I think it's immportant that we assess the price of public transportation before building it, but we shouldn't let it become a hinderance to the solution. No matter what Southern Maryland is growing and DC area residents are finding out that Southern Maryland has cheaper homes and land. Regardless if we have a base or not. Many people live in Southern Maryland and commute to DC. That's a fact. Highways become clogged and dangerous. Rail service would help reduce conjestion and make our highways safer for our citizens.