Fares: Maybe buses should be free

The Economist: " Fares bring in a lot of money, but they cost money to collect—6% of the MTA's budget, according to a 2007 report in New York magazine. Fare boxes and turnstiles have to be maintained; buses idle while waiting for passengers to pay up, wasting fuel; and everyone loses time. Proof-of-payment systems don't solve the problem of fare-collection costs as they require inspectors and other staff to handle enforcement, paperwork and payment processing. Making buses and subways free, on the other hand, would increase passenger numbers, opening up space on the streets for essential traffic and saving time by reducing road congestion."

Economist article leaves out the biggest cost. The opportunity costs of lost riders, those who are turned away by fares. The marginal cost of an additional rider is small but the benefit is great. First, more riders means lower unit costs, or better return on fixed investment. Also more riders means better quality of life via greater freedom of movement in the city, and fewer people on the roads.

354,000 people a day in Times Square, but 90% of space allocated to cars

NYTimes.com: "Discussing the need that she feels for pedestrian zones, she talked about “354,000 people going through Times Square every day, and you had 90 percent of the space there allocated to cars.” Slow buses? “Twenty-five percent of the delay is waiting to get on the bus.” Bicycles? “In the last Quinnipiac poll, New Yorkers gave 66 percent support for bike lanes. We saw 72 percent support for bike share.”"

How many new roads have we built since 1990 and how much is it costing us?

Buffalo Rising: "Even as our population has declined over the past two decades, Erie and Niagara Counties have built 525 miles of new roads adding more than $26 million in road maintenance costs every year."

'via Blog this'

Do you like #publictransit, #walkability in Albany,NY? Then re-elect Leah Golby

GOLBY CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES KEY ENDORSEMENTS: "
Albany, NY (June 6, 2013) -- Leah Golby's campaign announced three key endorsements today in her re-election bid for Albany's 10th Ward Common Council seat. The announcement comes on the heels of Monday's passage of her Complete Streets ordinance, which has been lauded by state and national Complete Streets advocates. Leah Golby has been cited for her leadership on the Albany Common Council during her first term, and her dedication to progressive values in Albany."

The bill for Robert Moses's dream has come. Ready to pay? #agw

Bloomberg Outlines $20 Billion Storm Protection Plan - NYTimes.com: "The cost of fortifying critical infrastructure like the power grid, retrofitting older buildings to withstand powerful storms, and defending the coastline was estimated to be $20 billion, according to a 430-page report outlining the proposals."