For those of you concerned/interested in the outcome of the Portland North Alternative Modes project study - consider commenting to this rule-making
www.fta.dot.gov/news/news_events_11721.html
Changes Will Spotlight Economic Development and Environmental Benefits
Building on a policy shift announced earlier this year by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the Federal Transit Administration today asked for public comment on how to change the way major transit project proposals seeking federal funding are rated and evaluated.
“Today, we begin seeking ideas that will improve our current rating and evaluation process to ensure we invest wisely in public transportation infrastructure projects of national importance,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We must fairly evaluate all advantages that a transit project may offer, including economic development opportunities and environmental benefits.”
The FTA published the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) in the Federal Register on Thursday, June 3, 2010. In doing so, the agency seeks public comment on how best to evaluate significant transit infrastructure investments by looking for ways to measure cost-effectiveness, including broad public benefits such as economic development, land use and environmental impacts in the evaluation process.
“Major transit improvements are at the center of President Obama’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower oil consumption, and improve our quality of life,” said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “The Administration is developing criteria that will appropriately measure all of the benefits these projects bring to their communities. We need the public’s input to help get it done.”
The rule is part of an ongoing effort to change how projects are selected to receive federal financial assistance in FTA’s New Starts and Small Starts programs. The first step in this initiative came in January, when the FTA rescinded budget restrictions issued by the Bush Administration in 2005 that focused primarily on how much a project shortened average commute times in comparison to its cost. The goal of the action being announced today is to take into consideration the many benefits that transit can provide where the investment would make communities more livable such as underserved areas or those with the densest population and employment.
In addition to soliciting public input on the federal government’s docket website, Regulations.gov, ( http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#submitComment?R=0900006480afab90) the FTA is planning to hold a number of public listening sessions. Information concerning specific dates and locations of these listening sessions will be issued in a future Federal Register Notice. Input received from these meetings will be incorporated into a future proposed rulemaking, before the rule becomes final.
FTA will host numerous ANPRM presentations throughout the country. Click here for dates and times of the outreach sessions.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
May 19 Rail Forum - "Linking Livability, Sustainability, and Transit in the 21st Century"
May 19 Rail Forum - "Linking Livability, Sustainability, and Transit in the 21st Century"
Wednesday May 19th
6 - 9 PM
Lee Room, Wishcamper Center
USM Portland
Moderator - Tony Donovan - Maine Rail Transit Coalition (WWW.Manerailtransit.org)
Sustainable Communities Partnership
Featured Speaker - Noah Berger - Program Manager Federal Transit Administration
Maine Livability Project- Island Explorer, Acadia
Sue Moreau- MDOT Public Transportation Director
Status of Federal Transportation Authorization
Office of Congressman Michael Michaud
Balancing our Investments in Rails and Roads
Paul Weiss - Sierra Club - Maine, Energy and Transportation Committee
Panel Discussion with Q & A to follow
Sponsored by: Sierra Club Maine Chapter, Maine Rail Transit Coalition, Maine Eastern Railroad, US Rail Car, Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, Lewiston-Auburn Railway
Free and Open to the Public
Light Refreshments
Wednesday May 19th
6 - 9 PM
Lee Room, Wishcamper Center
USM Portland
Moderator - Tony Donovan - Maine Rail Transit Coalition (WWW.Manerailtransit.org)
Sustainable Communities Partnership
Featured Speaker - Noah Berger - Program Manager Federal Transit Administration
Maine Livability Project- Island Explorer, Acadia
Sue Moreau- MDOT Public Transportation Director
Status of Federal Transportation Authorization
Office of Congressman Michael Michaud
Balancing our Investments in Rails and Roads
Paul Weiss - Sierra Club - Maine, Energy and Transportation Committee
Panel Discussion with Q & A to follow
Sponsored by: Sierra Club Maine Chapter, Maine Rail Transit Coalition, Maine Eastern Railroad, US Rail Car, Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, Lewiston-Auburn Railway
Free and Open to the Public
Light Refreshments
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Public Meeting Announcement Portland North Small Starts Study
Public Meeting Announcement
Portland North Small Starts Study
Room 109 of the Abromson Center at USM in Portland
6 to 8 PM on Wednesday, April 28th
The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) is considering implementing either rail or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Portland and destinations north of Portland. This Public Meeting will give the latest update on the study and provide an opportunity for public comment.
Agenda
1. Summary of process to date
a. Process
b. Alternatives considered
2. Results of Phase 1 Analysis
3. Overview of Phase 2
4. Next Steps
5. Schedule Update
To find out more about the Portland North Small Starts Study, go to the Maine DOT website at: http://www.maine.gov/mdot/portlandnorth/
Portland North Small Starts Study
Room 109 of the Abromson Center at USM in Portland
6 to 8 PM on Wednesday, April 28th
The Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) is considering implementing either rail or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service between Portland and destinations north of Portland. This Public Meeting will give the latest update on the study and provide an opportunity for public comment.
Agenda
1. Summary of process to date
a. Process
b. Alternatives considered
2. Results of Phase 1 Analysis
3. Overview of Phase 2
4. Next Steps
5. Schedule Update
To find out more about the Portland North Small Starts Study, go to the Maine DOT website at: http://www.maine.gov/mdot/portlandnorth/
Thursday, February 11, 2010
GET THERE - Our answer to Portland North
Well, for those of you who may be following this blog - I just found it again. Seems google changed the way to log in and for the life of me I could not figure it out. I have plenty of patience when it comes to riding a train. But none when it comes to technology....
THE GOOD news . The Maine Rail Transit Coalition is now a Mine registered Not For Profit Corporation. And, today we presented to the City governments of Portland, Lewiston and Auburn a strategic plan for the restoration of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic railway Transportation corridor from Portland's ocean gateway to the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport. The next step on the route to Canada and to real rail transit for the commuting population of southern-central Maine.
Next Post I will attached the full report GET THERE: Constructive Transportation for Portland North. But for now, here is the Executive Summary. Thanks to all those who contributed to this excellent report...
GET THERE: Constructive Transportation for PORTLAND NORTH
“. . . to elevate rail transportation to its proper balance in transportation investments, planning and decision-making.”
February 11, 2010
by the Maine Rail Transit Coalition
Executive Summary
"THERE: Constructive Transportation for Portland North" presents a strategy to maximize Maine's response to key opportunities for transit investments north of Portland.
Economic and environmental considerations are driving the U.S. Federal government rapidly back toward rail transportation to move people and goods, and the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responding with the statewide Maine State Rail Plan and with the Portland North Project Alternative Modes project study to assess transit alternatives to automobile travel north of the City of Portland.
Maine has impressed the nation with our Downeaster passenger rail success, proving that rail passenger service works in mid-sized metropolitan areas – and that it works in Maine. Thus, the Downeaster rail service will be expanded and further Maine passenger and commuter rail services must be quickly and seriously evaluated. .
The Portland-Auburn region is blessed with rail corridors, some of which have been well maintained and preserved – including the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway (SLR) corridor from downtown Portland all the way to Montreal, Canada – a rail corridor that links Portland with towns to the north over a clean route relatively unencumbered by road crossings and by other rail traffic.
The convergence of these circumstances makes a strong case for re-establishing passenger commuter rail service on the St. Lawrence and Atlantic rail line linking the multi-modal downtown Portland transit area at Ocean Gateway/Maine State Pier with Yarmouth Junction and with the Lewiston-Auburn Regional Airport and rail intermodal facility. This in turn creates the base for direct rail transportation linkage with the large metropolitan market area to the north – Montreal.
This rail development will serve the need for a Portland North commuter transit alternative while simultaneously laying the groundwork for further SLR service enhancement for the passengers, freight and economy of the 3-county region – Cumberland, Androscoggin and Oxford.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) “Small Starts” funding is appropriate and potentially available for this development. Under new federal administration, Small Starts funding criteria shifted away from simply short-term cost effectiveness and toward long-term environmental protection, economic development and congestion relief. The SLR opportunity now becomes very compelling based on service quality to commuters, operational economics and safety, environmental considerations, economic development opportunities and the very significant issue of transportation linkage between Maine's two largest economic and population areas – Portland and Lewiston-Auburn.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - 1 Background and Objectives
The State of Maine has achieved widely recognized success investing in railway corridors and rail services including the Downeaster service, procurement and maintenance of railways, plus planned future rail investments in Southern and Central Maine to advance freight, passenger and commuter transportation service at the metro area, statewide and regional levels including connections to Canada.
Maine's success with rail makes Maine people, communities, state government and federal agencies supportive of further rail development progress in Maine.
The best opportunities to further rail progress are being clarified now through two rail planning initiatives:
* The Maine State Rail Plan to prioritize railway corridors for investments, and
* The Portland North Alternative Modes Project study, a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) analysis of commuter transit alternatives to alleviate congestion on highways north of Portland that deals with alternatives for moving people in and out of Portland.
This Maine Rail Transit Coalition's report summarizes how the combined objectives of the Portland North Project, the State Rail Plan, plus sustainable economic develop objectives of three counties (Oxford, Androscoggin and Cumberland), are strongly and perhaps best served by focusing on commuter rail service for the Portland-Yarmouth-Auburn SLR corridor.
Upgrading this Railway Transportation Corridor for passenger service at reasonable speeds gets the region to the commuter service future envisioned by the Portland North Project and at the same time positions Maine for Boston-Portland-Auburn/Lewiston-Montreal rail service– a very valuable linkage of 4 urban areas plus Maine's Oxford County important recreational regions.
The SLR route provides connectivity to the Downeaster Amtrak service at Yarmouth Junction, to ferry and cruise ship business at the Ocean Gateway Center in downtown Portland and to air transportation and further rail linkages at the Lewiston/Auburn Regional Airport.
Our objective is to add to the Portland North analysis with additional considerations around commuter passenger rail and how transportation, energy and environmental policies impact the real lives of people in a world where gasoline/automobile dependency must diminish.
THE GOOD news . The Maine Rail Transit Coalition is now a Mine registered Not For Profit Corporation. And, today we presented to the City governments of Portland, Lewiston and Auburn a strategic plan for the restoration of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic railway Transportation corridor from Portland's ocean gateway to the Auburn-Lewiston Municipal Airport. The next step on the route to Canada and to real rail transit for the commuting population of southern-central Maine.
Next Post I will attached the full report GET THERE: Constructive Transportation for Portland North. But for now, here is the Executive Summary. Thanks to all those who contributed to this excellent report...
GET THERE: Constructive Transportation for PORTLAND NORTH
“. . . to elevate rail transportation to its proper balance in transportation investments, planning and decision-making.”
February 11, 2010
by the Maine Rail Transit Coalition
Executive Summary
"THERE: Constructive Transportation for Portland North" presents a strategy to maximize Maine's response to key opportunities for transit investments north of Portland.
Economic and environmental considerations are driving the U.S. Federal government rapidly back toward rail transportation to move people and goods, and the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responding with the statewide Maine State Rail Plan and with the Portland North Project Alternative Modes project study to assess transit alternatives to automobile travel north of the City of Portland.
Maine has impressed the nation with our Downeaster passenger rail success, proving that rail passenger service works in mid-sized metropolitan areas – and that it works in Maine. Thus, the Downeaster rail service will be expanded and further Maine passenger and commuter rail services must be quickly and seriously evaluated. .
The Portland-Auburn region is blessed with rail corridors, some of which have been well maintained and preserved – including the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway (SLR) corridor from downtown Portland all the way to Montreal, Canada – a rail corridor that links Portland with towns to the north over a clean route relatively unencumbered by road crossings and by other rail traffic.
The convergence of these circumstances makes a strong case for re-establishing passenger commuter rail service on the St. Lawrence and Atlantic rail line linking the multi-modal downtown Portland transit area at Ocean Gateway/Maine State Pier with Yarmouth Junction and with the Lewiston-Auburn Regional Airport and rail intermodal facility. This in turn creates the base for direct rail transportation linkage with the large metropolitan market area to the north – Montreal.
This rail development will serve the need for a Portland North commuter transit alternative while simultaneously laying the groundwork for further SLR service enhancement for the passengers, freight and economy of the 3-county region – Cumberland, Androscoggin and Oxford.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) “Small Starts” funding is appropriate and potentially available for this development. Under new federal administration, Small Starts funding criteria shifted away from simply short-term cost effectiveness and toward long-term environmental protection, economic development and congestion relief. The SLR opportunity now becomes very compelling based on service quality to commuters, operational economics and safety, environmental considerations, economic development opportunities and the very significant issue of transportation linkage between Maine's two largest economic and population areas – Portland and Lewiston-Auburn.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - 1 Background and Objectives
The State of Maine has achieved widely recognized success investing in railway corridors and rail services including the Downeaster service, procurement and maintenance of railways, plus planned future rail investments in Southern and Central Maine to advance freight, passenger and commuter transportation service at the metro area, statewide and regional levels including connections to Canada.
Maine's success with rail makes Maine people, communities, state government and federal agencies supportive of further rail development progress in Maine.
The best opportunities to further rail progress are being clarified now through two rail planning initiatives:
* The Maine State Rail Plan to prioritize railway corridors for investments, and
* The Portland North Alternative Modes Project study, a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) analysis of commuter transit alternatives to alleviate congestion on highways north of Portland that deals with alternatives for moving people in and out of Portland.
This Maine Rail Transit Coalition's report summarizes how the combined objectives of the Portland North Project, the State Rail Plan, plus sustainable economic develop objectives of three counties (Oxford, Androscoggin and Cumberland), are strongly and perhaps best served by focusing on commuter rail service for the Portland-Yarmouth-Auburn SLR corridor.
Upgrading this Railway Transportation Corridor for passenger service at reasonable speeds gets the region to the commuter service future envisioned by the Portland North Project and at the same time positions Maine for Boston-Portland-Auburn/Lewiston-Montreal rail service– a very valuable linkage of 4 urban areas plus Maine's Oxford County important recreational regions.
The SLR route provides connectivity to the Downeaster Amtrak service at Yarmouth Junction, to ferry and cruise ship business at the Ocean Gateway Center in downtown Portland and to air transportation and further rail linkages at the Lewiston/Auburn Regional Airport.
Our objective is to add to the Portland North analysis with additional considerations around commuter passenger rail and how transportation, energy and environmental policies impact the real lives of people in a world where gasoline/automobile dependency must diminish.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Taken for a Ride - GM and the Rail
You may reject the following video presentation, or you may not. But from the perspective of the MRTC, this is what we are up against. Nothing necessarily against these fine gentlemen from Detroit and Washington for building an industry that resulted in the employment of tens of thousands of workers, and of course enormous financial returns, nothing against them that is if their business model held up. But, reality is, the global dependence on the single-occupancy vehicle, powered by an internal combustion engine, or the imagined electric "Volt", we now have a system of transportation that is neither efficient, nor economical and is doing great environmental damage as it drains the pockets of consumers and taxpayers.
In our humble opinion, this story says it all. Think Train Time
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2486235784907931000#
In our humble opinion, this story says it all. Think Train Time
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2486235784907931000#
Friday, December 18, 2009
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