Merely note that only now, with the boondoggle underway, comes ephemeral (and entirely phantom) "concern" on the part of the leading element over the economic impact of tolling, whereas the economic impact study on small business given lip service by certain bridges junta members two years ago has ... wait for it ... never, ever materialized. Never even been mentioned since then. Done gone and disappeared, not unlike the credibility of the junta's membership.
From New Albany's perspective, a platoon of cloned Einsteins aren't necessary to gauge the likely impact of tolling, whether pertaining to low-income and minority users or higher-income majority users. The bridge with no tolls (Sherman Minton) will become the chosen means to give tolls a miss, with the likely consequence of rendering the city's already indefensible one-way streets into choked non-arteries filled with pass-throughs, whose only objective is traveling elsewhere.
And yet still there is no plan for adapting the street grid to fast approaching realities. Instead, we seem intent on spending money on every other conceivable "lifestyle" project except the chief means of accessing them.
New Albany's never been a paragon of priorities, but really?
First of two open houses held on tolling, by Braden Lammers (N and T)
Residents again came out to voice their opinions at a meeting to collect public comments on the Ohio River Bridges Project, but few believe anything will change.
More than 120 people attended the public open house held to gather comments on the economic impacts of tolling for the bridges project on low-income and minority users.
I get so tired of hearing, "It's only $1 for frequent commuters". Of course, you have to go home, so that's another $1. EXCEPT that month that you take a week's vacation. Then you pay $60 for crossing the 15 days you work instead of the $40 you pay when you work 20 days. More vacations and/or sick days. Don't take too many in any one time period or you lose your frequent commuter status.
ReplyDeleteThe other time I get tired of the "It's only $1" is when discussing KY customers coming to Southern Indiana. IT'S NOT JUST A DOLLAR. Most of those customers will not be "frequent" either, so you are talking about a $4 round trip from KY to a business in Southern Indiana.
Does anyone really believe that won't hurt businesses in Southern Indiana?
In answer to the OP question: Yes, really.
ReplyDeleteAs if I didn't know it would be waste of time, I actually read the document made available prior to these meetings about the "effects of tolling".
The only effects discussed were the ones included in the federal documentation which couldn't be avoided. The remainder of the local document mostly explains proposed mitigation suggestions that they've already ruled out-- prior, of course, to these farcical public input charades.