Thanks to my friend Dave Hughes from Washington whose words of wisdom appear in the JSEB section of today's paper. Durbin, Mingus, and now, Ardis, and of course, Kohlbuss and Ray LaHood, want to make the State Of Illinois and the City of Peoria "broker" than they are now.
So $10 million or so will be spent on studying this new thoroughfare for years. "At the end of the day" these engineers and consultants will "guess" that the cost will be closer to $300 million plus higher guessed at daily operating and maintenance costs, inconvenience to the those who are affected by property re-designs, space allocations and environmental concerns like tearing up more farmland.
Whoever concocted the low estimates was taking a wild guess just like they thought LaHood's Rt. 29 to Rt. 80 was first guessed to be $300 million and then quickly guessed to be $600 million before they stopped studying this creature of those who are smarter than the rest of us.
This east west and west east hi-speed rail mad idea has so many problems they are almost to numerous to state but then the consultants and engineers will minimize these problems to please the "leaders" who hired them to do the study. But I'll list a few:
Where do you start and end? In Bloomington or Normal; in Peoria or East Peoria.
And exactly where like airport to airport, downtown to downtown, baseball field to baseball field, universities and colleges to universities and colleges, To be effective at all, two rails would need to be laid. Let's say the rail goes from airport to airport. I live on the west end and need to be at the east end by 8:00 while you live on the east end and need to be on the west end by 8:00. Two rails and two trains.
There is no way this plan would work if I have use a vehicle to get to the take-off site, park my vehicle (who will pay for the new parking lots or will I be charged to park?) have someone pick me up (an inconvenience) at the other end or hire a taxi or ride a bus or bicycle or what?
In fact, the rider will have to wait 10 minutes for the train to leave the station; yes, there will be need of a station at each end. And they will need to be at the station on time or they wait for the next run on whih they may be the only passengers.
If the train starts in Peoria, will it stop in East Peoria? What about Morton? or Congerville. And the same on the return trip? And what if I want to go over and have dinner with a friend or customer? Will the trains run at all hours?
If the plan is for only one train reversing direction would create an expensive problem. In fact, it wouldn't work at all if commuters have time schedules to meet.
I'll stop here. This idea is one of the most stupid ideas proposed by any appointed public boss or an elected official. Really intelligent people are not interested in running for office for fear somewhere in their background, they offended some race or woman. Look what the media is doing to Cain and we don't even know if he did anything worth public interest. Large organizations are quick to settle any charge, no matter how stupid, just to get it over and get on with business.
The harassment charges against then Mayor Maloof were so ridiculous but unfortunately Peoria is blessed with more than their share of tort attorneys. (and vindictive women from opposite political parties or ethnic group).
Anyway, it is time to vote out every councilperson but Sandberg, Weaver, Akeson and maybe Dan Irving, who I think is being pissed on by........or anyone who supports the expensive studies on one of the most stupid ideas I have ever heard.
Mingus for a office higher than the one he holds? Another tragedy in Springfield? We already have more than enough. Those lame brainers are still handing out questionable grants when they can't even pay their normal course of business bills.
And who is going to pay for this stupid idea of hi-speed rail? Not the 51% who don't pay income tax, that's for sure.
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