San Jose Mercury-News headline on March 4:
Contra Costa County tax measure to tame traffic appears headed for defeat
The San Francisco Chronicle’s coverage of the vote noted the funding measure “drew criticism from government watchdogs who said the money would do little to unclog roads and freeways.”
The Mercury-News headline and Chronicle story may reveal a touch of media misunderstanding about why rail systems are built. If the news media don’t get it, the public may not have understood it either.
Rail projects don’t “tame traffic” or “unclog roads and freeways.” They provide the public with an alternative to road congestion.
Tired of fighting traffic? Take the train!
Researchers have written extensively about the tendency of car drivers to fill any perceived open space on highways; you can read about it here. But enough Honolulu commuters will resist that tendency to make Honolulu rail a tremendous success.
Rail’s supporters would do well to keep reminding their friends and neighbors of the project’s goals. The train will deliver commuters from one end of the system to the other in only 42 minutes -- with no traffic congestion to slow the trip!
There’s nothing “government watchdogs” can say that will diminish rail's no-traffic appeal.
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