LunchMasterFlex t1_j5yrd1f wrote
No one wants to hear it, but we need a federal public transit agency with the authority directly create infrastructure without the approval of local jurisdictions and agencies. There’s so much waste and corruption in these projects.
CaptainKoconut t1_j5yvhv7 wrote
I mean then you would get projects designed and executed by people with even less knowledge of the local community and its needs. I agree the red tape and beauracracy in NYC is ridiculous but I don't think a federal agency is the solution. This coming from someone who still believes the federal govt can do good things.
trainmaster611 t1_j5ywt3b wrote
Who says they wouldn't be local people? The federal government already employs locally-focused community officials all over the country. They would just have the authority of the federal government.
CaptainKoconut t1_j5yxlhs wrote
I think the other commenter raised a great point - a national transit agency is also susceptible to national politics, and then you risk transit dollars being diverted to where they're not needed. Also, the federal government can't just do whatever the hell it wants where it wants - they still have go through regulations, they might face lawsuits from state and local groups, they still have to contract companies to do the construction.
trainmaster611 t1_j5yz82v wrote
Sure, it's not an end all be all and I'm not even saying I'm on board with the idea necessarily. I'm just taking issue with the idea that it would be a bunch of bureaucrats in a far off place that wouldn't know what's going on.
Historical_Pair3057 t1_j5z22qd wrote
How about just regional transit authorities then? I'd be happy if we just considered the transit need to move around the region.
Rottimer t1_j5yurz3 wrote
That won’t necessarily solve the issue. Taking the politics to the national level can help some thing but hurt others. We have scores of M1 Abrams tanks sitting unused in fields because the manufacturer is great at lobbying congressmen to not put their people out of work.
You’d probably end up with modern, expensive, state of the art and unused transit projects in Kansas while the MTA gets little or nothing because that’s how congress often works.
Edit: grammar
LunchMasterFlex t1_j5yvgmq wrote
Those tanks are in the move currently.
I’m just looking at the UK’s public transit system and sighing wistfully.
yuriydee t1_j5zdcsh wrote
I would say in our case we need at the bare minimum a interstate agency solely dedicated to transit in our metropolitan area. We have like 5 agencies now serving NJ and NY and all act in their own self interests, instead of the interest of commuters and citizens. As others mentioned a federal agency isnt really ideal here.
LunchMasterFlex t1_j5ze8cs wrote
A Northeast Corridor Transit Authority. You have my vote for Regional Train Daddy.
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