BIKE: Poor little monorail, nobody loves it.

[Fred Meredith]

Just passing on the news from a reporter friend in Vegas.

Begin forwarded message:

> Date: January 27, 2005 12:26:30 PM CST
> To: bikin-fred
>
> \beginstory
> BC-NV--Vegas Monorail,403
> AP NewsBreak: Feds turn down funds for Vegas monorail extension
> agtt1
> \Quadcenter{By ADAM GOLDMAN }
> \Quadcenter{Associated Press Writer }
>
>    LAS VEGAS (AP) - Plans to build a downtown extension of the Las
> Vegas monorail have been scrapped after city and transportation
> officials learned the federal government will not fund the project.
>
>    The Department of Transportation will not recommend the 2.3-mile
> extension when it publishes a notice in the Federal Register next
> month, Ingrid Reisman, a spokeswoman with the Regional
> Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, confirmed Wednesday.
>
>    ``We can submit for funding again in August for the president's
> '07 budget,'' Reisman told The Associated Press. ``We are looking
> at alternative technologies.''
>
>    Reisman said a major factor in failing to get federal approval
> turned out to be poor ridership numbers in the first phase of the
> monorail.
>
>    The $650 million monorail, which began running a 3.9-mile,
> Z-shaped route in July behind some of the Las Vegas Strip's largest
> hotels, had to show a need for an extension, she said. Organizers
> had hoped the privately funded project would cover its debts and
> operating budget by attracting 19 million to 20 million people
> riders a year.
>
>    But ridership was reduced drastically when mechanical problems
> shut down the monorail for nearly four months before it finally
> reopened in late December.
>
>    Organizers had hoped to open a $396 million extension to
> downtown by 2007 and were considering a connection to McCarran
> International Airport.
>
>    Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said it wasn't a surprise the
> extension didn't get the nod after the monorail's startup problems,
> which also caused its opening to be delayed six months.
>
>    Goodman said he already has been looking at cheaper, alternative
> funding for a light-rail system or high-tech buses.
>
>    ``As far as I'm concerned, I wish the monorail well. ... but we
> are not going to mourn it,'' Goodman said.
>
>    Cam Walker, the president and CEO of Transit Systems Management,
> the private company that operates the monorail for the nonprofit
> Las Vegas Monorail Co., said his company has no immediate plans to
> extend the monorail in any direction.
>
>    ``We're very focused on and pleased to be in service,'' Walker
> said. ``The opportunities for enhancing the system are not our
> priority right now.''
>
>
> \Quadcenter{--- }
>
>    On the Net: Las Vegas Monorail: http://www.lvmonorail.com
>
> \endstory
>
>
When in doubt, ride your bike … or at least write about it!

Fred Meredith
P.O. Box 100
Manchaca, TX 78652
512/282-1987 (voice)
512/282-7413 (fax)
512/636-7480 (wireless)
visit <http://2merediths.com> for writings and photos
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