Metro to Dulles International approved!

bobabode · #1 07-03-2012, 11:17 PM

Sounds like the luddites finally lost the battle. Story from WaPo. Can't imagine why anyone would oppose this extension of the DC Metro system. Loudon Co. Va. board of supervisors voted 5 to 4 in favor.

BlueStreak · #2 07-03-2012, 11:34 PM

Because they're a bunch of dicks, Bob.

We have rich people here complaining about plans to extend the light rail down to the Ocean Front. Why? Because it will let in too much "riff-raff" from Norfolk and Portsmouth. But, no. Of course they insist that there is nothing "snobbish" about their stance.

What's amazing is it's not like Virginia Beach is some exclusive hoity-toity uppercrust beach to begin with. Hell, all of the "riff-raff" from around here goes to Va. Beach. If you want to go where there is no "riff-raff" you go to Sandbridge or Little Island.

Like I said, they're just a bunch of dicks.

bobabode · #3 07-04-2012, 12:21 AM

We had a different name for Virginia Beach when I lived in the DC area.

Boreas · #4 07-04-2012, 06:59 AM

When the Baltimore light rail system was being planned several upper crust neighborhoods along the route blocked the creation of stops in their vicinity. They couldn't prevent the riff-raff from coming through their neighborhood but they'd be damned if they were going to let them get off there.

John

finnbow · #5 07-04-2012, 10:21 AM

This decision/controversy had nothing to do with fear of miscreants coming into the neighborhood as was the case for not bringing DC's Metro into Georgetown (way back when). What this was mostly about was that Metro's governing board (comprised of folks from organized labor-friendly Maryland and DC (Democrats) and labor-unfriendly Virginia (Republicans)) insisting upon a Project Labor Agreement in a Right-to-Work state. VA's Republicans were willing to go to the mat on this one and forgo this highly important project if it meant doing it with a PLA.

Boreas · #6 07-04-2012, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by finnbow

This decision/controversy had nothing to do with fear of miscreants coming into the neighborhood as was the case for not bringing DC's Metro into Georgetown (way back when). What this was mostly about was that Metro's governing board (comprised of folks from organized labor-friendly Maryland and DC (Democrats) and labor-unfriendly Virginia (Republicans)) insisting upon a Project Labor Agreement in a Right-to-Work state. VA's Republicans were willing to go to the mat on this one and forgo this highly important project if it meant doing it with a PLA.

Elitism either way you slice it.

John

Rex E. · #7 07-04-2012, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boreas

When the Baltimore light rail system was being planned several upper crust neighborhoods along the route blocked the creation of stops in their vicinity. They couldn't prevent the riff-raff from coming through their neighborhood but they'd be damned if they were going to let them get off there.

John

I watched what they feared come to fruition in the St. Louis area. Are people wrong for wanting to protect their families and investments?

Nothing like a few east St. Louis gangs roaming around your shopping area to run off business and cause the places to shut down. Not to mention the theft and worse the shooting each other at Metrolink stops........

Boreas · #8 07-04-2012, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rex E.

I watched what they feared come to fruition in the St. Louis area. Are people wrong for wanting to protect their families and investments?

Nothing like a few east St. Louis gangs roaming around your shopping area to run off business and cause the places to shut down. Not to mention the theft and worse the shooting each other at Metrolink stops........

Wouldn't have been applicable in this case, my old neighborhood. It's almost entirely residential with just a smattering of high end mom & pop retailers. The concern was that people would ride the train up to Ruxton-Riderwood, steal your big screen TV and take it back to the ghetto on the train. As a result the area is severely underserved by public transportation... but who needs that when you've got your BMW and Lexus SUV in the carriage house?

John

merrylander · #9 07-04-2012, 11:48 AM

No point them coming here, all we have in the carriage house is a Club Car golf cart.

Boreas · #10 07-04-2012, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by merrylander

No point them coming here, all we have in the carriage house is a Club Car golf cart.

Hey, did you ever see David Lynch's "The Straight Story"? You can get pretty far on things like that!

More to Rex's point. There are places along the light rail route that might be susceptible to the sort of thing that happened in St. Louis, plenty of them, but it hasn't been a problem. Don't know why. Maybe effective policing but the light rail has been a decided plus for the metro area.

John