Re: The insane progress nobody is talking about

On Fri, 28 Jun 2024 03:59:22 -0000 (UTC),
wollman@hergotha.csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) wrote:

In article <v5knpl$ss2$1@panix2.panix.com>,
Scott Dorsey <kludge@panix.com> wrote:
>

Boston and DC both have systems built that way, with no rings at all, and
it is increasingly limiting their usefulness as fewer and fewer people are
working in the city center.

>
Except that's not true for Boston: it's in the suburbs where the real
commercial real estate crash has taken place, lots of empty space in
office parks in the 495 belt because it's just too inconvenient,
especially for RE that was historically dominated by industries that
are still largely work-from-home compatible.  Kendall, Longwood, the
Back Bay, and the Seaport are all well leased and have most of the
wet-lab space beloved of our principal industry.
>
Now it would be great if the MBTA's construction costs weren't insane
and they were capable of doing design and engineering work in-house so
they weren't hiring outside contractors for the simplest projects.
Then maybe they could actually build the North-South Rail Link at
an internationally competitive price rather than trying to give New
York and London a run for the Guinness world record for most expensive
mile of tunnel.  That might actually make some of those more suburban
office locations worthwhile, if they're reasonably close to a
commuter-rail line.  (Many of them still aren't, but could be if the
MBTA had the slightest amount of strategy.)

Perhaps a thorough audit focused on where the money is going (ie, how
many brothers-in-law of various officials are getting the contracts)
would help.

This is /exactly/ the sort of task a sane Republican would seem to be
ideal for.
--
"Here lies the Tuscan poet Aretino,
Who evil spoke of everyone but God,
Giving as his excuse, 'I never knew him.'"