As the Bridges Authority hires investment bankers to advise them on financing the $4.1 Billion ORBP, local citizens are beginning to organize opposition to tolling Louisville's bridges.
There are two new groups on Facebook (here and here) and reports of a new website coming online in the near future. Check them out and become a fan if you don't support tolling.
Louisville History & Issues did a full wrap up on last week's Mayoral Debate and here is what they had to say.
The Courier-Journal's recent Building Bridges editorial was another attempt by the editorial board to try to scare politicians into supporting the $4.1 Billion Ohio River Bridges Project. But it's not going to work because people are tired of it. After praising their beloved Mayor Abramson for saying that he sees "light at the end of the bridges", they had the audacity to say:
"the community should insist that candidates who aspire to city and state leadership fully embrace the bridges project"
If you don't agree, take a minute to let them know why they are wrong. They have been doing this for years, but their tactics are running a little thin (like the paper, come to think of it). They went on to misrepresent the project:
"It shouldn't be necessary to repeat this for mayoral candidates, but here goes: The record of decision for the project is a done deal, arrived at after years of study and discussion and agreed to by a broad consensus of the political and business leadership in two states. It calls for both bridges to be pursued at the same time, and for good reason."
According to the ORBP website, the East End Bridge is to be completed before construction on the downtown bridge even begins. They imply that both bridges must be built at the same time, but that's factually incorrect and very intentional misleading.
"Politics, power and obstruction: Has Louisville's most prominent preservation group lost its vision?"
Steven Shaw did a heck of a job covering a very difficult story. Read it!
Governor Steve Beshear appoints Transportation Authority members (VilleVoice)
The growing failure of Public Private Partnerships (Infrastructurist)
Walter Kulash - author of 8664 Feasibility Study - named one of the 100 Top Urban Thinkers (Planetizen)
You can read the C-J's story or get some clarity over at the newly redesigned Brokensidewalk.
Metro Council passes resolution, C-J's editorial Bridges get a go
From July 29th: Proposal would seek hearings on bridges.
Tyler Allen letter to the editor, Don't rubber stamp a tolling authority.
Last Thursday's transportation committee was pathetic. Metro Councilman Ken Flemming decided not to consider the Ward-Pugh/Owen resolution to seek public input before initiating the tolling authority process. Instead, Flemming rubber stamped the Tandy/Kramer resolution to ask the Mayor to set up a tolling authority.
The Ward-Pugh/Owen resolution which was never read in committee contained the following:
WHEREAS, the Kentucky General Assembly granted to the Louisville Metro Council [the "Council"] the authority to duly consider and determine the need for the creation of a Bi-State Infrastructure Authority for projects in Louisville Metro; and
WHEREAS, the Kentucky General Assembly granted to the Council the flexibility to modify an existing project as necessary due to changing circumstances; and
WHEREAS, the Ohio River Bridges Project (ORBP) is now estimated to cost $4.1 Billion; and
WHEREAS, it is now clear that the ORBP must be paid for primarily with tolls instead of by Federal and State road funds generated by taxes already being paid; and
WHEREAS it is not known how much tolls will cost or on which bridges they will be imposed, though it is likely they will be on all the bridges and not just newly constructed ones; and
WHEREAS, a study by Wilbur Smith and Associates released in February 2008 indicated that it might be necessary to toll existing bridges as well as new bridges at a rate of $3 per crossing to generate enough revenue to pay for the ORBP; and
This afternoon the Transportation Committee of Metro Council gave the Tolling Authority resolution the rubber stamp. Despite articulate pleas by Councilwoman Ward-Pugh and Councilman Owen for public involvement, the four other present transportation committee members abdicated their responsibility to govern and passed the resolution.
If you read today's Letter to the Editor, you learned that James Welch, Jr., the past President of River Fields (the organization who has fought construction of the East End Bridge) and current Chairman of the Downtown Development Corporation says he now supports the "entire" bridges project.
In River Fields' 1994 Press Release to push for the Downtown Bridge, Mr. Welch was adamently opposed to the East End Bridge:
"Improving access to a small portion of the community [by building an East End Bridge] while access across the overall region continues to suffer is absurd and hurts more citizens than it helps."
Note: According to the Environmental Impact Statement, the East End Bridge provides better access across the overall region.
As Chairman of the Build the Bridges Coalition finance committee, Mr. Welch has been an advocate for using tolls to pay for the "entire" Bridges Project.
In unrelated news, River Fields appears pleased that tolls might be used to build the Bridges Project. Their attorney had this to say:
"We look forward to participating in the review that will be necessary to comply with environmental laws if tolls are chosen as part of this financial plan."
