WHY NEW MEXICO NEEDS A RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM.

TWELVE IDEAS THAT WILL SOLVE THE SOON-TO-BE TRAFFIC AND ENERGY CRISIS ON OUR ROADS.

GOOD NEWS: Technology for alternatives to driving are now very well developed, unfortunately foreign to many New Mexicans. Time is now for an honest and open discussion about our addiction to gasoline. Congradulations, New Mexico is now the RoadRage Capital of the world....well almost.

BAD NEWS: The cost of transportation is rapidly increasing, ie. you driving that car. That translate: "as we spend more on autos, we have less to spend on housing, schools, health care, recreation, and so on. Want to know why there is inadequate funding for New Mexico's schools....hello?, go take a look at the traffic. I predict that within the next few years, gasoline will be over two bucks a gallon....if you can find it.

Soon, if present trends continue, spending more on that "four wheel living room" will be more than on housing.....your biggest present expense. Increasingly hidden cost such as medicare taxes used to subsidize auto related injuries, or the cost of "free" (rather subsidized) parking will skyrocket. Who says "free" parking is free. If you add up the real estate value of all parking in the United States, it is close to the national deficiet!

THE OIL EMBARGO IS RETURNING. This is a stern warning, but O.P.E.C. (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) is returning. They have just been successfully increasing the price of a gallon of gasoline by nearly 50 cents within 1999. This is a tax imposed by O.P.E.C. on exported petroleum.....this tax is more than state and federal highway gasoline taxes. Now O.P.E.C. is planning on making more by selling less. The nation is dangerously dependent on foreign oil, and sending the military to the Middle East, as with Operation Desert Storm, is not the answer. These gulf wars are costing the tax payers billions upon billions....another hidden subsidy to car drivers: subsidized gasoline.

Literally, by watching oil markets it can be predicted where the next war will be, Cechya, the breakaway Russian Republic, has oil in the Capistan Sea. The pipeline through this nation is essential to development of these fields, which some say are just as big as Saudia Arabia. China is threatening to invade Vietnam, which also has offshore deposits. East Timor island near the coast of Australia has oil. Nigeria, is up in tumor over, you got it, oil!

Don't kid it, in many ways the world wide military arms sells network is underwritten by oil sales. In fact, at the recent World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle, WA...the military arms dealers were there "in force". Today, as I speak, U.S.A. financed helicopters are destroying entire villages, supposedly over a "drug war". The reality is the villagers are being punished for sabotage of oil pipelines. Columbia and Venezuela are not "drug wars", but an excuse to protect oil supplies. All this because we as a nation are too "lazy" to do those more than 10,000 non-oil transportation ideas. I'm calling the Middle East war what it is: a riot by car addicts. Oh yes, Saddam is an evil "solar cooked turkey", but he was put there by OUR OWN ACTIONS. Iran bitterly remembers how the Shah was installed via oil company sponsored covert operations. Believe me, this petroleum situation will make Y2K look minor. Like it or not, O.P.E.C. is coming.

FACE REALITY: I submit that the real racism is no longer color of skin, but the attitudes that car drivers have towards non-car-drivers. There is a real, forgive the word, bigoted attitude towards bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclist, bus and train riders. In New Mexico it is a crime to be a pedestrian...oh yea, try using the cross walk. We just can't continue to widen highways, such as the Albuquerque Big I (location of I-25 and I-40). If there were fewer vehicles on the road, these hundred of millions of dollars could be spent wiser elsewhere.....like better schools.

Highways are subsidized and are expensive, and are paid from not only fuel taxes, but also via income, severance, property, and even sells and corporate taxes....even that "free parking" in front of the grocery store is subsidized via higher prices...a form of taxation, except hidden...this is a tax upon those who walk to the grocery store for the benefit of those who drive.

It is lower cost to put in a transit system, than build more highways. One good bus, in a good transit system, repeat system, can replace an (expensive) highway lane. For example, 50 cars with proper separation distance will form a line one mile long. Bluntly, New Mexico should not follow the lead of California, and emphasize instead maintenance and safety of existing road surface....not wider and more roads. Cancel this new construction. Most people when they think of transportation only see the "price of fuel"...think again, cars are on welfare, and it is time cars got off welfare.

IT IS RICH VS POOR. This car based system is creating a two tier society, those with transportation, and those without....creating a cruel dependency by the haves. Mind you, some of the wealthiest people in the world ride the Long Island Commuter Train in New York, but in New Mexico, the auto based system is only creating a class based society, those with vehicles (that work!), and those without vehicles (and if you do, barely works). I don't know of many wealthy people who deliberately choose to drive cars that break down. it is us working "slobs" who get used vehicles. In short, the Lomas-Dealer-Crowd is doing everything they can to force New Mexico to 'have to drive'. New Mexico is being lied too by the Chamber-Of-Commerce, objecting to even discussion of the issue. It is people who shop in stores, not cars. It is time business stop marketing to the "parking place", and more to people. Maybe if people spent less on cars, they might spend more money on other things.

Let's see business help out. Excuse me for suggesting it, but Sandia and Los Alamos labs could simply put in paid parking, and serve notice to their employees....to leave their private hunks of metal AT HOME. Let's see some engineers act more like engineers, and come up with solutions. It is business that causes traffic congestion, it is business that can solve it. Business could do many of those ideas, like purchasing electric vehicles for carpools, or converting vanpools to natural gas, or buy employees (and management) bus passes. Instead of spending money on parking for employees, it is lower cost to do some of those "other ideas". That parking lot land could be your future business expansion.

WHAT CAN BE DONE? Let's see the state get it's act together, and put in a frequent statewide bus system....24 hours a day, 7 days a week. What about mounting bicycles on front of the buses, or better yet, attach a trailbike/motorbike trailer to the end of each bus...that way people can bike to the nearest station or stop. Let's get this straight, I am talking about a first class transit system, complete with internet information for passengers, trains, monorails, bus-only/truck-only lanes, and nice stations.....and doing so at the expense of "Single Occupancy Vehicles" or better said, "Driver Only Vehicles". It is time even the "Tesuque Luxury Home" car drivers got out of their cars also. Single Passenger Vehicles are the cholesterol of traffic....clogging everything up. One vanpool with six passengers, means less roadspace consumed, than six drivers with six cars. Cars are real gluttons of land area....go take a look. Albuquerque is nearly 50% pavement....and we need that land for other things. Maybe so much oil would not get into the Rio Grande, if there was less pavement. When it rains, the oil is washed downstream from the streets....only polluting our water.

Trucks are important. When trucks are stuck in traffic, it can cost a business over 100 dollars a hour. These are real cost like salary for drivers, and wasted fuel. When trucks can't get around it only drives up the cost of items in stores. Frankly, if we did not have so many Single Occupancy Vehicles, the roads would not need more pavement. Maybe with less pavement, we can take the rest of the surface area and build the roads stronger and better. Maybe with less pavement there would be fewer potholes. Oh excuse me for saying that automobile heresy. Cars are subsidized and I am talking about removing those subsidizes. You park, you pay. You drive, you pay. No more free parking, freeways, and free lunches. ho,har,ha.

STOP BLAMING THE WRONG PEOPLE. Constantly, I hear from other New Mexicans how the existing bus transit system "only runs when they want to" or how "they can't fix brakes"...cut this lying out. The transit agencies are being asked to do a big job with inadequate resources. The existing bus transit systems, do not have the adequate resources to get the job done. Right now, what is going on in our auto based society is costing us ten times more than a first class transit system. A transit system is a home grown industry, that will employ thousands of New Mexicans. I am talking about something that is nice, pleasant and crime free. It can be done.

HOW TO PAY FOR IT: The automobile-dealer-crowd is definitely out to make sure no alternatives exist, and if they do, are so inadequately funded, no one wants to use them. May I suggest where the money for rapid transit can come from: Right Out Of The Hide Of The STRANDED INVESTMENT COST-TAX. The Public Service Co. of New Mexico, during the 1970's made a bad decision to build nuclear power plants in Phoenix Arizona, at a near cost of 5 billion dollars. During my college days at the University of New Mexico, I met with key utility executives and I told them that if they built Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Facility, that they would "face bankruptcy, federal investigation, and lose their franchise to operate in Albuquerque in 1991, and lose their reputation as a progessive utility". I told them a better way to go would be natural gas cogeneration, solar and wind energy. The utility executives did listen, but became very hostile to any non-nuclear idea. Even to the point of hiring a naval admiral to command Palo Verde! Now, they are faced with near bankruptcy of the reactors since solar, wind and cogeneration is indeed underselling. So, faced with this financial bad decisions, they have placed a tax upon all of New Mexico to recover that debt. In fact, their plans were even more ambitious, planning on constructing reactors in Grants, Belen, Estancia, and elsewhere. You don't see a commercial nuclear reactor in New Mexico. (Note: there are military reactors here.) The utilities became very hostile, even hiring private agents. The fact is the powers to be, who ever they are, are hostile to non-oil ideas. If New Mexico has a half billion dollars to bail out billionaires, then New Mexico has the funds to purchase rapid transit equipment. May I suggest that in the future any politician who supports this Stranded Investment Cost-Tax should be removed. What the state legislature should do is take the issue of the Stranded Investment Cost-Tax to the voters as a state-wide referendum. I bet 90% of the population would vote this "welfare program" down. New Mexico was never asked, and the investors were warned. What was that about "free enterprise" and "risk taking". As these reactors age, and become more corroded, the potential for a meltdown becomes very real....Russian style. New Mexico has historically been one of the poorest states, and this is an unfair burden to finance out-of-state power plants. It is a tax by Arizona on New Mexico.

Please forgive, I am not a know it all. It is not just one idea, but several. Kind of like a house, each idea being a brick, but when the ideas are assembled you build a house. Reality dictates that one free(subsidized)way arterial lane can only handle 2,400 cars per hour....and that is professional drivers tailgating each other. Just like a powerline will melt if you put too much electricity in it, when highways become crowded and congested, they become costly and dangerous. While, granted, New Mexico is mostly rural, where highways come together at intersections....it is not rural, causing choke points. Wider highways is not the answer....are we suppose to bulldoze the Santa Fe Historic Zone for more parking?

Think of it as musical chairs, except with cars. When you got a violent highway system, you have a violent people. the fact that Albuquerque does not have a bus system after 8 PM and weekends, only drives up your crime rate. Forcing people to have to drive, only forces peoples to spend money on cars, not essentials. People now fight their neighbors for parking on a residential street, just like musical chairs. If you want people off welfare, fix it so people can travel. The fact that Albuquerque does not have a people and environmentally friendly transit system, is creating a roadrage society, where people bring their rage to work. Ok, here are few ideas:

IDEA NUMBER ONE:

IMPLEMENT A BUS AND TRUCK EXPRESS LANE SYSTEM IN ALBUQUERQUE. Albuquerque is primarily a grid shape street plan with six lanes, and a center left turn lane. Here is the idea. Make the middle two lanes, excusive bus/vanpool/carpool/truck lanes. The center median then becomes a platform for loading of passengers, and wheelchairs, bicycles, shopping carts, etc. Curitaba, Brazil has something similar where buses pull up to platforms for stairless loading. To get weight off the buses, fare collection is on the platform, along with elevators. Practically, every non-car idea requires real estate. The buses are not profit making, when stuck in traffic. Making a bus lane dedicated just to buses, will reduce operation cost, but more important make transit trips priority. While HOV, High Occupancy Vehicle, lanes have a mixed history, some HOV Lanes carry more people per hour, than the rest of the freeway. Putting in a net work of 300 miles of HOV lanes will make the transit system safer and faster. The transit system would be profitable if the cars got out of the way! Ho,ho,ho.

Trucks are important. When trucks are stuck, it only drives up the cost of goods. I contend that heavy commercial vehicles, and commercial fleet vehicles should be allowed to use these lanes. These would be clearly marked and used exclusively for business, and can be safe. The nice thing about HOV/Cargo Lanes is they are flexible. For example, during rush hours Carpools would be allowed to use them if they have three or more people, but during noon hours carpools could be two or more people. As the highway becomes more congested, different classes of vehicles could be restricted....as for all those "rich" Driver Only Vehicles....well they can park until the traffic clears, or better yet ride the bus!

IDEA NUMBER TWO:

IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE BUS SYSTEM. I am talking about at least hourly, 24 hour a day, 7 day a week, year round bus system on every New Mexico highway, and major street.....that includes federal, state, county and tribal roads. Late night and weekend travel on transit systems is more common than the "auto class" believes. Plus, late night travel is faster for the transit system, since there is less traffic. If you want cars off the road, this is something that can be done within a year....definitely faster than building more highway lanes. Car drivers benefit since there are fewer cars on the road....that means lower insurance rates, but more important it means drivers can driver more frequent and faster. Plus, it means ranches and farms can get workers to work. During daylight hours, larger 40 passenger buses are used, but during late hours, 10 and 20 minibuses can be used. Make it nice, even put in educational TV, restaurants, or even brew pubs! on the buses. Make it nice. Make the bus stops nice, with shelters, and wind powered lighting, and complete with mailboxes and telephones. Bus stops can have minibusinesses, like coffee stands.

IDEA NUMBER THREE:

IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE ALBUQUERQUE BUS EXPRESS SYTEM. Every evening, express buses would run from Albuqerque to places like Taos, Roswell, or even Luna, New Mexico. That way people can work in Albuquerque, but live in quieter rural areas. Adding express buses will nearly triple the capacity of the state wide local bus system. If someone misses the express bus, they still can transfer to the local bus system, or even to a statewide train system! Drivers could drive large buses express, and then return driving minibuses. In fact, we could custom make these buses in Roswell, NM.

IDEA NUMBER FOUR:

IMPLEMENT A STATEWIDE COMMUTER RAIL TRAIN SYSTEM. May I suggest a starter set of 12 trains, hubbing out of Belen. Bring back the Chile Express, running from Santa Fe to Animas (located near El Paso). Trains could run to Grants, Roswell, and even Lovington, or Raton. Belen is already an intersection for cargo trains, and would serve as the maintenance center. This starter set would give train service at least once every 6 hours, and between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, hourly service. The trains would be integrated with the bus system, so as to make the system seamless. The buses would be waiting when the trains arrive, for a quick transfer. It can be done. It's cheaper than a wider I-25.

IDEA NUMBER FIVE:

BUILD A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IN ALBUQUERQUE. May I suggest a route down I-40, over the Embudo Arroyo, and then build a subway under University Avenue? The route would bury under the UNM Law School, and then be elevated over Lomas Boulevard. Then the train would be subway to the airport, via the sports complex. An elevated spur would run downtown via Lomas, to the Convention Center. Eventually the rail system would be extended via Central Ave to the West Mesa, and maybe past Tijeras Canyon. While I prefer elevated, and grade separated from traffic, the rail system can be street level. Trouble is, car drivers are so greedy for roadspace, they can't stand the idea of a "choo-choo" train blocking their road! Besides, it would be a pleasure to have the Lomas-Auto-Dealer-Crowd have to look at an elevated train. Ho,har,ha.

IDEA NUMBER SIX:

BUILD A MONORAIL. May I suggest a route: Coronado/Winrock Shopping Center to the old State Fair Grounds, via a I-40 light rail train station? Monorails are very similar to light rail, just that they are a "long bus with lots of rubber tires on a road one foot wide". But other designs exist, using MagLevitation or Compressed Air. Monorails and Light Rail trains are very similar in cost, but monorails can be used to feed passengers to the Light Rail system. Light Rail trains have an advantage over rubber tire trains, in that steel rails are much more energy efficient, with less "rolling resistance". The bottom line is this: the major cost of any train concept (monorail or steel rail) is not the train or track....it is the right-a-way, relocation of utilities, and traffic and land use mitigation cost. Over half of the cost of any train-concept usually has something to do with "other things".....such as train station construction, or relocation of impacted businesses.

IDEA NUMBER SEVEN:

GET BUSINESSES TO GET THEIR EMPLOYEES TO LEAVE THEIR CARS AT HOME. Purchase all employees a bus pass. Put in paid parking for Driver Only Vehicles, and implement vanpool and carpools. Nearly 30% of any business cost has something to do with transportation. Increasingly as the cost of transportation goes up, labor unions make unreasonable wage demands...so as to cover the cost of commuting. Getting employees to work, in somekind of driverless form, makes for a better work force, since now employees don't come to work suffering from RoadRage. Plus by saving money via commuter benefits, it means more money for other benefits such as medical coverage. Banks should hold classes for small business in transportation planning. Better yet, have all State Government and School Employees ride the transit system, that way we can convert state government parking lots to public Park and Ride Lots for transit. Other ideas exist, such as integrating school bus funds with transit, or having Univ. Of New Mexico get real serious about traffic reduction. McDonalds restaurant could cooperate with other restaurants, and put shuttles between sites....that way employees park close to home. If business do not recognize the problem now, YOU WILL!

IDEA NUMBER EIGHT:

PUT IN A BICYCLE PATH ON EVERY ALBUQUERQUE RESIDENTIAL STREET. Simple, have everyone park on only one side of the street, not both, and make residential streets one way. Presto: instant bicycle/motorcycle path system. By making residential streets one way, not only do we open up a new right-a-way for motorcycles and bicycles, we also reduce the cost of mail/garbage/recycling collection. The trucks now only go up the street once, not twice, making it more cost-efficient. At first, these new bicycle/motorcycle lanes would be painted, but later "street furniture" like barriers, or solar-night-lights or bicycle racks would be added. We could also make existing irrigation ditch roads and alley ways into motorcycle ways. The states of Minnesota and Alaska have something similar except for snowmobiles.

IDEA NUMBER NINE:

ELIMINATE FREE PARKING IN CITIES. Who says we owe you parking! We need land for growing trees, grass, factories, farms, and even homes. Cars have taken over our towns and cities. Businesses should stop the practice of free parking and replace with paid parking. In fact, tear up half the parking land area, and replace with valet parking and "other ideas". Cities are constantly overrun with "out-of-town" guest, subsidized by local property owners. It is an unfair burden to place upon city dwellers who are constantly having to pay higher taxes for additional road space for the 'out-of-town' crowd. Already 50% of our police time is spent in traffic enforcement. Contrary to popular opinion, parking meters do not pay for themselves, but only a device used by merchants to get you to move your car. That way, choice parking spaces are not taken by someone parking all day. Parking tickets are not, repeat not, a revenue raising device, but purely a means to enforce sane driving. Often times the price of a parking stall is more expensive than the car on it. And with more parking places than car, that is expensive. Cities should pass out parking permits to local residents, and out-of-town guest well, pay. Tax the car drivers responsible for congestion. Maybe with paid parking, it will mean lower property tax rates. Implement Solar Parking Meters, they can read your license plate, and accept MasterCard and Visa. Maybe shopping mall prices would drop, if we tax the parking.

IDEA NUMBER TEN:

ALTERNATIVE FUELS. Natural gas really is the future of transportation for New Mexico....not oil. It is much easier to convert a transit system to "environmentally cleaner fuels" than every vehicle in New Mexico. The place to start is with State Highway Department vehicles, and large corporate fleets. BioDiesel fuel made from TubbleWeed Seeds, hydrogen fuelcell cars, and solar cars are all "just right around the corner".....it the investors would open up on investment capital for new inventions. Right now major oil interest are blocking capital investment to these "alternative fuels". Instead, they are more interested in "luxury" investments, and preservation of existing energy investment (like in Saudia Arabia). But....the biggest market will be conversion of existing cars to natural gas. There is no geological shortage of natural gas, especially in New Mexico. But, there is a shortage of "pipe diameter". You can only put so much gas into a pipeline. I predict that as more homes convert to solar and wind energy, it will divert utilities to transportation. Instead of burning natural as in the hot water heater or furnance, now solar energy handles the heat load. This diverts gas from your heater to your car....in effect, you gas at home. This is a stern warning to car drivers: With nearly 20% of the world's population using 80% of the world's energy...that means the rest of the population gets the pollution and environmental destruction. There in, rest a large reason for over population and poverty....lack of energy. Do not kid it, physical deprivation as a weapon is very common, even in the U.S.A. When people live in the "throwaway class", and live with inadequate transportation, it creates a lot of conflicts. There are those who do not appreciate having "physical deprivation as a weapon"...it is time investors opened up on capital for new inventions, and new energy sources, and do so before the planet is so polluted that we can't live. Right now the transportation sector is dependent on one energy source" OIL. You just can't drive to the gas station and get hydrogen, natural gas or even liquid air....all of which have proven to be good fuels. While most of our transportation sector is mostly dependent on one energy source, a monopoly, our non-transportation sector (residential and commercial) is mostly dependent on non-oil sources. Electric utilities actually burn very little oil, but burn a variety of energy sources like coal, gas or use hydropower. It takes energy to make energy, and the present gasoline systems is pure 98% waste. By the time energy gets from the oil well, to your wheels, literally 98% of the energy is lost. Most of the energy for your engine goes out in the form of hot exhaust, or radiator heat. Then there is the energy used to pump and refine oil, and transport it via tankers or trucks. We need multiple energy sources for transportation. Hey, got an idea....let's replace all those free standing signs and billboards with windmills....that way we can wind power the stop lights! The only signs on highways should be directional. We got better places to spend our money than on "propoganda". Literally, the amount of wind blowing on Albuquerque's billboards would power the entire city when it blows....there is our power for electric cars. Billboards distract people from driving...besides I don't need more "mind control". Most Billboards have power lines going to them, by replacing billboards with windmills, it makes billboards into energy production devices, not energy consumption devices.

IDEA NUMBER ELEVEN:

CLAMP DOWN ON BAD DRIVING. Can't drive, get off the road. Tow trucks do work! Judges should simply mandate that bad drivers buy a bus pass and use it...especially to those who think they can "drink and drive". Hang up that cell phone. Ticket those who think they can cut corners on mountain roads....stay in your lane! Start revoking driver licenses of those who drive without liability insurance, or expired licenses. Too many see driving as a "right", it is not. Driving is a license that has to be earned. Hey, let's reduce the speed limits state wide by 5 miles per hour. Better yet, start ticketing speeders even if one mile over the speed limit. Let's force weavers to slow down, and stop passing so much. There convenience does not have to be inconvenient for others. Ok, there are those who say such stoicastic measures will start a car-riot, but yeh we got a riot right now called road rage. Car drivers really are a small minority upon this planet, most people upon this planet don't own a car, and never will. China needs land for farms, not parking lots. It is time car drivers stop acting like they are the only life form upon planet earth. 55 saves lives.

IDEA NUMBER TWELVE:

TRANSPORTATION RADIO. Get a statewide radio station to focus in on just transportation, giving traffic reports every 5 minutes or so. But do more than just driving, also report late buses, trains, and bicycle path conditions. Interview experts in transportation, maybe even yourself. Let everyone have their say. We will let the auto monopoly speak, just that they can't monopolize the conversation. Daily the news media should carry transportation articles, and do more than just the "shuttle jack". Mark my words. If the state legislature don't think transportation issues will not raise their ugly heads, think again. The legislature can only hide their "heads in sand" for so long. This issue is a volcano waiting to happen. Fifty percent of radio listenorship is car drivers. Ok, I'm not against commercial, just that there are too many, and it is time traffic reports stop being "disguised commercials". We have had enough mind control caused by advertising....let's discuss real issues and real problems.

CONCLUSION:

There is nothing wrong with a citizen owned, not for profit corporation focused on transit needs. These can be separate Transit Utility District, separate from city governments....thus the administration focuses in on transit issues. Already we have our roads in the not for profit public domain, and the reason is simple. Roads are public utilities just like water and sewer lines, power and telephone lines, and gas lines. Even sidewalks are public utilities that everyone must use. When a utility is for-profit, that profit can be a form of taxation that every residence and small business have to pay. If for example, we were to give a return on investment for this nation's huge multibillion highway system, a fair rate of return would be over hundred of billion of dollars. As a general rule, utilities tend to be capital intensive, with most money locked up in infrastructure. This is not some kind of "ism", but part of the free enterprise structure. Utilities are the floor by which ranches, factories, and stores are dependent upon. Like it or not, all of these "transportation ideas", like bicycle paths, require real estate. The only place this land can come from is the existing automobile system. We need to use existing road space wiser! With nearly 1/3 of all traffic being "carpools/vanpools/buses/motorcycles and trucks/fleet vehicles", I say give them 1/3 of the road space. Take existing road area and separate Driver Only/Single Occupancy Vehicles from more essential traffic. Lesson learned: HOV lanes can be a disaster recovery technique after an earthquake or storm. There in rest the rub: too many see it from their own self center perspective, and do not see ourselves as the cause of the problem. Funny how car drivers always blame the other guy! People who have lots of money are the worst, and expect wider highways and more parking, and yes cheaper gasoline, and don't see how this auto based system really is a subsidy to the wealthy. The wealthy drive more than the poor. Oh excuse me, but the poor drive shopping carts! This is not room service. You are the government. Non voters help out. Vote. right now we are suffering from a 'government behind the wheel'. Right now we have more human rights violation on the highway than all of China. If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. You are the government, and it is you that will make it happen. It is time to put in a rapid transit system in New Mexico. Squish, Bang, Crunch, Splat....need more be said.

About the author: Martin E. Nix is a graduate of the University of New Mexico, with post graduate education at the UNM School of Planning and also New Mexico State University Engineering Dept. He was a key citizen activist in the development of the Seattle Area RTA system. Many of the ideas he researched at UNM's Technology Application Center was incorporated in the Seattle system now under construction. During his college days, Martin Nix represented the UNM Associated Students on the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, and was an advisor to Jack Kolbert, then city council president, on transit and bicycle issues. He is an active member of the Sierra Club Transportation Committee. Martin Nix is also a patented inventor of solar technology, active with the Washington Solar Industry Association. He also worked as an executive consultant for The Boeing Co. Professional Services Division. He also was a developer for the Boeing 777 Commercial Aircraft Avionics system, and was a Boeing Mathematics editor for a U.S.Army Optical Defense System. He is currently enrolled at Seattle Central Community College studying computer information systems. His web page is at: https://members.tripod.com/~solarshack/ and his email is solarsh@eskimo.com.