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Rail Or Not, Commuters Will Dally

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JOSEPH H. BROWN

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 4, 2008

It appears the deal worked out behind closed doors between the state and CSX for a new commuter rail line is dead - for now.

While it was touted as a means to bring mass transit to the masses of Central Florida, it would have provided more than $300 million to improve CSX tracks in other parts of the state and help build a freight hub in Polk County.

Many lawmakers claimed it was necessary to deal with our ever-growing traffic problems. Last week in this section, Pinellas County Commissioner Ronnie Duncan wrote:

"The cost of fuel is rising to unheard-of levels. Traffic congestion has never been worse. And Tampa Bay residents are crying out for commuter rail. That's why I support efforts that will bring commuter rail to Central Florida."

I don't know if we will ever have commuter rail here, but this I do know: No matter how much track we put down, traffic will still be a mess.

Anecdotal Evidence Abounds

I base this not on any in-depth projections from traffic engineers but on what I've seen in metro areas with hundreds of miles of commuter rail. My hometown of Chicago and its suburbs are a good example.

For over a century, Chicago has had elevated train lines that can take you all over city, as well as buses you can board once you get off of the "L." In addition, there are commuter trains that extend all directions into neighboring counties and carry hundreds of thousands of people daily in and out of the downtown area.

Yet, the traffic there is as bad as it's ever been. Commuting times are longer now than they've ever been and show no sign of improving.

The same goes for the Washington, D.C., area, which built its Metro train line in the early 1970s but still has overcrowded interstates and surface streets.

If Built, They Don't Always Come

The reasons for this are simple. For one, we Americans love our cars. And whereas I grew up in a time when no family on my block had more than one car, today every licensed driver in a household seems to have one. Also, traffic engineers have been at a loss since the interstate system was completed.

Adding to the problem are land-use patterns developed over the last 30 years, which require cars. Some developments with cul-de-sacs make it necessary to drive two miles to get to the house of a neighbor with whom you share a back fence.

Still, public transportation is necessary if for no other reason than to provide alternatives to the automobile. But I'm not sure it would help Tampa. Forbes.com, which recently ranked the "10 Worst Cities For Commuters," rated Tampa the sixth-worst city for traffic idling, saying:

"Tampa commuters are victims of urban sprawl. As late as 2005, 25 percent of area properties were classified as investment properties; this rate was almost double the national average. What does this have to do with commuting? It's a good sign that the city is spread out. While Tampa exhibits a very low population density, commuters are stuck in traffic delays 45 hours a year, and 7 percent take more than an hour to get to work."

Construction of new rail lines will help ease traffic congestion, but it will not solve it, which many proponents seem to imply. If you build it, there's no guarantee they will come, and, if they do, local highways will likely still be jammed.

Meanwhile, invest in a good car stereo system and Bluetooth to make the best of your stuck-in-traffic time.

Joseph H. Brown is a Tribune editorial writer.

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