July 8th, 2009
 Thanks to online editor Anna Voelker for the heads up on a hilariously performed tale of airline woe
Surprise, surprise, United now wants to do something about it.
Of course, this isn’t the first time someone has sung about an airline breaking their guitar.
Personally, I’ve never had something damaged in flight, but I rarely travel with much stuff that’s breakable. I did lose an iPod heading back from my honeymoon - possibly in an Aer Lingus plane, or at the airport. But that’s the worst.
What horror stories do you have?
July 8th, 2009
My colleagues are incredulous, as they rattle off their crashes and near misses. But Allstate, in its annual “America’s Best Drivers” report, says Rockford is the safest-driving major city in Illinois. We’re also 32nd nationally out of almost 200.
It’s the fifth-straight year Rockford topped the Illinois rankings. We’ve moved up in the national average - last year we were 49th in the country. The rating is based on years between accidents for Allstate customers. In 2008, we averaged an accident per person every 10.9 years. Now, it’s down to every 10.7 years.
The Illinois rankings are:
- Rockford - every 10.7 years
- Joliet - every 9.3 year
- Aurora - every 8.6 years
- Naperville - every 8.4 years
- Chicago - every 7.3 years.
Rockford’s the only one better than the national average, Allstate said.
Allstate spokesman Eric Scott said: “The survey factors in many variables including population density, road conditions, traffic patterns, etc. So, given the size of the metro area and all the other factors that determine the ranking, Rockford has many positive attributes for creating a safe driving environment – compared to other cities in the report. The police department’s ability to manage traffic control and keep cars moving on the road also factors into the results.”
So why do you folks think Rockford is safer?
July 8th, 2009
A couple of readers had questions after my story about a new pro-Amtrak coalition. I understand the whole rail thing is confusing because there are two different projects rolling around, and it’s seemingly dragged on for years. So here are the questions and my responses. Please let me know if you have further questions, as I want to clarify this as much as possible…
sandman0201: I’ve heard that the we’re getting funding from the Feds and State (for Amtrak). I’ve also heard that the taxpayer (local) is going to ask to belly up and the power to bes are trying to figure out a way for us to come up with our share. Is one or both the truth?
Me: Thanks for your question. The only local money that would be needed is for train stations. I’m trying to get more information on the cost (Rockford would need to build two, for example). That would be a relatively minor cost compared with the millions being asked for. There’s not been talk of any tax increases to pay for the stations.
What you’re probably thinking of is the need for local money to pay for commuter rail - which would be a different service (See the bottom of the article at BusinessRockford.com for more on the differences). That would take some sort of local tax increase - and a referendum.
—————————————————————————
Jim Wise: Thank you for taking the time to explain the differences between passenger rail services that may someday become available to the Rockford Metropolitan area. There is a difference between passenger, commuter and high speed rail. Unfortunately, there are local organizations that are confusing the three and not even realizing that they are doing so. And, as you and I have spoken in the past. The costs of improving the rail lines that transverse the Rockford area is dependent upon which route will be used when passenger rail is re-established. The reason why Mr Ernst can not give you a better estimate of how much the rail line upgrades may cost is because the issue of which existing rail line to use for passenger, commuter, and high speed rail is still uncertain as is the service provider. Despite the efforts of NICTI to convince IDOT to support the use of the UP freight line. Amtrak and the federal government will have the final say of which route to use and that decision will be dependent upon the costs.
And, the delays that you mention in establishing passenger rail service to the Rockford area have not been soley due to funding issues. It has, in large, been due to the efforts of an organization known as NICTI, the Northern Illinois Commuter Transportation Intiative. This group of local citizens have been busily undermining the efforts to re-establish the old Blackhawk Amtrak route by insisting that any passenger rail service to the Rockford area include a stop in Belvidere. Mr Ernst is a member of this group as well as the executive director of RMAP. So, he is in essence playing both ends of this issue at no expense to Rockford or Belvidere (unless passenger rail is anything but Amtrak which will be locally subsidized - read TAXES!).
It is interesting that NICTI is not a publicized member of this new passenger rail coalition. But, be assured that it is influencing this effort behind the scene as evident by the fact that the Northern Illinois Tourism office (located in Belvidere) is the driving force behind the petition effort.
Mr Winters brings up an interesting point by saying that it will start small yet, if the trains can be filled then the service will expand. The only way to fully utilize any passenger rail service made available to the Rockford Metropolitan area is to insure that it is connected to the Greater Rockford Airport. This would provide passengers with multiple travel options into and out of Northern Illinois. Which, in turn, provides a self supportive cycle of Airport utilization, passenger rail use, tourism and capital generation ($$$$$$$$) for the Metro area.
I am supportive of the effort to re-establish passenger rail to the Rockford Metropolitan area. However, what I am not supportive of is if doing so means increasing the tax burden upon the citizens of Rockford and Belvidere. And, as Amtrak is the only taxless option available and connecting it to the GRA is the only way to insure that it will be an option that will have staying power. Amtrak is my pick to be the passenger service of choice for the Rockford Metropolitan area. Why isn’t it the choice of our elected officials?
Me: Thanks for reading and posting. Let me clarify some issues.
1. The reason Ernst doesn’t have the exact breakdown is because of the issues I noted above - while $30 million has long been the cost of upgrading the rails, there was always room to spend more to make it faster and draw more riders. If there’s more money in the stimulus for Illinois Amtrak than in the capital plan, then maybe more will be spent to make a faster service. Meanwhile,. it’s unclear how many years of an operating subsidy the state is committing to in the capital plan. It has nothing to do with uncertainty over route.
2. That’s because IDOT is the ultimate decider of which route to use. They’re paying for it, effectively, and Amtrak has stated repeatedly they would use the route IDOT chooses. The stimulus money will effectively be grants directly to states. Plus, the state will pay the operating subsidy. It’s just like the Quincy, Carbondale and St. Louis routes.
3. NICTI did not cause delays on Amtrak. You’re confusing correlation with causation. Amtrak was delayed strictly by funding issues - if a state capital plan was passed two years ago, we might be gearing up for Amtrak this fall … and probably on the old Blackhawk route. But while the state dragged its feet on a capital plan, the NICTI folks - who are also pro-Amtrak - thought it would be the best of both worlds to have Amtrak and commuter rail on the same track. They did more studies while waiting for a capital plan. It makes sense that Amtrak AND commuter rail go through Belvidere, which is a much bigger population center than Genoa. But NICTI did not cause the delay and I don’t see how you could say that.
3. There is nothing ‘behind the scenes’ about NICTI and the rail effort. The NICTI group is a bunch of local leaders like Morrissey, Brereton, Christiansen, etc … all folks who spoke as part of yesterday’s Amtrak press event. I know it’s confusing that there are two different groups, but let me try to break it down for folks. NICTI is a group of government leaders who for several years have studied the idea of bringing Metra-style commuter rail to Rockford, and are now looking at the best way to pay for and run a service. The new Amtrak group is strictly a lobbying group to make sure the decision makers in the federal and state government follow through on funding it. Two different projects and missions, but many of the same people.
4. I know the lack of an airport connection has been much debated, but studies by Amtrak and NICTI have shown that both routes would do better going into downtown Rockford instead of the airport. That’s because the only rail route that would get to the airport sweeps well south of any population center. There’s just not a good direct rail connection to RFD. Maybe down the road if rail really takes off and there’s continued state and federal funding…
5. Amtrak IS the choice of local elected officials - many of them spoke yesterday. They just tend to want both, because the two would serve different needs (as outlined above). Amtrak as planned by the state is not a great ‘commuting to the northwest suburbs’ option. It’s more about getting to Chicago and Galena and Dubuque, and points beyond Chicago. Studies have shown that most of our commuters go to the burbs, not Chicago.
Any other questions?
