$100 billion investment seen in Arab railway projects

What are the oil-rich Arab countries doing with their oil wealth?  Building rail systems.  And what is Ohio doing as the IMF declares the world has "entered a period of oil scarcity"?  Transferring our wealth to the Arab oil exporting countries building railways!  Bizarre…


$100 billion investment seen in GCC railway projects
By Bonnie James

The total projected investment in rail projects in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries over the next 15 years is in excess of $100bn, including Qatar's $35bn, the World Cup Construction Conference was told yesterday.

"These include passenger and freight rail networks, metro, Light Rail Transit (LRT) and tram," Hyder Consulting's regional rail director (Mena) Geoff Leffek said at the event hosted by Construction Week magazine.

Qatar's railway plans include the Doha Metro with 98 stations and 355km of track in four lines, rail networks to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Lusail light rail and the Education City people mover system.

READ MORE AT:
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=429747&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

 

 

Ken Prendergast
Executive Director
All Aboard Ohio
12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505
Cleveland, OH 44107
(216) 288-4883
kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org
www.allaboardohio.org

CNBC: "Sprawling From Grace" at 10 p.m. April 20

CNBC is going to show "SPRAWLING FROM GRACE" April 20 at 10pm....

"The unintended consequences of suburban sprawl inform David M. Edwards'
documentary detailing the dangers Americans face should we fail to
reevaluate our approach to urban development. The suburban way of life isn't
simply at risk; it's in absolute peril. How can a country support such
inefficient horizontal growth patterns when the very existence of such
patterns threatens to bankrupt the entire nation? By interviewing close to
thirty experts on the subject, Edwards discovers that we can no longer
continue building our cities as we did in the past. While the suburbs once
seemed an essential part of out maturation as a society, it now contributes
to pollution, increased health risks, and a decreasing quality of life. But
as non-renewable fossil fuels are being slowly depleted, Americans remain
trapped behind the wheels of their own cars. With each new subdivision,
strip mall, and corporate office block, the promise of a better tomorrow
slips further away. So is there a solution to making our society sustainable
in a post-fossil-fuel world? By exploring the efforts of state and city
governments to invest in such viable alternatives as BRT (Bus Rapid Transit,
commuter rail, and light rail, Edwards reveals why innovative thinking
regarding land use and transportation is essential to keeping our society
functional."

Ken Prendergast
Executive Director
All Aboard Ohio
12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505
Cleveland, OH 44107
(216) 288-4883
kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org
www.allaboardohio.org

Media Alert

 

COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEDIA ALERT   For Immediate Release:  April 20, 2011   For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 Web – Facebook – Twitter

 

 

Councilmembers To Discuss The Impact of Graffiti In Columbus Neighborhoods 

 

 

WHO:
Councilmember Zachary M. Klein

Councilmember Michelle M. Mills

Various Community Leaders

 

WHEN:
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
5:00 pm

 

WHERE:
Columbus City Council Chambers

City Hall, 2^nd Floor

90 West Broad Street

Columbus, OH 43215

 

WHAT:

Councilmember Zachary M. Klein, chair of the Development Committee, and Councilmember Michelle M. Mills, chair of the Safety Committee, will hold a public hearing to discuss the effects of graffiti in Columbus neighborhoods and what changes to city ordinances will help prosecute those convicted of graffiti vandalism and protect and beautify neighborhoods.  Speaker slips will be accepted until 5 pm.

 

Parking is free after 5 pm at City Hall and the meeting will be broadcast live on CTV, the City’s public broadcast channel.

 

 

 

 

-30-

 

 

 

 

Community Meeting Flyer

 

 

 

 

Community Meeting Reminder

 

 

 

 

Toledo April 30 -- one of the nation's largest National Train Day events!

This year's National Train Day event in Toledo will be April 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Amtrak Station. Take Amtrak, TARTA or even drive.

 

There is also a terrific new Web site at:

 

http://tmacog.org/Transportation/Trainday_11/NTD_home_11.htm

 

Check it out! Please attend!

 

Ken Prendergast
Executive Director
All Aboard Ohio
12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505
Cleveland, OH 44107
(216) 288-4883
kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org
www.allaboardohio.org

Reducing investment in trains and transit is at the worst time possible

News Release
http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2011/Pages/110412_WMstatement_funding.aspx

 4/12/2011 
Contact:

Mantill Williams 
(202)496-4869 
mwilliams@apta.com

Reducing Investment in Public Transportation and High-Speed Rail Will Reduce Jobs and Decrease Transportation Options at a Time When Public Needs Them Most

 

Statement by APTA President William Millar

"The American Public Transportation Association and its 1,500 members have strong concerns about the reductions in public transportation and high-speed rail investment in the FY 2011 continuing resolution.

Singling out the high-speed rail program by eliminating all FY 2011 dollars is simply short-sighted.  This is particularly troublesome when 32 states and the District of Columbia are advancing projects with FY 2010 dollars.  High-speed and intercity passenger rail investments are catalysts to create jobs and provide the foundation for our nation's growing economy.

In addition, the reductions in public transportation investment for new projects could not come at a worse time as Americans deal with the rising cost of gasoline. When gas prices rise, taking public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. Now is the time we should be expanding our investment in public transportation infrastructure, not reducing it.  

 Furthermore, a lack of investment will make it difficult for our nation to meet the growing demand for transportation services and bring our infrastructure up to a state of good repair.  We urge Congress to make investing in our nation's transportation systems a top priority in their upcoming deliberations for current and future funding proposals."

*****

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada ride APTA member systems.