Submitted by George N. Spitz, May 29, 2007 05:10

Rohit Aggarwala, the technocrat who crafted Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC, allegedly "shares a passion for high-speed trains." But there is apparently no place in PlaNYC for state of art street level boarding nonpolluting "high speed" light rail, the generally accepted 21st-century solution for municipal transportation problems. Instead, New York City is spending virtually all available transit funding on the 2nd Ave Subway. Even the MTA grudgingly admits that

Furthermore, for 6 miles of 2nd Ave Subway building costs, 60 miles light rail could be constructed, consequently, solving not only Manhattan commuting needs but also those of Staten Island, Eastern Queens, Central and South Brooklyn and Northeast Bronx, all areas greatly needing improved transportation. Mr.Aggarwala should be aware that Barcelona, Toronto, Munich, Lisbon, Vancouver plus Salt Lake City, Portland and Denver in the United States, are choosing light rail in preference to subways and buses. He should persuade Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff to withdraw environmental permits for the 2nd Avenue Subway until a fair and open study can be initiated perhaps in collaboration with Queens Councilman John Liu, Chairman of the City Council Transportation Committee on whether New York City should spend virtually all available transit funds on a subway project utilizing pre-1950 technology that will serve only one portion of Manhattan rather than on a modern light rail system that will benefit all New Yorkers.

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