Wanda Sykes is Honest About Why People Drive Drunk

Wanda Sykes likes LA but "I hate all that damn driving because it interferes with my drinking."

One of the reasons that being in good physical shape is important in some countries is so you can walk home if you stay out drinking past the last train. But here I think a lot of people here think that people should not be going out. People in other developed countries make more trips in an average day than do most Americans. Having to take a two ton hunk of steel with you whenever you go anywhere is a huge burden. Now most of those extra trips are not to drink, but that is one of the reasons people leave the house. And in most of those countries, the alcoholism rate is going down.

Maybe too many Americans are driving to the liquor store and drinking alone.

All this was inspired by a viewing of Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied on Netflix which I strongly recommend. I live in a community where drunk driving is a chronic problem that most people ignore, and so her honesty was a breath of fresh air.

No Service

There is no train service between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Havre, MT because of flooding. No alternative transportation is being provided by ticket holders.

The train cannot run here because of flooding. No news as to why Amtrak cannot provide buses.

The Bus of Justice

Several bloggers have commented on the stigma that attaches to buses. This does not worry me because ...
Bikes transport ordinary people in Denmark and are the most common form of transportation.
Trains transport ordinary people in Seoul, South Korea and are the most common form of transportation.
Buses transport ordinary people in Tokyo, Japan are the most common form of transportation.

So buses can actually use their stigma to get funding and riders. There are a lot more ordinary people than elites. But I have been worrying about how to communicate this.

And then I was asked to get on the "bus of justice".

There have been a lot of protests happening around the country in support of working Americans, and a lot of them have used buses. Buses can bring people together and help them work together. A bus helped Linda Staple keep her home. Celebrate and promote the things that buses do for ordinary people, and we have a message that cannot be beat.

(The same goes for trains. We should not worry about whether or not rich people take trains, just celebrate the ordinary people who already do.)

Update: Bank of America went back to their old practices of losing paper work, etc., but they did eventually give Linda Staples a loan modification. As of November 2011, she has been able to pay her mortgage.

Major Changes in Downtown Denver This Summer

1.  This summer starting July 23 and lasting 3 weeks until August 15, the light rail lines going to Denver Union Station will not run, Routes C and E. This will be a major inconvenience for transit riders, but the light rail lines going to the 16th street mall will run. Two major construction changes will be done at the same time, so this is better for riders than 2 separate closures. One change is connecting the train tracks from the West Corridor to the tracks in the vicinity of the Auraria West station. The other project will locate the  3 tracks for all three light rail trains atnew white light rail station 3 blocks from the historic Denver Union Station. This means that the 16th street mall must extend several more blocks to serve those riders. No word on the cost of running this extended 16th street mall shuttle, though RTD will have to do it.

2. Other utility projects are occurring in the same area and it's difficult for people to cope with all the changes.  As a result, from now on, DUSPA will put out a weekly construction update with all construction closures and projects. One that affects the public more than previous utilities is the closing now of Wewatta and 15th & Delgany. Two buildings will have limited access. This is closer to the public than previous construction.

3. There is a new FASTER Grant Agreement in final form for $4 million with a $1 million match. (4 million from the city with $1 million from DUSPA.)

4. There is a small triangle of land, marked in red on the maps that could be "leftover" after the right of way is acquired by the city.  So they are getting an appraisal.  It would cost $20-25 thousand to pave it.  It could be built over, leaving a 15 foot right of way.  They do not want it sitting there unpaved when the project opens. 5. The DUSPA board approved a new policy regarding other projects.  They will not support any project, such as the proposed grocery store, that would "poach on any funds for DUSPA" but would support projects that would spur revenue to help repay the loans, but would look at projects on a case by case basis.  City Council representative Judy Montero at first expressed concerns about this policy, asking, "How fair is this policy?"   She reiterated that she is "raising her voice for the grocery at 20th and Chestnut which has requested support from DUSPA."

(Edited from a report by Edie Bryan to the board of the Colorado Rail Passenger Association. It sounds like Judy Montero might be the person to contact if you are concerned about the privatization of a public transportation resource. I put in a nice picture of winter construction to remind of cold during our hot weather.)

40 West Arts

As I have written before, the West Corridor, a new light rail line running from Denver to Golden, is giving birth to a new arts district, 40 West, near the Lamar Street Station. After a few months of planning by the City of Lakewood, public presentations, and public discussions,  there was kickoff last Tuesday with music, art, and more presentations. Supporters got together at the Rocky Mountain College of Art+Design to learn the arts district's name, and hear about how we go to this stage. And 40 West got its first financial support!

Hopefully, people in work hard to start making this a success by the time that the light rail line actually opens in 2013.

And hopefully we will get a better website. The current design works as a flyer, but online it makes your eyes bleed.

Next up: Oak Street Station and a historic rail car

Transit Related Art Show

I have been to a couple of meetings to help plan the Lamar Art District, the first a presentation and the second a discussion meeting. Tomorrow is the final presentation which comes with an art show. It is going to be at the Rocky Mountain College of Arts + Design, 1600 Pierce in Lakewood from 5:30 to 8:30. There will be a brief presentation at 6:30. That is the only thing you need to be on time for.

Other than that, come an see art by local artists, listen to music by the Lakewood Symphony, and eat. There will also be displays of the ideas by local residents to enhance the environmental, social and economic health of northeast Lakewood.