Point to point

So why are we wasting air and space taking about this. Heck, we could not even get bus service out here. 

Yesterday, as we were coming home from our myriad of running around chores, we ended up on 101 heading north into Elk River. More and more construction going there on all the time. And when we first started out journey, it was the same on 169 heading south into Brooklyn Park. Large, vast warehousing and small manufacturing. My wife commented to me that it is so nice for these areas, as it brings more employment opportunities. Bingo.

That one comment caused to me to get into some deep thinking once we got home and I was finishing up the grass. I started to wonder what the percentage is of people in the metro area who work in one suburb and live in another. I suspect that number is very high. Maybe sky high. For example, the majority of my career I lived in either Coon Rapids or Andover. I worked at companies in Eagan, Bloomington, or Fridley. My wife worked in East Bethel. My daughter who lives with us right now, works in Elk River. And my son-in-law works in Minnetonka.

Why bring all of this up? Mass transit. In particular, light rail. I suspect that the vast majority of citizens don't stand to gain one inch, not one ounce of benefit from light rail. And it does not stop there. Should I have ever desired to take ANY mass transit ANYWHERE in the 30+ years we have lived in this house, it was not in the cards. I would still have to get into my car and drive to the next city to find a hub.

The bottom line is this. The Governor and the DFL want me to help pay for the SWLRT (as well as others) when they will not do me (and countless others) ANY GOOD WHATSOEVER! So why are we wasting air and space taking about this? Heck, we could not even get bus service out here.

I have a splendid idea. And it is not even original, as I have heard it from a great many people. How about putting more lanes in the current roads we have? You know, the roads that most of use to travel to work? And Met Council, you can take those trains and shove them where the ... never mind.

If our government is supposed to work for us, then let it. I am tired of paying for boon doggles presented to statists by special interest groups. Done with it. Now.