NEW BLOG - The Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle

Mark Olson is no longer in the MN legislature, but his boondoggle lives on...

Read the latest, goofy PRT news at The Personal Rapid Transit Boondoggle blog.

Is PRT also an Environmental Regulation-Busting Tool?

The invasion of Ithaca, New York by PRT pod people continues (scroll down)... but this post is about the ongoing invasion by pod people in Alameda, CA.

I've documented how PRT has been used by anti-transit, road warriors like Rep. Mark Olson to block and delay funding for conventional transit, particularly commuter and light rail transit. Now, PRT is being used to bamboozle citizens in Alameda into scrapping Measure A, a ballot initiative aimed to regulate development.

Marc Albert in the Alameda Sun:

SunCal is scheduled to present more fleshed-out plans to city officials Sept. 19. The public, invited to weigh the merits of two potential scenarios, one with 4,000 units, the other with 6,000, continue to be alternately wowed by futuristic amenities including proposals for a solar power plant and monorail, yet dismissive of both options for running afoul of the city's anti-growth statute, Measure A.

The 1972 ballot initiative regulates lot size and forbids construction of housing units that would accommodate more than two families. The developer has put forward two potential options, both of which would require a ballot initiative, likely in 2009, that would waive Measure A at least at Alameda Point.

Instead of offering a real solution to the transportation needs of the people who move into those additional 2,000 units, Suncal offers an imaginary, snake-oil solution - PRT... CLEVER!!!

Suncal made it's case to the Alameda City Council on September 10th:

Traffic jams and empty storefronts were two of the main concerns of the City Council and the community at Wednesday's special meeting focused primarily on developer SunCal's latest concept for the former Navy base.

SunCal's 6,200-plus residential unit proposal included self-described "visionary" features: a possible "solar farm" to generate energy and heat; a Bus Rapid Transit system to encourage public transit use and ease traffic; and a Jetson-like Personal Rapid Transit system, which would shuttle people in small computerized electrical vehicles on an elevated roadway to transit hubs.

When pressed by Councilmember Doug DeHaan, the SunCal consultant conceded that the overhead roadway with the computerized vehicles may not be viable, but should it work out, it would be extended throughout the island. Developers in years past had extolled the virtues of a ski-lift-like gondola that would transport people back and forth across the estuary, and another proposal called for a BART system to do the same task underwater. Neither idea made it past the dream stage.

But, the fate of Suncal's project at Alameda Point may be already sealed by the collapse of Lehman Brothers:

Lehman invested heavily over the last few years in California's real-estate market through its financing of Irvine-based SunCal Companies.

The firm wrote down its investment in SunCal from $2.2 billion to $1.6 billion earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported.

UPDATE: Suncal denies they are in trouble.

Here's Suncal's presentation at the Alameda City Council September 10th:

Debbie Cook Does Not Appear at the Ithaca Podcar Conference

Looks like Congressional candidate Debbie Cook will not appear at the Podcar Conference as the Podcar website claimed.

The current program says the following:

Video Message from Debbie Cook, Mayor of Huntington Beach and candidate for US Congress (D)

Why the "(D)" after her name It should not matter to a supposedly non-political group what party she belongs to. But matter it does since the Pod people are sweating that Republicans will be out of power in January and it is the anti-transit, right-wing fringe that Rep. Mark Olson comes from that supported PRT in Minnesota.

But, Gus Ayer was there... Gus from last year's Podcar conference:

Local TV News Coverage of Wacky Podcar Conference

Hilarious... a bunch of Swedes and a local developer peddling PRT snake oil with a wacky "bubble and beams" CGI video. The developer Frost Travis predicts that Ithaca will be covered in bubbles and beams in ten years.... interesting that the website for Connect Ithaca website is down... is Jake Roberts still working for Connect Ithaca?

Rep. Mark Olson Says "There is Corruption"... Where?

Jennifer Edwards reports in the West Sherburne Tribune:

Olson says he is planning a write-in campaign in November and indicated he felt some votes were missing, uncounted from Orrock and Zimmerman.

"I'm filing the paperwork as we speak," he said Thursday. "People are very upset about how awful, how malicious their campaigning practices were. The only way to get it all out there is a continued campaign."

Olson blamed legislative leaders in St. Paul for contributing to his defeat, saying they cut him off at the knees with illegal campaign brochures.

"There is something wrong with this picture. Candidates who are brought and sold never represent the people. They represent the people who brought them," he said. "There is a cause here. there is corruption involved. Money and power are driving this. I have stood up against the influence of money more than anybody down there, Now I am paying the price."

Corruption? Really!?! I hope Olson contacts the FBI.

Public corruption is a serious problem according to the FBI:

Public corruption is one of the FBI’s top investigative priorities—behind only terrorism, espionage, and cyber crimes. Why? Because of its impact on our democracy and national security. Public corruption can affect everything from how well our borders are secured and our neighborhoods protected…to verdicts handed down in courts…to the quality of our roads and schools. And it takes a significant toll on our pocketbooks, too, siphoning off tax dollars.

Olson's PRT pod buddy Dean Zimmermann was investigated, tried and convicted of public corruption.

Speaking of PRT, there was a PRT-promoting commentary in the Star Tribune on Saturday. I left a comment about Olson and Zimmerman promoting the pods and it was removed. Here is the screenshot of the comment they removed:



I left a another comment that is still up:

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann Supported PRT

In 2004, Rep. Michele Bachmann co-sponsored legislation for PRT and promoted PRT with Rep. Mark Olson and former Minneapolis councilman Dean Zimmermann.... Does Rep. Michele Bachmann still support spending millions of taxpayers' dollars on PRT research?

While we are still on the subject of pods, check out hilarious blog post by Lyle Zapato about the podcar commentary (originally in the LA Times):

Benefits that monorail podcars have over traditional monorail trains are that when one bursts into flames, only four people will be roasted alive, and you won't be able to fit a frightened elephant inside one. Also, when they stall (and they will), you can get out and push.

Podcars are a poor mimicry of the superior Inteli-Tube pneumatic transportation system* and were designed to confuse the car-obsessed public into building more dangerous monorails.

Podcar Conference Marketing & Sponsorship Director Fired from his Other Job

Ithaca Journal:

ITHACA — The Ithaca Festival faces a major deficit and a search for a director following this past June's event that saw an expansion of attractions and performers at two locations in the city.

“The festival is in debt, and the festival director was terminated, and the festival board is determined that the festival continue in 2009 and beyond. We expect to continue the mission of the festival to bring out the artist in everyone,” said Ed Marion, the president of the festival's board of directors.

According to the 2008 Executive Director Jacob Roberts, who was fired by the festival's board on July 11, the budget was approximately $300,000 and the deficit as of June was well into the six figures.

Scott Hamilton, who managed expenses for the 2008 Festival, said that the deficit handed to the board following the festival was $150,000.

Jake Robert's bio in a Podcar Conference newsletter (PDF):

Jacob Alan Roberts

By Christer Lindstrom

PODCAR CITY: ITHACA is pleased to announce the recent hiring of Jacob Alan Roberts as its Marketing & Sponsorship Director. Over the past decade, Mr. Roberts has been a tireless leader in catalyzing and inspiring the creative sectors of Syracuse and Ithaca, NY. His extensive body of work as an executive, civil servant and community volunteer has yielded transformative action in social, cultural and economic spheres that continue to bring about sensible and innovative solutions to the greater region.

Since graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Fine Art in 1996, Jacob has committed himself to the promotion and advancement of Upstate, NY by creating a diverse portfolio of initiatives that produces results. From co-founding NGO’s that work to support the areas “creative class”, to launching a community-based fiber optic network, to spearheading the largest
gathering of “young professionals” in US history, Mr. Roberts continues to make positive impacts with his time and energy.

We are happy to welcome Jacob to the team!

What a team... Michele Bachmann, Dean Zimmermann, Mark Olson, Jacob Roberts... the PRT guys sure do a heckuva job picking people to promote their boondoggle.

PRTistas Eating Their Own

The Mayor of Fountain Valley California in the Cyburbia Forum:

Hi,

My name is Gus Ayer, and I'm a City Council member in the fair city of Fountain Valley, California, currently taking my turn in the largely ceremonial position as Mayor.

Recently, I've been working with the Swedish Institute for Sustainable Transportation, which has been working to rescue the concept of Personal Rapid Transit from the clutches of crackpots, ideologues and anti-transit nutjobs. They recently sponsored the PodCar City conference in Uppsala, which I attended and spoke at, and their new Kompass group will help cities interested in new transit solutions to find a common direction.

From the comments of a PRTista's Daily Kos Diary in response to MnRaindog:

I've read your comments in DK history, and I can really appreciate your disdain for Bachman, but PRT as public transit doesn't rely on batshit crazy Republicans. The Swedish Institute for Sustainable Transportation, that has inspired me, is working to reclaim a valid idea form the wingnuts and crackpots.

Congratulations, Gus you're an honorary member of the Pod Squad:



UPDATE: The Daily Kos Diary posts by "Aeolus" on the Podcar Conference have apparently been removed.