Matt recently discovered an interesting bit of wishful thinking on public display when The Ithaca Journal provided some free public relations for the latest pie-in-the-sky idea to solve the city's supposed transit woes: a monorail. Has no one in Ithaca seen The Simpsons? Evidently, the Journal's readers are more reasonable than the local group pushing the idea, Connect Ithaca. One comment sums up the discussion: What I think is so great is that green types like myself and outspoken conservatives are in agreement about this being a terrible "idea" for Ithaca. I love that. I think it also means that in the off chance this "idea" gets any momentum, it will not get public support.I just want to say, I think this is a great discussion and it is too bad that the Collect [sic] Ithaca people are not willing or able to defend their "ideas" and add to this robust exchange.
If automobile transport is too costly, environmentally unsound and inefficient, how does that make levitated five-person "podcars" more "sustainable"? The plans for this implausible solution, humorously translated from the Swedish, are available in all their glory here.
Why not go with transit that already has a history in the city, would encourage more development and would add to Ithaca's character? I refer, of course, to the trolley, an idea that has already been vigorously endorsed by the Hill's voice of reason, The Cornell Daily Sun:
Why, think of the benefits! What heartless student would turn down an offer to live in a place of magical trolleys, tracks and cables? What tourist would decline an opportunity to visit the City of Ithaca and its world-famous trolleys? What commuter would make excuses to ride alone rather than hop upon the cheerful trolley? None, we say! Bring back the trolley from the Land of Make-Believe!
