Recently we learned that Ozark Regional Transit Authority wants to build a Bus Rapid Transit System. A bus system that offers by definition frequent (every fifteen minutes) fast buses linking NWA’s cities. There are roughly 35 miles between Fayetteville and Bentonville so that is likely to be about the length of the BRT. These systems use, again by definition, dedicated lanes, radio transponders in the buses and traffic lights that allow the bus driver to hold a green light so the bus can glide on through the intersection. Level bus stations so there aren’t steps to navigate. This aides mobility impaired riders and allows for faster ingress and egress from the bus for everyone. I say by “definition” because I haven’t seen any specifics yet though executive director Joel Gardner has talked about these characteristics in public meetings.
Based on comments on our Facebook page some of you aren’t excited about building new rails. I get it, the cost of building new rails is eye watering. You wouldn’t be a conscientious citizen if you weren’t concerned about costs. I get the initial attraction of BRT over say light rail that links the Four Cities. BRT will be in service sooner and cost less. Based on estimates by NWA Regional Planning Commission BRT costs $500 million to build and implement over a 35 mile in length system. This is within the cost range of other BRT systems in other parts of the US, like Indianapolis IN or Phoenix Arizona’s system that cost $500 million. NWA RPC estimated that building light rail over the same 35 mile corridor will be $1 billion.
Looking at a regional passenger railroad we can modify existing freight rails and cover a much longer distance for less money than building dedicated High Speed Rail. HSR can get us from NWA to Little Rock in about 2 hours at the cost of building new dedicated tracks. Using existing tracks we can open a new route from Kansas City to New Orleans through NWA for less money. Though the tracks will need considerable modification.
I still prefer building new rail. This is why. One, the money goes into building our local economies. We aren’t just spending more, we are investing more and we will get more out of rail economically than we will with buses. Another economic argument in favor of rail is the subsidy factor. I looked at the cost of subsiding bus seats vs light rail seats in Phoenix AZ a year or so before the pandemic. Phoenix spent $2.50 on each bus ride but only $1.50 on each light rail ride per passenger. So we spend more upfront but save money in the long run.
If you want to use mixed use railroads that is fine. But because passenger trains share the tracks with freight trains, the passenger trains go slower. Although the Federal Railroad Administration allows speeds for passenger trains up to 110 MPH in some cases. In Arkansas given the state of our railroad tracks I don’t think we are in danger of getting anywhere fast. Most of the railroads in the USA were built by the early 20th century. And the USA wasn’t bombed in WW 2 so the tracks are still in use.
Building limited stop 250 MPH passenger rail is expensive but again, that money goes into the local economies. The money grows and spreads as the construction workers spend money that increases to employ more workers. To build houses. To attract new business to move into the area and to make it feasible to start more small businesses.
Put it this way, if you were the executive of say, a microchip manufacturing company looking to build a new factory, what would interest you? A state with no plan for expanding energy infrastructure? Roads choked in traffic jams? Lack of housing? Or a location with housing to spare, ease of travel, and a robust energy grid? People who have ridden High Speed Rail love it. They describe it as riding in a bubble. This is very attractive for people looking to invest in our community.
There is a lot more to this than clutching our pearls over money. As Will Rogers said, we will get it back (what we spend in construction) by night fall.
Let’s not forget that rail is more efficient in energy usage. This reduces pollution and costs of operation. So once again we spend the money upfront but save it on the operation side. Let’s remember that not everyone can drive, is able to drive, and some people are thrifty and want to save money. The conservatives I grew up with lived by “Waste not, want not”. Something that was forgotten to our detriment given the scramble to find enough oil over the decades I have been an adult.
So I prefer rail to create wealth, reduce dependence on oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to save money. Or as someone said about Ferrari sports cars, “Go fast, look good, feel great. Is there anything else?”
NWA GO 
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