Let’s talk about this
Re: “Gondolas? Good Grief — North Texas needs real transportation solutions, not slow, inefficient elevated cars,” Tuesday editorial
This editorial raised some relevant questions many people may be interested in learning more about.
North Texas is the nation’s fastest-growing metro area. The North Central Texas Council of Governments forecasts that even with current highway expansion plans, congestion will significantly increase by 2045.
New solutions are needed to enable the region to continue growing and prospering, including solutions that integrate with existing transit. North Texas has a rich, distinguished history of being first to deploy several new breakthrough transportation technologies now commonplace worldwide. NCTCOG and the Regional Transportation Council have demonstrated thoughtful leadership in evaluating new technologies. Their Certification of Emerging and Reliable Transportation Technology Program applies a thorough, systematic process to safeguard cities, applying diligence to all decision-making.
Whoosh prototypes have successfully demonstrated benefits almost everyone would agree with: convenient, sustainable, highly cost-effective mobility. Proven technologies provide convenience with no waiting, no intermediate stops for fast trips, reducing street-level congestion.
We look forward to more discussions and public discourse. Dialogue and input with residents, businesses and local government officials will be important to ensure North Texas continues to move and grow.
Jeral Poskey, Mountain View, Calif.
CEO, Swyft Cities
Crunching numbers
Re: “Dallas-to-FW route may skip downtown — City leaders had doubts about earlier proposal’s impact on area projects,” Thursday news story.
Let’s do some quick math (and a logic check) on the proposed Dallas-to-Fort Worth high-speed rail line: Thirty-one miles separate Dallas and Fort Worth. The project’s estimated construction costs, according to the Fort Worth Report, are over $11 billion. That’s about $355 million per mile, and this does not include operating and maintenance expenses.
What does Dallas-Fort Worth gain? About 30 minutes per trip. The TRE currently takes 58 minutes to get from one downtown to the other. The new train would take “under 30 minutes.” The proposal claims that the high-speed trains would operate up to 160 miles per hour.
Such a big number must sound rousing to city leaders, but the route is only 31 miles long, and there will be a stop in Arlington. In reality, the trains would average somewhere between 65 and 75 mph.
Here’s an idea: run express TRE trains between Dallas and Fort Worth. Some capacity upgrades will be required, but on the same tracks with today’s infrastructure, Amtrak regularly makes this run in under 40 minutes. I can think of far better uses for taxpayers’ money.
Patrick Crowling, North Dallas
Truth matters in this election
This year’s presidential election will require more serious consideration and sharper political discernment than anytime in my voting lifetime.
If we don’t manage to agree to disagree, many of us may decide, come Election Day, to stay home and wait for “come-what-may.” Please don’t do that.
To not vote — especially this year — is the decision of impotence, of giving up on our precious right to make our voices heard for truth. To vote is to exercise a freedom won by generations of spilled blood on the horrific battlefields of history.
To challenge the political position of my Republican friends and relatives is not my purpose. Hyperbole has its place, and correctly used, it can be appreciated.
However, when it stands in the way of truth, beware.
Additionally, lies told for political gain can be especially dangerous and should be shunned by those who are patriotic. Whether Republican or Democrat, we should rely upon the genius of the Constitution when seeking truth and guidance for saving our republic and its democratic government. To do so will require us to discard partisanship, hyperbole and lies while casting our votes for candidates, up and down the ballot, who know how to tell the truth.
Jess Wade, Fairview
Neiman’s purchaser
I find it interesting that in every story you publish about the Neiman Marcus purchase, you refer to the purchaser either as “the parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue” or HBC. You make it sound like HBC is some three-letter hedge fund soaking up high-end retailers.
HBC is more than that — it is the Hudson’s Bay Co. It is the oldest corporation in North America, having been chartered in 1670. It predates the Acts of Union 1800 in Great Britain. (When it started, it was an English company, not a British company or a U.K. company.)
Its CEO is formally known as the “governor” of the corporation. At one point, it controlled and governed about a third of what is now Canada. It also had outposts in what is now Idaho, Oregon and Washington state.
It’s been in the retail business forever, but its first formal shops popped up in the 1850s. Canadian elementary and high school students learn about the Hudson’s Bay Co. in their history classes. Its story is woven into the fabric of Canada.
Brian MacKay, Coppell
Texans deserve better
Re: “Paxton, Pay Texans the $11,300 You Owe — His office is supposed to collect unpaid Ethics Commission penalties, so we aren’t holding our breath,” Wednesday editorial.
I appreciate The Dallas Morning News highlighting our attorney general’s flaunting of his unethical behavior. The Texas Bar should take action against Ken Paxton given the level of disgrace he has brought to the legal profession and to his abuse of the Office of the Attorney General. Texans deserve public servants who serve the public and not themselves.
Kenneth Bernstein, East Dallas
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