Please consider carefully how you choose to support the DRC project. So many questions still remain and although we heartily support public transportation, the current plan of heavy rail using diesel engines has many problems including:
 
1) No budget for mitigations such as sound walls and grade separations
2) No specific plan for moving freight along the lines
3) Cost projections doubling and ridership figures not clearly supported
4) A critical need to address the issue of Cal Train electrifying in the next 10 years, making the diesel line incompatible and negating the whole idea of the DRC connecting to Cal Train
5) A critical need to address the fiscal issue of "Does this project make sense?" Cost per rider projections are roughly 10 times higher than what is considered acceptable for federally-funded projects (source: Susan Robinson, Menlo Park rep to the DRC Citizens Advisory Panel)
and,
6) Who is enduring the DRC is the best use of Measure 2 funds?
 
Thank you,
 
Heather and Dan Nelson
58 Lorelei Lane
Menlo Park
Received on Tue May 22 12:27:30 2007