Slow news day
The Chronicle figures they didn’t quite finish their first story on the METRO light rail contract, so here’s part two:
Metro’s newly-approved $1.46 billion contract to build four new light rail lines does not include a couple of things: $830 million and the controversial University line.
Both of these things were annnounced by METRO on Wednesday and were mentioned in the Chronicle’s story on Thursday. They’ve also been known for months. The North and Southeast Lines have completed the federal environmental process but have not yet gotten a Full Funding Grant Agreement from the feds. Every indication is that that will happen this year. The Chronicle doesn’t mention this, but METRO is actually finishing up one remaining piece of FTA paperwork: a risk analysis backing up the project cost estimates. The University Line, meanwhile, has not finished the environmental process; its Final Environmental Impact Statement is being reviewed by the FTA before going to the public. It may be frustration that these things have not happened yet, but it’s not a surprise. The federal process takes time.
Also, a word about the word “controversial”: It’s lazy journalism. If I already know about the University Line, I know that there’s been some very public debate, some politicians taking sides, and a lawsuit. If I don’t know, I don’t learn anything from the word “controversial.” Every project ever is controversial. No matter what it is, someone (like Barry Klein, who’s admirably consistent in these things) opposes it, and someone is in favor of it. There is not a single additional word in this article about why the line is controversial. So that word is useless. It’s just an attempt to make a story sound more interesting without actually doing the work of explaining.
Visit our controversial forums with your controversial thoughts on this controversial post.