My draft below. I plan to include that famous painting of the bare breasted woman leading the charge over the barricades
A Revolution in Paris
Every now and then, governments make infrastructure investments that change the way people & commerce move – and affect they way that they live. The daily rhythms of society are altered by a choice of where and how to invest, wisely or not.
Some such investments, such as the American investment in the Interstate Highway system, are quite questionable in their overall systemic impacts. Other choices stimulate the local and national economy by increasing efficiency, improve human health & well being, reduce air pollution, use fewer resources – both land and energy, increase National Security, reduce imports and reduce carbon emissions.
63% of the Swiss people voted in 1992 and again in 1998 to invest 30.5 billion Swiss francs over twenty years to improve their already excellent rail system. New tunnels under the Alps and a host of other improvements built for a better future.
Such a massive sum (equal to over $1 trillion for the USA, if adjusted for population and currency) had numerous goals, but the primary one was to shift freight over the Alps from trucks to electrified rail. A goal that has all of the above benefits.
The French people are in the midst of several such investments as part of a national program called Grenelle to reduce carbon emissions by a quarter in just a dozen years. Beyond the aggressive goals of Grenelle (ending in 2020), they have announced the greatest of them all – for Paris of course - in March, 2013.
Outside Paris, the French are building new tram (Light Rail) lines in almost every town of 100,000 & larger – and several smaller than 100,000. Their goal is 1,500 km of new tram lines for €21 billion this decade. They have accelerated the rate that new lines for TGV are being built – doubling the kilometers operating from 2009 to 2020. Meanwhile they are rapidly electrifying their other rail lines. They are aggressively supporting bicycling.
Le Nouveau Grand Paris was announced in March, 2013. This program will fundamentally change Greater Paris for the better. By 2030, 90% of Greater Parisians (Paris Metropole) will be within 2 km of an urban rail station – Metro, tram or RER (commuter rail on steriods).
In 2011 and 2012, the Conservatives announced Le Grand Express for Paris. This massive investment would have doubled the Paris Metro with 200 km (125 miles) of new subway lines. €21 billion invested from 2013 to 2025, 2 million new daily subway riders.
1.5 million of the 2 million expected new subway riders would be former bus riders. The operational savings from switching so many bus riders from bus to rail would pay for the €21 billion investment - hence the Conservative support.
Le Grand Paris was in addition to a massive tram (Light Rail) building program in Paris, with over 100 km of new tram (Light Rail) lines planned for the suburbs of Paris.
When the Socialists won the next election, the looked again at Le Grand Express and expanded it. They plan to increase annual spending by 50% (true ?) and add 5 years – to 2030 – to the oil free transportation plan for Paris.
By 2030, 90% of the 11.5 (8.2) million citizens of Greater Paris (the Paris Metropole) will be within 2 km (1.2 miles) of an urban rail station (Metro, tram, RER). With electric delivery trucks, and improved bicycling, much of Paris will become “oil optional”.
All of this will significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Background:
http://www.iledefrance.fr/fileadmin/con ... 3_500x.pdf
What is wrong ? What did I miss ? What should I add ?
Best Hopes,
Alan
My draft below. I plan to include that famous painting of the bare breasted woman leading the charge over the barricades :)
[size=150][b]A Revolution in Paris
[/b][/size]
Every now and then, governments make infrastructure investments that change the way people & commerce move – and affect they way that they live. The daily rhythms of society are altered by a choice of where and how to invest, wisely or not.
Some such investments, such as the American investment in the Interstate Highway system, are quite questionable in their overall systemic impacts. Other choices stimulate the local and national economy by increasing efficiency, improve human health & well being, reduce air pollution, use fewer resources – both land and energy, increase National Security, reduce imports and reduce carbon emissions.
63% of the Swiss people voted in 1992 and again in 1998 to invest 30.5 billion Swiss francs over twenty years to improve their already excellent rail system. New tunnels under the Alps and a host of other improvements built for a better future.
Such a massive sum (equal to over $1 trillion for the USA, if adjusted for population and currency) had numerous goals, but the primary one was to shift freight over the Alps from trucks to electrified rail. A goal that has all of the above benefits.
The French people are in the midst of several such investments as part of a national program called Grenelle to reduce carbon emissions by a quarter in just a dozen years. Beyond the aggressive goals of Grenelle (ending in 2020), they have announced the greatest of them all – for Paris of course - in March, 2013.
Outside Paris, the French are building new tram (Light Rail) lines in almost every town of 100,000 & larger – and several smaller than 100,000. Their goal is 1,500 km of new tram lines for €21 billion this decade. They have accelerated the rate that new lines for TGV are being built – doubling the kilometers operating from 2009 to 2020. Meanwhile they are rapidly electrifying their other rail lines. They are aggressively supporting bicycling.
Le Nouveau Grand Paris was announced in March, 2013. This program will fundamentally change Greater Paris for the better. By 2030, 90% of Greater Parisians (Paris Metropole) will be within 2 km of an urban rail station – Metro, tram or RER (commuter rail on steriods).
In 2011 and 2012, the Conservatives announced Le Grand Express for Paris. This massive investment would have doubled the Paris Metro with 200 km (125 miles) of new subway lines. €21 billion invested from 2013 to 2025, 2 million new daily subway riders.
1.5 million of the 2 million expected new subway riders would be former bus riders. The operational savings from switching so many bus riders from bus to rail would pay for the €21 billion investment - hence the Conservative support.
Le Grand Paris was in addition to a massive tram (Light Rail) building program in Paris, with over 100 km of new tram (Light Rail) lines planned for the suburbs of Paris.
When the Socialists won the next election, the looked again at Le Grand Express and expanded it. They plan to increase annual spending by 50% (true ?) and add 5 years – to 2030 – to the oil free transportation plan for Paris.
By 2030, 90% of the 11.5 (8.2) million citizens of Greater Paris (the Paris Metropole) will be within 2 km (1.2 miles) of an urban rail station (Metro, tram, RER). With electric delivery trucks, and improved bicycling, much of Paris will become “oil optional”.
All of this will significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Background:
http://www.iledefrance.fr/fileadmin/contrib_folder/Cartes/Carte_transports_IDF_6_3_2013_500x.pdf
What is wrong ? What did I miss ? What should I add ?
Best Hopes,
Alan