Dear friends of Regional Rail:
 
The next meeting of the Regional Rail Working Group (RRWG) will be held
on March 21, 2007, 6-8pm at 104 Washington Street in Lower Manhattan.
 
A key topic for discussion will be the analysis plan for the Regional
Rail component of IRUM's Price Matters research study, announced by labor
mediator Theodore Kheel on Thursday, February 8, 2007 at the reception of
the Regional Rail exhibit in the lobby of the Conde nast Building. Kheel
was a pioneer in getting bridge and tunnel authorities to fund mass
transit improvements.  After many years pursuing other environmental
initiatives he wants to turn his attention back to public transit issues
relating to the environment.  At the reception, Kheel made an eloquent
appeal to charge motorists a very high price to cross the cordon into the
Manhattan Central Business District and to use the revenue generated to
reduce or eliminate transit fares in the city.
 
Since the Regional Rail plan developed by the RRWG calls for a "one-city
one-fare" central zon, including NYC, Hudson County and Newark, Kheel has
agreed to include this as a component of the Price Matters study.
 
A discussion of this pricing strategy will be the focus of the RRWG
meeting, following a brief round-up of advocacy efforts for the various
components of the Regional Rail plan.
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Next regular monthly meeting of RRWG
 
Wednesday, March 21, 2007  6-8pm (meeting will start promptly at 6pm)
Conference Room, NYPD Downtown Center 104 Washington Street (just north
of Rector Street),  Lower Manhattan. 
 
Agenda items for Wednesday's meeting will include a quick update on each
of these key initiatives:
 
1. Penn Station-Grand Central connection
2. Upper Level Loop Alternative for LIRR East Side Access
3. Rockaway Cut-off - one-seat ride Midtown Manhattan-JFK Airport
4. Lower Manhattan Access
5. Regional Rail Freight plan
6. Intercity rail issues
 
The key discussion item will be the Regional Rail component of the Price
Matters study.
 
The purpose of the working group is to develop and advance plans for
converting the region's commuter rail lines into a regional rail system,
with fast, frequent service and affordable, integrated fares. The group
also considers changes to rapid transit and light rail transit
that are "regional" in scale. 
  
Regional Rail issues are discussed on our website: www.rrwg.org 
 
 
 
The working Group includes:
 
Empire State Passengers Association
NJ Association of Railroad Passengers
Lackawanna Coalition
Five Towns Rural Transit, Inc.
Committee for Better Transit
Institute for Rational Urban Mobility 
 
Plan to attend the next meeting on March 21, 2007. 
 
geo
 
George Haikalis
Chair, Regional Rail Working Group
One Washington Square Village, Apt. 5D
New York, NY 10012 phone: 212-475-3394   fax:212-475-5051   
 
geohaikalis@juno.com    www.irum.org   www.auto-free.org      
www.vision42.org    www.rrwg.org