Thursday, February 07, 2008

Napans on commuter rail

Each week, napavalleyregister.com posts a “Question of the Week” and seeks reader responses.

The poll results are not scientific, though the Register takes steps to minimize the possibility that individuals vote multiple times.

Here are the results of the most recent poll, and some reader comments. To see this week’s question, go online to napavalleyregister.com.

Question of the week: If a commuter train ran from Napa to Vallejo and/or BART, would you take it?

Total votes: 756

Yes — 669 (88 percent)

No — 87 (12 percent)

“Yes! Increasing the availability of public transportation is the direction we should be heading in to lessen our negative environmental impact.”

“This town is horrible for public transportation! If the Wine Train tracks were used for a commuter train Upvalley in the a.m. and p.m., I’d take that, too! No more driving with drunk tourists. Amen!”

“A commuter train requires a destination, and then another mode of transportation from that destination, and then another mode of transportation from that destination. Give me my car.”

“I would ride the commuter train. My only hope is that terminals would be planned to include north, central and south Napa, and stops at the college, Airport Road and American Canyon, plus convenient stops for attractions in Vallejo that could attract a rider base like Six Flags, downtown and the ferry slip.”

“No way. I like the fact I am mobile in my car, and the train will bring unwanted crime, ice, crack, gangs and a world of unwanted people who will use the service to sneak in items and degrade this town even more.”

“I see it as a decent solution to creating less traffic on our lovely little two-lane highway we have. Either more lanes or a train, something needs to be done!”

“Connecting Napa with Vallejo is a horrible idea!”

“ A commuter train would not be a crack pipeline, nor a criminal superhighway ... All of the tourists using cabs and the Vine would ride it. Students and Highway 29 commuters would relieve traffic by riding it. If connected to BART, we could go straight to the airport in San Francisco.”

“That would be totally awesome! This is something I wish Napa had for the longest time. ... It would more than likely bring more people from San Francisco and surrounding cities without having to drive to Napa! It would be good for citizens and tourists.”

“Maybe the reason it hasn’t been built has something to do with the fact that everyone says they use public transit, but when they actually do an audit, almost no one does. Think Napa Trolley.”

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