SANTIAGO.- The first stage of the streetcar planned by the City Council here to improve the mass transit system will cost 200 million Euros (US$300 million)
The Spanish railways company FEVE is currently in charge of building the streetcar system, and works in the final stages the project’s blueprints.
Urban Planning department director Oscar Nazer said the ground use permits for the work’s construction were approved July 17 for the concessionaire company Ferrocarriles Metropolitanos de Santiago, based in Madrid, together with the local company, Consulting APD.
Nazer said if everything goes as planned; the new transport system’s construction would begin by mid 2009. “We’re optimistic with this initiative because it’ll solve the mass transit for problem for passengers in the city of Santiago."
The streetcar’s first stage in the East-West route would cover 21 kilometers beginning at the Cibao International Airport.
From: Canada, Toronto ,Cabbagetown,Parliament and Gerrard
more cost effective than a subway...same negatives ELECTRICITY....if you dont have any
Written by: anthonyC, 29 Aug 2008 8:53 AM
From: United States
Nothing is free.
From: United States
All I hear from projects like this is cost cost cost, complain complain complain...
listen, infrastructures like this and the subway lines is what develops a country and shows the development of a country. Read a little bit of history you'll find out that many major building projects were critisized to death, but are loved now (ifle tower, empire state, even the new yankee stadium).
Also, construction is good for the country because it creates jobs for many and our country has way too high unemployment rate. If you don't see these projects showing development of a country in an attempt to modernize please appreciate the effort to lower unemployment rate and raise the economy as a way to develop and modernize.
From: Canada, Toronto ,Cabbagetown,Parliament and Gerrard
I think streetcars are a great idea it is not a negative I grew up riding them in Toronto....the negative is the more than 30 years that the power problem has not been solved
From: Dominican Republic
Unless this system is built as an elevated roadway, the resulting traffic congestion will overshadow the normal benefits that are supposed to be derived from it.
Systems such as the one being considered must have a clear roadway in order to maximize their potential of moving people from one location to another.
A case in point are the operations of the existing motorized systems which cause more problems than they are worth. If the porposed system is operated in a similar fashion, there will be no benefits derived from the financial outlay.
From: Iraq, 10 billion dollars a month for nothing
Written by: gouletcolonial, 29 Aug 2008 7:51 AM
From: Canada
more cost effective than a subway...same negatives ELECTRICITY....if you dont have any
I agree .... why in hell would you build another trian... He promised to fix the electricity problem, hasn't done so... but now he wants to build another train....
From: United States
Spending your way out of a recession dosen't work anywhere in the world.
The problem is that Leonel hasen't figured that one out yet, because as long as the population allows the corruption then the recession will get worse.
From: United States
YEAH!!! Another step towards progress. And the complainers continue to bitch and whine. I cannot wait to take pictures of the complainers riding up and down on the Metro and the Tram. What a funny site that will be. I wonder if any of them will get off once they get on? Or if any of the whiners will ever ride a concho ever again, once these services are up and running?
Written by: Edward, 29 Aug 2008 1:10 PM
From: United States, Leominster, Massachusetts
Finally the Santiago Light Rail will become a reality!!!
Written by: anthonyC, 29 Aug 2008 1:40 PM
From: United States
Written by: snoopyy3k, 29 Aug 2008 11:36 AM
From: United States
YEAH!!! Another step towards progress. And the complainers continue to bitch and whine. I cannot wait to take pictures of the complainers riding up and down on the Metro and the Tram. What a funny site that will be. I wonder if any of them will get off once they get on? Or if any of the whiners will ever ride a concho ever again, once these services are up and running? "
Concho? Are you kidding me?
I really don't think that many people are complaining about the Idea of the Metro or the Trolley. What they are complaining about is the typical Dominican way of graft, waste and poor planning.
From: United States
This is good news! I have been advocating for a long time.
Every major RD city needs an inner-city mass transit system. Again, there still needs to be a cross-country National RD Rail system to eliminate old gas guzzling buses, monopoly, unions abuse & oil dependency.
This RD Rail will pick up produce in in La Vega via Constanza & get to port (POP) for exports to the US cheaper & faster. This system will move both people & goods cheaper, faster & better with strategic stops in North & South sea ports, STI and it s airport, La Vega, Bonao, La Capital and to SDQ, Boca Chica and then on to LRM and then toward PUJ via San Pedro and Higuey.
This DR Rail with train box cars with solar panels & ceiling skylights and engine powered by CHEAP energy generated at state-of-the-art Nuclear plants supported by its own transmission & distribution. Excess energy can be sold back to the utilities to reduce black-outs with profits going into Education & Tech for global competitiveness.
From: United States
I think this is a bold step in keeping Santiago at the forefront of Dominican development. As a career U.S. Naval Officer -- 24 years -- I've visited hundreds of cities throughout the world and upon retirement settled on spending my time between two cities: Miami and Santiago. I have no desire to live elsewhere. Santiago es Santiago, and by the looks of it it is going to continue to get better.
From: Dominican Republic
The problem isn't that the Tram isn't worth the investment in theinfrastructure of theCity, it's theway they go about letting thecontracts and manning thesystems, both in workers and managers.
It's all about the graft that goes on in the meantime and afterwards.
I just get the feeling that there will be plenty of millionaires made with this project as has been the case with the Metro. Everytime a contract is signed, there is some official standing their with his hand out for his "commission".
TB
Written by: jonjrs, 29 Aug 2008 4:16 PM
From: United States, Miami, FL
"Santiago is just a poor man's Santo Domingo" - Anonymous
Haha, all jokes aside, I think this is great, but if Jose Enrique Sued doesn't go about this the right way, the old-money crowd won't be too happy with him. Santiago handles issues way more effectively than "La Capital" ever has or will do, and that's coming from a "Capitaleño". Damn shame they can't get their heads out of their asses long enough in "La Feria" to ASSESS situations like the Santiago government does. The biggest flaw Santiagueros have is that they're a proud bunch, but at least they try to include everyone as far as progress. Case in point: Centro Leon. Try pulling that off in La Capital outside of the Poligono Central.....it won't work and will be vandalized within a day!
From: United States
Montesino, I could not agree more!!!
Anything they do in Dominican Republic is better than the current situation. This scenario at least for Santiago will be the avenue to resolve electricity sources or else it will not run. So even if the city has no electricity, the street car will run!!!
Also the streetcar has an appeal to Santiago, the tradition and culture match that of the Streetcar history. I also travel extensively and have to agree with montesino about MIAMI and SANTIAGO.
From: Dominican Republic
Lets just hope that they don't concentrate on the APPEARANCE of progress in the City and consentrate, instead, on the efficientcy of the system they install.
Nothing would make theCity appear more stupid than to install a hydra-headed monster that would result in Santiage de los Cabelleros a LAUGHING STOCK both in-country and abroad.
The administration of Santiago needs to really think this one through and put political considerations aside if it is to have the effect they wish to produce...EFFICIENT CONTROL OF THE PEOPLE MOVERS.
TB
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listen, infrastructures like this and the subway lines is what develops a country and shows the development of a country. Read a little bit of history you'll find out that many major building projects were critisized to death, but are loved now (ifle tower, empire state, even the new yankee stadium).
Also, construction is good for the country because it creates jobs for many and our country has way too high unemployment rate. If you don't see these projects showing development of a country in an attempt to modernize please appreciate the effort to lower unemployment rate and raise the economy as a way to develop and modernize.
Systems such as the one being considered must have a clear roadway in order to maximize their potential of moving people from one location to another.
A case in point are the operations of the existing motorized systems which cause more problems than they are worth. If the porposed system is operated in a similar fashion, there will be no benefits derived from the financial outlay.
From: Canada
more cost effective than a subway...same negatives ELECTRICITY....if you dont have any
I agree .... why in hell would you build another trian... He promised to fix the electricity problem, hasn't done so... but now he wants to build another train....
The problem is that Leonel hasen't figured that one out yet, because as long as the population allows the corruption then the recession will get worse.
From: United States
YEAH!!! Another step towards progress. And the complainers continue to bitch and whine. I cannot wait to take pictures of the complainers riding up and down on the Metro and the Tram. What a funny site that will be. I wonder if any of them will get off once they get on? Or if any of the whiners will ever ride a concho ever again, once these services are up and running? "
Concho? Are you kidding me?
I really don't think that many people are complaining about the Idea of the Metro or the Trolley. What they are complaining about is the typical Dominican way of graft, waste and poor planning.
Every major RD city needs an inner-city mass transit system. Again, there still needs to be a cross-country National RD Rail system to eliminate old gas guzzling buses, monopoly, unions abuse & oil dependency.
This RD Rail will pick up produce in in La Vega via Constanza & get to port (POP) for exports to the US cheaper & faster. This system will move both people & goods cheaper, faster & better with strategic stops in North & South sea ports, STI and it s airport, La Vega, Bonao, La Capital and to SDQ, Boca Chica and then on to LRM and then toward PUJ via San Pedro and Higuey.
This DR Rail with train box cars with solar panels & ceiling skylights and engine powered by CHEAP energy generated at state-of-the-art Nuclear plants supported by its own transmission & distribution. Excess energy can be sold back to the utilities to reduce black-outs with profits going into Education & Tech for global competitiveness.
It's all about the graft that goes on in the meantime and afterwards.
I just get the feeling that there will be plenty of millionaires made with this project as has been the case with the Metro. Everytime a contract is signed, there is some official standing their with his hand out for his "commission".
TB
Haha, all jokes aside, I think this is great, but if Jose Enrique Sued doesn't go about this the right way, the old-money crowd won't be too happy with him. Santiago handles issues way more effectively than "La Capital" ever has or will do, and that's coming from a "Capitaleño". Damn shame they can't get their heads out of their asses long enough in "La Feria" to ASSESS situations like the Santiago government does. The biggest flaw Santiagueros have is that they're a proud bunch, but at least they try to include everyone as far as progress. Case in point: Centro Leon. Try pulling that off in La Capital outside of the Poligono Central.....it won't work and will be vandalized within a day!
Anything they do in Dominican Republic is better than the current situation. This scenario at least for Santiago will be the avenue to resolve electricity sources or else it will not run. So even if the city has no electricity, the street car will run!!!
Also the streetcar has an appeal to Santiago, the tradition and culture match that of the Streetcar history. I also travel extensively and have to agree with montesino about MIAMI and SANTIAGO.
Nothing would make theCity appear more stupid than to install a hydra-headed monster that would result in Santiage de los Cabelleros a LAUGHING STOCK both in-country and abroad.
The administration of Santiago needs to really think this one through and put political considerations aside if it is to have the effect they wish to produce...EFFICIENT CONTROL OF THE PEOPLE MOVERS.
TB