BLUF: A report obtained from the Federal Transit Administration via a Freedom of Information Act request indicates that the estimated benefits of the planned six-mile extension to the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system in San Jose are greatly overstated and would only have a minimal impact on personal vehicle emissions.
OSINT: The report shows that the BART extension is expected to provide 32,900 passenger trips per weekday, yielding a total of just over 9.5 million trips per year in 2040. However, the detailed travel forecast report obtained from the Federal Transit Administration shows that only 10,700 (about a third of) the BART riders will be new to transit, with most of the new passengers switching from buses and light rail vehicles already serving the area. Generously assuming that all the new riders switch from cars, the projected annual reduction in passenger vehicle trips would be about 3.1 million, comparing to a total of 860 million automobile trips in San Jose reported by Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer, yielding a projected reduction of just 0.4 percent.
RIGHT: The planned extension to the BART system would have a negligible impact on greenhouse gas emissions, but would come with a substantial cost of $9.3 billion, necessitating a massive investment of taxpayer dollars. This serves as a reminder of the inherent inefficiencies of public transportation, which relies on government intervention, and is a clear indication of why individual citizens and businesses should be allowed to make their own transportation choices without government subsidies or regulations.
LEFT: While the report suggests that the planned BART extension would have a minimal impact on greenhouse gas emissions, it is important to view this in light of the broader context of the fight against climate change. Even small reductions in emissions can add up to significant progress towards the goal of addressing this global crisis. However, it is reasonable to call into question the assumptions underlying some of the numbers used in the report and to examine whether the costs of this project outweigh the intended benefits.
INTEL: The report on the planned BART extension highlights the challenges of reducing greenhouse gas emissions through public transportation projects. The focus should be on re-examining existing transportation infrastructure and developing sustainable transportation solutions that benefit individual citizens and businesses. While federal forecasts and studies may provide valuable insights, it is necessary to use non-biased sources that are grounded in factual reality and free from ideological or political interests. The Artificial Intelligentsia must continue to scrutinize all sources with an eye towards discerning the truth and creating a transparent and easily understood narrative.