BOISE — When U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta came to Boise on Wednesday to talk about airport security, the stop also gave Mayor Brent Coles a chance to lobby the senior Bush administration official about plans for a regional commuter rail line, the Idaho Statesman reported.
“For us to maintain our quality of life, there´s no question that rail is very important,” Coles said.
Although he has promoted a light rail system for several years, Coles reignited the push during his State of the City address in September. His new Treasure Valley Transportation Task Force will begin meeting in early November to develop details for a system that would take commuters from one end of the valley to the other and incorporates the Boise Depot and airport.
Support from the U.S. Department of Transportation will be critical when it comes time to get the project funded, Coles said.
On Wednesday, Mineta met with Coles, Congressman C.L. “Butch” Otter and members of the Idaho Transportation Board to talk not only about light rail but also about highway and airport funding that will be up for federal reauthorization in 2003.
Otter spokesman Mark Warbis said the congressman used the opportunity to seek money to improve U.S. Highway 95 as a statewide north-south corridor.
But Coles´ top priority is “rail, rail, rail,” spokesman Tod McKay said, and Coles does not support increasing transportation capacity simply by adding more lanes to highways.
Coles said Mineta told him that increased funding for rail transportation will likely be delayed until 2004. The mayor said that would give Coles time to come up with a detailed plan and to get regional, state and national officials on board, he said.
“It gives us time to prepare,” Coles said. “This doesn´t delay me at all.”
Although some of Coles´ critics have said the mayor´s plan for the commuter line is ill-conceived and will never be successful, McKay said surveys have shown the proposal has support from the majority of Boise residents.