Thanks, Ken. I worry that the opposite will happen and that public transportation will be cut. It is likely that the Wheatland Express route between WSU and UI will be cut after this spring.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">
On Mon, Feb 28, 2011 at 9:16 PM, Kenneth Marcy <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kmmos1@frontier.com">kmmos1@frontier.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
In part due to political unrest in Middle Eastern countries, and in part due<br>
to the economic financialization of the petroleum pricing activities of the<br>
investment markets, the price of the preferable sweet crude petroleum for<br>
refining into transportation fuels again reached just under $100 per barrel<br>
this week.<br>
<br>
This price is equivalent to mid-2007 prices, and was topped only by the 2008<br>
price spike that got a lot of attention. Continued political unrest in major<br>
oil producing countries suggests higher supply uncertainties, and that will<br>
surely be translated into higher prices. Further, given the historic sweep of<br>
political changes now underway, the possibility of yet significantly higher<br>
prices should not be discounted to help justify usual do-nothing attitudes.<br>
<br>
The prospect of significantly higher transportation fuel prices behooves Idaho<br>
transportation planners to consider expansion of service and encouragement of<br>
ridership for urban transportation in at least the bakers' dozen largest Idaho<br>
cities, sized from Eagle upward to Boise. Further, local planners around the<br>
state should consider expanding, or providing in the first place, smaller scale<br>
transportation services for elderly, disabled, and those in need of non-<br>
emergency medical attention and care.<br>
<br>
Legislative officials would do well to notify local planners that renewed<br>
interest in transportation planning of both larger cities and smaller towns is<br>
of continuing interest both for cooperative economic benefit and for enhancing<br>
quality of life for those for whom necessary local travel is difficult. Local<br>
discussions, hearings, and recommendations that are forthcoming should be<br>
considered with respect to possible legislative assistance for implementation.<br>
<br>
<br>
Ken<br>
<br>
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</blockquote></div><br>