THE PEOPLE are talking...

Read the letters in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Expensive ride

Five years ago, Mayor Moncrief and City Hall threw a party when Radio Shack destroyed the Tandy Subway that moved hundreds of people daily. Now they want streetcars because they are trendy. However, based on $88 million for three miles of tracks and electric lines, these trendy cars will cost $5,555.55 per foot or $462.96 per inch.

At a time when the city is shedding services like so much dandruff, can we afford this? The free buses and trolley downtown cruise around mainly empty while the heaviest public ridership lies on the east side, where the city has no plans at any time for a streetcar. The streetcar would only benefit a limited number of realtors and developers.

-- Catherine Clyde, Fort Worth

Streetcar costs

Seldom do I find myself in agreement with the Star-Telegram Editorial Board, but we seem to agree on streetcars. In fact, I would go one step further. I think the question should be, would having public transportation along the Main Street corridor be worth the cost?

I think the answer is no, but if the answer is yes, you ask the next question: how to best provide that service?

At this point, you evaluate streetcars versus buses. I have seen the figure of $80 million to $90 million for streetcars compared to $5 million for buses. You also have to evaluate how long it would take to get the service started -- years versus months. There also is a big rip-out expense to consider if something goes wrong on streetcars.

The part of this argument that really fries me is people who consider the $25 million of federal grant "free money." There is no tree in D.C. that grows money. That tree is in China, and it will have to be paid back by our grandkids, plus a lot of interest.

I can understand why Fort Worth has a big budget problem if it has spent $800,000 to look at this issue.

-- Dick Deatrick, Fort Worth