Published: July 05, 2008 09:13 pm         

Valley lawmakers pondering mass transit

TERRE HAUTE — Mass transportation will be on the minds of at least two Wabash Valley legislators this summer in Indianapolis.

Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer has named Reps. Vern Tincher, D-Riley, and Clyde Kersey, D-Terre Haute, to serve on summer study committees that may consider ways to move Hoosiers around with less gasoline.

The state government receives federal transportation money but spends none of it on alternative transportation systems, Tincher said. “We need to look at a way of moving people without using automobiles and gasoline,” he said.

This summer, Tincher will be serving on the General Assembly’s Joint Study Committee on Mass Transit and Transportation Alternatives while Kersey will chair the Rail Corridor Safety Committee.

Kersey said lawmakers have looked in the past at high speed rail as an alternative form of transportation.

Now, with gasoline selling around $4 per gallon, Kersey believes lawmakers will be ready to take another look.

“I’m sure that there will be more stuff coming down the pike this time because of the high price of gasoline,” Kersey said.

One possible option for high speed rail would involve building a rail system in the medians between the lanes of interstate highways, Tincher and Kersey said.

“That would be a great alternative. … We have all that space,” Tincher said.

“We just can’t keep building roads … It’s just to the point where the interstate system is saturated with traffic,” he said.

Also this summer, Kersey’s committee will likely be looking at legislation to require railroads to restore whistle posts near crossings, he said. They also will be looking at the threat of terrorism to railroads.

“There are a lot of dangerous chemicals that travel on the railroads each day through many of our towns,” Kersey said. “If a terrorist wanted to, he could blow one of those ups and kill a lot of people.” Security also may need to be improved at railroad yards, Kersey said.

Tincher, who was named to several summer study committees, also expects immigration to be a highly debated issue this summer and during the next legislative session. Tincher was the House sponsor of a bill that would penalize employers for hiring illegal immigrants. The bill also would require employers to verify the immigration status and social security numbers of workers they hire, he said.

Tincher and Kersey ran unopposed in the Democratic Party primary in May. Both are facing Republican opponents in the November election. Kersey will be facing former Terre Haute city councilman and business owner Ryan Cummins for the 43rd District seat. Tincher will be facing former Indiana State University basketball player and financial services business owner Bob Heaton.

Heaton and Cummins also ran unopposed in the May primary.

Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.