To Trench or not to trench

Unless you have been stranded on a deserted

island like Tom Hanks in "Castaway," you've

heard of Reno's plan to plow a 2.1-mile

trench through the heart of downtown

Reno, cutting downtown in half like a

melon.To say that the construction project

would disrupt business in and around the

three main downtown thoroughfares

South Virginia, Sierra and Center streets

would be an understatement.

None of the complaints about the last

year's decline in tourism and gaming have

been directed at the train tracks that run

through the heart of downtown. Instead, the

problem has been the economic downturn

associated with Sept. 11 and the proliferation

of Indian casino gambling in the northern

California market from which Reno draws its

primary customers. A construction project

dividing South Virginia Street like a demilitarized

zone would more likely than not kill off

marginal properties south of the trench. Most

notably the effected properties would be the

Siena, Fitzgeralds, the newly reopened Golden

Phoenix (old Flamingo Hilton), the old Reno

club, and the Nugget (next to Fitzgeralds).

The Club Cal Neva,Virginian Hotel Casino

and Harrah's are probably the only properties

that could weather such a long-term disruption.

The tri-properties (Circus Circus,

Eldorado, and the Silver Legacy) have the

most to gain from such a long disruption

because they have unfettered access to I-80.

The Sands Regency Hotel Casino and the

Sundowner are also positioned between the

tracks and I-80 and are apt to benefit from the

disruption as well. I am certain that the construction

plan would allow for access south of

the tracks from I-80 but the hassle would be

horrendous, especially because train traffic still

would be routed through downtown.

There are a hundred reasons for removal of

the trains rumbling through downtown should

be removed. Among the most important is

better access of emergency trains are passing

through downtown.

Traffic is another. Since the expansion of

the port of Oakland, the number trains passing

through Reno will grow substantially,

increasing the amount of time that drivers

must wait at five main crossings in downtown

Reno.

But here's the kicker: The price tag of

the project is estimated at $250 million.

That's a quarter of a billion dollars for about

11,000 feet of trench or in terms that I

can understand, more than $22,000 per foot.

Indulge me a little bit longer. Once an

eastbound train reaches Wells Avenue a

series of overpasses and underpasses separate

trains from traffic through Sparks. The area

with a problem is small. Five overpasses

much like the Wells Avenue overpass

would eliminate the problem. The complaint

about overpasses? They are unsightly.

Emergency medical and fire substations

could be constructed on both the sides of the

tracks to cover emergencies when the traffic

is stopped for trains. But, that doesn't eliminate

the inconvenience faced by waiting

motorists.

The solution I like the best is to abandon

the tracks from Sparks to Reno. An existing

track runs north of Reno through the Feather

River Canyon, down through the Sierra and

on to the Bay Area. This would allow Amtrak

and the warehouses in Sparks to serve the

area without driving the trains smack through

downtown. The reroute around town adds no

more than two or three hours to the trip. Let's

face it. Those who use rail are in no hurry. If

have you ever ridden the California Zephyr

from Reno to San Francisco you know it's a

beautiful trip but a long one, about six or

seven hours. (It's also misleading. The train

stops in an Oakland rail yard. Amtrak puts

you on a bus to San Francisco. They don't tell

you about that part.)

My point is that there is another way

perhaps a better way.

Once the tracks are abandoned, the two

cities could run light rail from Victorian

Square in Sparks to downtown Reno, stopping

at the historical train station on

Commercial Row.

For a $250 million investment in

downtown Reno you could have one heck

of a downtown redevelopment project.

This redevelopment project could include

open space, retail, restaurants, office space,

a downtown baseball park and condominiums.

Not only would we end up with a

new hub for commerce and nightlife, we

would create new jobs, as well as increasing

sales and property tax revenues. This

approach would make much more sense

than the trench itself. Let's invest in our

community. That means there should be a

return on our investment. A revitalized

downtown, increased tax revenues, and new

jobs would create such a return.