5M for Mike Adams Colts ersey Park and Ride with no riders
Scottsdale spent $8.5 million on this pristine parking lot, plus another $700 a month to keep the lights on and maintenance. (Source: CBS 5 News)"With transportation and with public projects, we always need to look into the future," said Paul Basha, the transportation director for the city of Scottsdale.Basha explains the money for the project came from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. It was earmarked for transportation and a deadline was attached. The city had to use it or lose it."Those funds needed to be utilized within an eight month period from the time of a decision," Basha told CBS 5 Investigates.Sharkey adamantly disagrees. He said that "use it or lose it" mentality is why many people are fed up with government. He believes the city should have passed on the project, so that the money went back to the feds to be used for a project that truly needed."Better off losing it because it not going to Authentic Bjoern Werner Jersey be wasted. Look at this, is this not a waste?" Sharkey asked.Park and Rides like the busy lot at Shea Boulevard and State Route 51 are typically strategically placed to accommodate the most riders.In 2003, after a thorough investigation, the Maricopa Association of Governments identified more than 10 possible locations for a Scottsdale Park and Ride.The site at Thunderbird and Scottsdale was not one of them."The Scottsdale Thunderbird location was selected primarily because it was city owned property. It was owned by the airport," Basha said.The city of Scottsdale paid the airport $2 million, essentially paying itself.Sharkey said he fears the spot will end up just like the Loloma Transit Center, which was built as a gateway to Old Town Scottsdale and is now shut down.In 2011, city Transit Supervisor Madeline Clemann was quoted as saying, "Over time, it didn turn out to its potential."