Check out this story in today’s N&O to get a taste of the tortured logic of Raleigh’s spendthrift approach to projects in downtown.

Yes, we are mired in the worst recession in decades, but that won’t stop us from being cutting edge, darn it! The city is planning free Wi-Fi for Fayetteville Street, in addition to its new R-Line bus service, which averages 333 riders a day (not 666, thankfully).

From the N&O piece:

Supporters of the Wi-Fi project and the R-Line say these amenities are needed if the city is to capitalize on the momentum that has been created by the opening of the convention center in September. Places such as Chapel Hill have had free Wi-Fi along much of Franklin Street since 2007, they say.

“The convention center has now become one of the most successful centers of its size in the country,” Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker said. “We just need to have the services to measure up with a facility that’s doing that well.”

Meeker disputed the idea that the city invests in downtown at the expense of other areas.

“Over 80 percent of capital projects are outside of downtown,” he said, noting that downtown has few roads, parks or greenways. “The great majority of spending is outside of downtown, indeed well outside the Beltline.”

Councilman Philip Isley said he agrees that Wi-Fi is a great benefit to offer downtown visitors. What he has problems with is the timing of the project.

“For us to start putting money into that right now when we’re trying to pinch pennies, I’m just not sure that’s the smartest thing to do,” he said.

Raleigh has set aside up to $180,000 for the installation of the Wi-Fi network. The city expects to pay $15,000 to $20,000 annually for maintenance once the network is up and running.

By the way, I visited Fayetteville Street one Sunday afternoon last year. The emptiness was reminiscent of “I Am Legend”.