Not sure if it belongs here, but I just saw a streetcar on an overside flatbed headed south this morning on I-675 near Fairborn. It looked very much like Dallas's new modern streetcars (yellow/black/blue paint scheme). Is DART extending the Dallas Streetcar this year?

 

I did see some news here: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/20160103-dart-streetcar-d-link-changes-are-prelude-to-expansions.ece

 

Anyway, it was quite an unusual thing to see this morning :)

In light of the "Ludicrous" ruling made by Judge Leon regarding the Purple Line (the Record of Decision was vacated solely on the fact that WMATA Metrorail ridership is severely hurt (thanks Safetrak and 5 years of crappy weekend service)) I took the time to remind supporters that the current Mayor of Cincinnati was elected on a "Kill the Streetcar" platform, and said streetcar opens September 9. It's times like this that I am reminded that these major projects always have many detractors and will pull at anything to get the project derailed, but in the end the project pulls through. I hope that this holds true for the Purple Line.

Here is a link:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/signing-of-federal-funding-agreement-for-purple-line-cancelled-after-court-ruling/2016/08/04/085cb20c-5a63-11e6-9aee-8075993d73a2_story.html

 

It looks like what they're doing is using this as a back-door way to motivate improvements to Metro's maintenance schedule.  They're arguing that Metro's ridership will not meet the projections used in the grant application because of maintenance issues. 

 

To be fair, maintainence issues have been really getting bad on the DC metro. I've got a large group of friends who live in DC, and I see comments on FB about massively delayed trains, flooded stations, trains on fire, stations filling with smoke, etc. all the time these days. I've always thought DC's system to be pretty great and clean, especially compared to NY and Chicago, but I guess it's different when you're relying on it on a daily basis.

They aren't doing this to motivate back door metro improvements.

 

Friends of the Capital Crescent Trail is on their third path to derailing the project. First, it was the Hay's Spring Amphipod. That didn't work. Next, it was adverse possession. The Maryland Court of Appeals killed that one, as you can't adversely possess public land. Now, they found a judge who just happens to live in the Town of Chevy Chase and may also play golf at Columbia Country Club.

 

The "friends" have a Save the Trail website. What they don't tell you is that the Capital Crescent Trail ends in Bethesda. Beyond that, there is the gravel Georgetown Branch Trail. Once you run past Chevy Chase and cross Rock Creek, it's not in the best of condition. Scour, pot holes, and the likes grace it, and the off road portion of the trail ends in Lyttonsville. If they were friends, they would want to Finish the the Capital Crescent Trail.

 

The driving motivating factor behind the Friends is that their leaders have property up against the Georgetown Branch right of way. They also have a major portion of that right of way within their fence line. Their motivation is to keep public land, which used to be a rail line, and has been intended for LRT since the 80s for their own use. Given the Court of Appeals ruling, it is my utmost hope that Montgomery County reclaims the right of way.

 

This ruling is a absolute perversion of NEPA. He says that ridership must be redone. Will he make every other DC Region NEPA study do the same? The COG Model is the region's travel demand model, and it was used for the Purple Line and pretty much every other major project in the region. Does COG account for Metro's problems? I doubt this, as these are short term issues. The reality is that Metro's short term woes effect far beyond the Purple Line, but for some reason Judge Leon decided that this project was special. I look forward to lawsuits attempting to stop major highway projects based on this decision should the DC Circuit not issue a stay.

 

Metro's woes are terrible. In fact, many eastern transit agencies have similar woes right now. Deferred maintenance is a terrible thing, and I hope all transit agencies are learning from WMATA, MBTA, and MTA. But, to state that this aggressive maintenance schedule will continue through 2022 is foolhardy. Metro is replacing its most unreliable series of trains, and Paul Wiedefeld, the WMATA GM, is cleaning house and doing all he can to right the ship. I have the utmost faith in Mr. Wiedefeld. He formerly ran the Maryland Aviation Administration, and under his watch BWI became the most used airport in the Baltimore Washington Region. I have faith that he can do similar amazing things with WMATA.

 

Here is a great write up on why the ruling is ridiculous. I hope you all will read it. It's incredibly insightful.

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/33115/ludicrous-ruling-could-delay-or-scuttle-the-purple-line/

It's possible that the Purple Line's sponsoring agencies may win on appeal, but apparently the federal contribution of $900 million will be lost and that process will be back at square one without Barbara Mikulski to shepherd it along.

 

Personally, I think they should scale it back to the original Bethesda-to-Silver Spring plan, which actually had a chance of being successful and was about $2 billion cheaper.

 

FWIW, I live in Chevy Chase.

I am of the opinion that if the line terminated at Silver Spring rather than Bethesda it likely would have been under construction by now as the Friends would not have had anything to complain about.

 

Yes, Barbara is retiring, but she is likely being replaced by our neighborhood friendly Congressman Chris Van Hollen. My limited experience with Van Hollen's Office is that when he asks for something he generally get's it. (who doesn't want a traffic signal in front of Trader Joe's?!). Van Hollen is likely being replaced by Jamie Raskin, who as my D20 State Senator has been pretty darn awesome, and I expect him to be just as effective in the House. I don't expect this funding go anywhere, unless the NEPA process is allowed to be perverted in a way that results in the Purple Line being killed. However, the irony of the judge's ruling is that a lesser, BRT alternative could be identified and placed along the Purple Line Route, as he had no environmental qualms with the NEPA Document (and he shouldn't, this is Maryland we're talking about). The utmost irony would be if the project ends up with an alternative that is cheaper, but still reclaims the county's right of way. After all, the county owns the Georgetown Branch alignment and it would be cheapest to use it. Widening East West Highway would be prohibitively expensive compared to the Georgetown Branch alignment.

 

Either way, I hope the county continues to reclaim the Georgetown Branch right of way from these residents. The land is not theirs, and public land must be kept for public use and stewardship.

I am of the opinion that if the line terminated at Silver Spring rather than Bethesda it likely would have been under construction by now as the Friends would not have had anything to complain about.

 

Maybe, but it's the Silver Spring-to-New Carrolton part that I think is the money sink.  I have never been one of the "Friends" and am completely in favor of using the G'town Branch line. I'm old enough to remember the coal trains.  :-)

I honestly can't get too worked up about another DC transit line being held up by obstructionists.  The city has already been gifted a wonderful transit system that provides excellent coverage to the vast majority of the city and pretty decent coverage deep into the burbs.  The new line to Tyson's Corner was just constructed, and DC is also about to open a new (horribly mismanaged) streetcar line.  They seem to be doing pretty ok when it comes to transit coverage, so I'm not going to lose sleep over this one particular line being held up. 

I honestly can't get too worked up about another DC transit line being held up by obstructionists.  The city has already been gifted a wonderful transit system that provides excellent coverage to the vast majority of the city and pretty decent coverage deep into the burbs.  The new line to Tyson's Corner was just constructed, and DC is also about to open a new (horribly mismanaged) streetcar line.  They seem to be doing pretty ok when it comes to transit coverage, so I'm not going to lose sleep over this one particular line being held up. 

 

I feel the same way.  As a transit enthusiast, I would like to see peripheral rail like the Purple Line since the overwhelming rail transit in the US are radial hub/spokes operations.  But the Purple Line is gravy to D.C., which already has a great (though faltering operationally) system of nearly 120 miles of rapid transit which will expand even more when the Dulles portion of the Silver Line is completed; not to mention the 6 Maryland and VA commuter rail spokes as well as being a key stop on the Northeast Corridor Amtrak.

 

Now Baltimore, on the other hand (who's size and rail system are more akin to Cleveland's), was royally screwed when Republican gov Hogan cancelled their east west, subway-surface "Red Line" through downtown, the Inner Harbor, Canton, Fells Point, etc..

Friday, August 19, 2016

 

Nashville transit plan proposes LRT and commuter rail expansion

 

Proposals for a 46-mile light rail network and a second commuter rail line for Nashville have been included in a 25-year transit strategy for the region, which was presented to the boards of Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (NMTA) and Regional Transportation Authority of Middle Tennessee (RTA) on August 17 following 16 months of public consultation.

 

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/commuter-regional/nashville-transit-plan-proposes-lrt-and-commuter-rail-expansion.html?channel=55

^Another city poised to put Cleveland in it's rear-view mirror as RTA muddles along with disappearing funds and rail cars it can replace and no concrete plans for future development to make the system viable...

More on Nashville's transit expansion plan:

 

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/davidson%20/2016/08/17/metro-recommends-6-billion-transit-plan-nashville-region/88870010/

 

More on Nashville's transit expansion plan:

 

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/davidson%20/2016/08/17/metro-recommends-6-billion-transit-plan-nashville-region/88870010/

 

 

There has been no funding so no telling what will actually happen. 

 

My parents moved there 20 years ago so I'm pretty familiar with the place, and have to say that it's basically doomed if it grows significantly.  Its layout it much more complex than it appears and is incredibly ill-suited to express buses, light rail, bicycles, etc.  The rock the whole city sits on is unusual and in earlier articles basically all tunnel construction has been ruled out as being prohibitively expensive. 

 

 

I was in Denver last week and spent some time along their 16th Street Mall, where RTD operates their "Free MallRide" bus service. For those not familiar, 16th Street is restricted to only buses and pedestrians with no automobiles allowed. The buses run extremely frequently during peak hours. As RTD puts it, "Free MallRide shuttles run approximately every light cycle." So if you miss the bus or it's too crowded, just look to your left and the next bus is one block away. RTD is in the process of buying a fleet of 36 new electric buses that will replace the current fleet.

 

And, while it's a great street already, it got me thinking, why isn't this a streetcar? I know that most new American streetcars have an element of economic development, which isn't really the case since 16th Street is already pretty well developed. But in this case I would look at it as more of a cost saving measure. Instead of 36 buses running at ridiculous frequencies (maybe every 2-3 minutes?), you could have 1/3 as many streetcars that would each carry 3x as many passengers. The downside is that the frequency would drop to maybe every 6-8 minutes (still twice as frequent as Cincinnati's streetcar). The upside is that stops would be much quicker due to level boarding, passengers would enjoy a smoother ride, they would only need to hire 1/3rd as many drivers, and the street would greatly benefit from the reduced noise and air pollution of electric streetcars vs. the current buses. Since RTD already has a light rail system, you could hook into those tracks and be able to utilize their current maintenance facilities, which would greatly reduce construction costs. (The "streetcar" could even be a single-car light rail train if they wanted to maintain compatibility with their current fleet.)

More on Nashville's transit expansion plan:

 

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/davidson%20/2016/08/17/metro-recommends-6-billion-transit-plan-nashville-region/88870010/

 

 

There has been no funding so no telling what will actually happen. 

 

My parents moved there 20 years ago so I'm pretty familiar with the place, and have to say that it's basically doomed if it grows significantly.  Its layout it much more complex than it appears and is incredibly ill-suited to express buses, light rail, bicycles, etc.  The rock the whole city sits on is unusual and in earlier articles basically all tunnel construction has been ruled out as being prohibitively expensive. 

 

 

 

You obviously know a lot more about Nashville than I do.  I've never been there and the extent of my knowledge of Nashville is that it appears to be pretty cultural as home to Vanderbilt and Fisk universities as well as the Grand Ole Opry, and that the Tennessee Titans play there ...

 

... Maybe Nashville's $6B proposal will not get funded or built as proposed.  Who knows?  But what I find refreshing, is that everybody, all the Nashville transit and civic leaders, are all pushing for this; the board has made this its mandate and they are going to go after it... We've seen this happen in Denver, and look at the results.  Dallas too, and Seattle is similarly going after it to finish a massive LRT program that just started in the last decade...

 

... It is so refreshing compared to places like Cleveland, where the transit chief is against rail expansion and, rather than support rail, other powerful voices use rail expansion proposals as their favorite whipping boy to take down: It's happened again and again, probably since 1919, but most notably in more recent years is Al Porter killing the subway; Norm Krumholtz killing the Green Line mode-mixer 1.5 mile extension to I-271 and Dennis Kucinich killing both the People Mover and (indirectly) commuter rail through Lakewood, RR and Lorain County... and yes, NOACA (aka "No Action") being too damn cheap to finish the Dual-Hub proposal...

 

Cleveland has to rank along with Detroit as the most negative city for rail transit in the country... The weird thing is, Cleveland already has rail; some at least.  And it seems some leaders won't be happy until it is gone (RTA's crumbling LRVs with no concrete plan, or money, to replace them and Joe's backing running Opportunity Corridor BRT's parallel to the east side  Red Line).  How backwards... This is all a major fly in the ointment against all the GOOD that's happening in Cleveland. 

Columbus is the most anti-rail city. See the Smart City challenge discussion here on UO.

... Maybe Nashville's $6B proposal will not get funded or built as proposed.  Who knows?  But what I find refreshing, is that everybody, all the Nashville transit and civic leaders, are all pushing for this; the board has made this its mandate and they are going to go after it... We've seen this happen in Denver, and look at the results.  Dallas too, and Seattle is similarly going after it to finish a massive LRT program that just started in the last decade...

 

The south is a lot different than here -- the cities all look to one another but not outside of the region at all.  Anything that happens here in the north is irrelevant, good or bad.  But they all look at Atlanta as a model for growth but not unmitigated Atlanta-style growth.  MARTA is seen as a flop (which it isn't) and not to be replicated, whereas the Charlotte light rail is seen as a success, even though it has a fraction of the ridership of MARTA.  The one big advantage that Charlotte has over Nashville is that it had an abandoned freight railroad traveling directly through its flat and hopelessly dull downtown.  There is no water or anything that be confused for topography anywhere close to Charlotte.  Meanwhile DT Nashville is situated partly on a weird bluff with many short but sharply-sloped block-long hills.  The Cumberland River is unscenic yet annoying -- it snakes like crazy and so creates a dozen or more traffic pinch-points.  All of the bridges are either nondescript or ugly and there is a railroad gulch that keeps the downtown solidly separate from the area where Vanderbilt and its hospital are.  It's a mess.     

 

 

...so you're saying you love Nashville and Charlotte!

...so you're saying you love Nashville and Charlotte!

 

Nelsonville has more character and more old buildings than either of them. 

Wider Toronto style subway cars coming to New York--

What’s Next for the New York Subway? Toronto Already Knows

By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONSAUG. 22, 2016

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/23/nyregion/new-york-subway-cars-toronto.html?_r=0

 

At least the new design will make it easier for passengers to escape into another car from idiots like these--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVqxRFNPk4A

CBS Morning: LA, Denver and the Rail Revolution

 

That video incorrectly called the Santa Monica Expo Line extension the "subway to the sea".  That term was used to sell the Wilshire subway extension to Santa Monica, although that project won't terminate within easy walking distance of the beach. 

Yeah, it's a nice positive piece on rail transit, which is great, but there were lots of errors and out of date information. The Expo Line was never called the subway to the sea- that's the purple line extension. The purple line extension is under construction, but I'm not sure where it will be terminating in this round of funded expansion. I just saw that the boring machine has now reached the next station on the line, Wilshire / La Brea.

I think they are only adding two stations on the next phase -- at most three.  The Wilshire line is the true trunk of the metro network, not the Hollywood/San Fernando line that has been in operation since about 2001.  So LA is in this really weird position of having had all of these ancillary lines built before the true centerpiece of the system.  The 30~ year delay is thanks primarily to HR rep Henry Waxman. 

 

With the DT light rail subway connector (connecting the blue and gold lines) and then this upcoming extension of the Wilshire Line, plus the commuter rail lines, DT LA is really poised to take off.  All of that centralized employment and residential will make a difference, even in a place as sprawled as LA. 

^...which once again demonstrates the positive transformative effect of high quality mass transit. If it can alter LA, then it can anywhere.

More transit advice from Toronto for New York: dedicated lanes for the proposed streetcar, although very controversial in Toronto--

 

Toronto’s Transit Advice for New York: Give Streetcars Their Own Lanes

By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS SEPT. 7, 2016

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/nyregion/torontos-transit-advice-for-new-york-give-streetcars-their-own-lanes.html?_r=0

 

 

USDOT has awarded San Diego $1 billion towards expanding their light rail system, which they humorously call the "Trolley".

Happy to see this la Jolla is a pretty big gap in San Diego's current system

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

Milwaukie basks in MAX Orange Line's economic glow

Randy L. Rasmussen | For The Oregonian/OregonLive

 

One year in, and Milwaukie is already feeling the Orange Line's economic glow.

 

City officials say home sales and property values have seen double-digit growth, in no small part to the $1.4 billion TriMet light-rail line connecting Portland to Milwaukie.

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/commuting/index.ssf/2016/10/milwaukie_basks_in_max_orange.html

Factoid from today's WaPo:  The recently formed JBG Smith company is now the Wash DC area's largest landlord. They have reracked their holdings and have decided to retain 92 properties worth about $8 billion. The common thread: 90 of the 92 are within a half mile of a Metro station.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/digger/wp/2016/11/04/developers-are-making-billions-off-of-metro-how-that-could-help-save-the-system/

Also posted it here:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,22318.msg826010.html#msg826010

Also posted it here:

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,22318.msg826010.html#msg826010

 

Interesting. We both cited a Friday online story; but I didn't notice it until the WaPo finally printed it on Sunday in the Business section with a slightly different headline. Maybe I should quit the print edition.

welp he's super-confident:

 

 

Second Avenue subway to open New Year's Day, Cuomo says

 

By Lauren Cook [email protected] December 19, 2016

 

 

The first phase of the Second Avenue subway will open to the public on Jan. 1, 2017, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

 

The governor made the announcement on Twitter Monday morning.

 

"We believe in the team, and that’s why we’re saying we’re going to open the 2nd Ave Subway Jan. 1," the governor said on Twitter.

 

Calls to the MTA for comment regarding Cuomo's statement were not immediately returned.

 

http://www.amny.com/transit/second-a...ays-1.12776549

7 train extension +phase 1 of 2nd avenue subway.

4 new stations & 3.8 miles of track that cost $7bn

 

FTA requires operating crews have X hours of training time on a new rail line. Has this even begun??

 

 

 

A map of all the subway lines Shanghai has built since NYC started building the 2nd Ave Subway in 1972. (wikipedia) https://t.co/0JwIjWPLZO

 

^ that $ is nothing, the next phase to harlem is way more costly than this initial section.

 

they have been testing the trains and escalators, etc. for some time. it was down to final testing this month.

supposedly all the underground stations now have wifi:

 

 

All of NYC’s underground subway stations will have free Wi-Fi by New Year’s Eve

The MTA is aiming to finish the year on a couple of high notes

BY AMEENA WALKER  DEC 30, 2016, 2:47PM EST

 

 

Transit Wireless, the company hired by the MTA to provide the stations with public Wi-Fi, and the MTA originally planned to have all underground stations equipped with Wi-Fi by the end of 2017 but decided to work on an accelerated timeline. Just a few weeks ago, the company had already installed the service in 250 stations.

 

The next step will be to get all above-ground stations Wi-Fi equipped along with Metro-North and LIRR stations. So far, no timeline has been released on when those are expected to be completed.

 

http://ny.curbed.com/2016/12/30/14128182/nyc-underground-subway-wifi-update

Report: Bus rapid transit would reduce car lanes

 

Don Behm , Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 6:45 p.m. CST January 3, 2017

 

Establishing bus rapid transit service in the busy east-west corridor between downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa will require pushing cars and trucks out of two lanes of traffic along Wisconsin Ave. and Blue Mound Road, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee urban planning graduate students say in a new report.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2017/01/03/report-bus-rapid-transit-would-reduce-car-lanes/95999300/

Report: Bus rapid transit would reduce car lanes

 

Don Behm , Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 6:45 p.m. CST January 3, 2017

 

Establishing bus rapid transit service in the busy east-west corridor between downtown Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center in Wauwatosa will require pushing cars and trucks out of two lanes of traffic along Wisconsin Ave. and Blue Mound Road, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee urban planning graduate students say in a new report.

 

http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2017/01/03/report-bus-rapid-transit-would-reduce-car-lanes/95999300/

 

Good. It will reduce VMTs.

^It's interesting that the UWM students' report (per the article) focused on 2 proposal aspects: speed of the BRT -- 15 minutes time saving -- in a very crowded corridor, and the loss of a lane of traffic (but preservation of curbside parking plus a new bike lane) to cars... It probably didn't take too much brain power to guess which aspect the Milwaukee Sentinel would highlight/harp on... It's also interesting they posted an Healthline photo but didn't discuss the Cleveland system at all.

replacements needed:

 

 

MTA has more than 700 subway cars that have outlived ‘useful lifecycles’

 

By Vincent Barone  [email protected] January 23, 2017

 

More than 700 MTA subway cars are considered to have outlived their “useful lifecycles” as the agency waits for long-delayed replacements.

 

The MTA’s subway cars are designed to be in operation for 40 years, but some 735 cars have surpassed that benchmark, according to an update on train car deliveries presented at an agency committee meeting on Monday.

 

Many of those trains are currently in service on the A, C, R, J and Z lines. Their old age shows in more ways than just bumpier rides.

 

The two oldest models, known as the R32 and R42, also break down much more frequently than their younger counterparts. Consider that the R32 fleet broke down once every 32,327 miles over the past twelve months of available data. The fleet-wide average during that time frame was 113,179 miles.

 

These cars’ replacements (the R179) were originally set to serve the riding public in 2017, but manufacturing delays at Bombardier, the company under contract to produce the trains, have pushed that date back and inflated the original $600 million price tag to $740 million.

 

The MTA now estimates that it will receive the full order of 300 new cars in July 2018. The agency received two five-car test units this fall.

The goal is to get the trains rolling before the L train shutdown in 2019. The retirement date for the oldest cars is still unknown.

 

 

http://www.amny.com/transit/mta-has-more-than-700-subway-cars-that-have-outlived-useful-lifecycles-1.13003466

 

sandy lives on and on, but some good news for now...until the next storm:

 

 

 

South Ferry station to reopen in June after Superstorm Sandy damage

 

By Vincent Barone  [email protected] January 23, 2017

 

After years of Superstorm Sandy-related repairs, the South Ferry station will reopen in June, according to the MTA.

 

The station originally opened in 2009, just three years before Sandy knocked it offline when the storm flooded it with 15 million gallons of corrosive saltwater, sewage and debris. The station had cost $545 million to build and another $344 million to renovate and stormproof.

 

In the meantime, the MTA has utilized the “old” South Ferry station since April 2013. But the 111-year-old station is not wheelchair accessible and riders can only exit and enter from the first five cars because of the station’s curved design.

 

The MTA is currently 87% complete in the rehabilitation of the new station. The agency is now finishing the installation and testing of systems.

 

 

more:

http://www.amny.com/transit/south-ferry-station-to-reopen-in-june-after-superstorm-sandy-damage-1.13003504

nyc is significantly upping transit services via a new ferry system. the difference between this and other ferry services is that you can use a metrocard, including transfers, so it works for all typical commuters. the boats are new and hold 150 people. more about it:

 

ABOUT CITYWIDE FERRY BY HORNBLOWER

 

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) is working with the Office of Mayor de Blasio to launch Citywide Ferry by Hornblower. The Hornblower Company has been selected as the operator of the new ferry system. The service will consist of five new ferry routes in addition to the existing East River Ferry Service, all charging a fare of $2.75 and allowing transfers between routes.

 

Citywide Ferry by Hornblower will further the Mayor’s goals of:

 

providing affordable and convenient transit for communities with limited transportation options;

supporting growing neighborhoods;

and increasing the resiliency and redundancy of our city’s transportation network.

 

When Citywide Ferry by Hornblower is fully operational in 2018, the six routes will carry an estimated 4.6 million passenger trips per year. Building on several years of ferry planning and operations experience, NYCEDC is building ten new ferry landings, renovating six others, and contracting with Hornblower to run the service.

 

For more information please visit:

http://www.nycedc.com/project/citywide-ferry-service

 

 

more:

http://ny.curbed.com/2017/1/30/14441104/citywide-ferry-miniature-model-brooklyn-borough-hall

 

 

 

 

^Is some of this in response to the imminent closing of the L train?

^Is some of this in response to the imminent closing of the L train?

 

the ferry services? no.

that damn bus station -- it needs to be broken up into smaller stations or built in nj with a rail extension, but the pa wants to rebuild it as is, so everyone is fighting about it:

 

 

TRANSIT

Port Authority passes $32 billion capital plan, securing funding for new bus terminal

 

By Vincent Barone  [email protected] February 16, 2017

 

The Port Authority on Thursday approved a capital plan that includes funding toward building a new midtown bus terminal—but many questions linger about a replacement facility and the larger fate of the cross-Hudson commute.

 

The agency’s commissioners voted unanimously to pass the $32 billion program, a 10-year spending outline that allocates $3.5 billion to help replace the aging midtown bus terminal in Hell’s Kitchen. The authority expects 337,000 daily commuters to utilize the bus terminal by 2040, an increase of almost 47% from ridership levels today.

 

 

Major projects of the Port Authority’s $32 billion capital plan:

 

- $3.5 billion in funding towards a new west side bus terminal

- $2.7 billion Gateway Program support

- $2.5 John F. Kennedy Airport Redevelopment and LaGuardia Airport AirTrain

- $ 2.3 billion Newark Liberty International Airport –Terminal A Redevelopment

- $1.8 billion George Washington Bridge restoration

- $1.7 billion PATH Rail Extension to Newark Liberty Rail Link Station

 

 

more:

http://www.amny.com/transit/port-authority-passes-32-billion-capital-plan-securing-funding-for-new-bus-terminal-1.13137194

 

Indy council approves transit tax

James Briggs | [email protected]

Updated 5 minutes ago

 

The Marion County transit system is getting its first major expansion.

 

The City-County Council on Monday approved a 0.25 percent income tax hike that will pump more than $54 million a year into the county's meager bus service. The money will pay for the construction of three bus rapid transit lines, new buses, increased route frequency and new sidewalks and bus shelters.

 

The income tax hike will take effect in October, costing Marion County residents about $100 per $40,000 of income. IndyGo, the county's transit agency, has said the revenue is necessary to expand a bus system beset with aging buses and low-frequency routes. Most routes end service early in the evenings and offer little, if any, service on Sundays.

 

MORE:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/marion-county/2017/02/27/indy-council-approves-transit-tax/98490222/

it never ends:

 

 

 

Manhattan’s Cortlandt Street station, destroyed on 9/11, facing more complications

 

By Vincent Barone  [email protected] March 20, 2017

 

 

 

 

The beleaguered project to rehabilitate and reopen the 1 train’s Cortlandt Street station that was destroyed on 9/11 is facing even more delays.

 

Complications with updating the original design threaten to further delay the planned August 2018 reopening, according to the MTA’s independent engineer on the project.

 

 

more:

http://www.amny.com/transit/manhattan-s-cortlandt-street-station-destroyed-on-9-11-facing-more-complications-1.13292991

i wonder if this trolley will ever happen?  :-o

 

 

 

Brooklyn-Queens Connector streetcar project faces major challenges

 

By Vincent Barone  [email protected] March 8, 2017

 

 

One year down, and many more long years to go for Mayor de Blasio’s Brooklyn-Queens Connector.

 

Since the mayor first unveiled his vision for a waterfront streetcar, known as the BQX, at his 2016 State of the City address, his administration has held a round of public meetings and released a 25-page report outlining potential street choices for the project’s 16-mile route from Sunset Park in Brooklyn to Astoria in Queens.

 

More public outreach will come, according to Adam Giambrone, the city’s director of the BQX, as he heads full steam into major logistical challenges.

 

“The project that we have here — that we’re looking at — is still very much in flux,” Giambrone said during a streetcar panel discussion hosted by the Regional Plan Association ‪Tuesday evening.

 

 

more:

http://www.amny.com/transit/brooklyn-queens-connector-streetcar-project-faces-major-challenges-1.13229899