March 12, 20196 yr 2 hours ago, taestell said: Wow, I had no idea there we so many different transit agencies in the Bay Area. Is it really necessary for there to be an Eastern Contra Costa County Transit Authority and a Western Contra Costa County Transit Authority? Do you really want Antioch to socialize with...Richmond? "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
May 1, 20196 yr I travel to Milwaukee regularly for work. On my last trip I rode their new streetcar, the Milwaukee Hop. It goes from the lower East Side (which is just northeast of downtown) to the multimodal transit center in the southwest corner of downtown. It’s 2.1 miles and the ride from end to end took just under 20 minutes. (Note that there are 7 Amtrak trains a day to Chicago from the transit center.) The city is trying to extend the line from the train station north through the western part of downtown 2.5 blocks to the convention center in time for the DNC next summer. (That seems like an aggressive timeline to me - we’ll see how they do.) There is also the already planned lakefront loop set to open next year. There are a couple museums on the lake near the terminus of that line along with several of Milwaukee’s tallest buildings. Here are some pictures. The last picture is the streetcar parking garage under I-794 across from the Amtrak station. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
May 20, 20196 yr More on the Milwaukee streetcar proposed extension. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2019/05/01/dnc-milwaukee-plans-extend-hop-streetcar-2020-convention/3641691002/ Milwaukee plans to extend the streetcar route to the Wisconsin Center District convention hall just in time for the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Mayor Tom Barrett on Wednesday unveiled plans to extend The Hop to Wisconsin Avenue by next summer. He also announced engineering plans for two additional legs that would stretch the streetcar route north past Fiserv Forum into Bronzeville and south into Walker's Point. The extension plans would amount to a major expansion of the 2.1-mile streetcar loop, adding about 2.4 miles of additional route. The plans must first be approved by the Common Council. If approved, the $28 million Wisconsin Avenue extension would be about 0.4 mile long, Public Works Commissioner Jeff Polenske said. ... The mayor wants to pay for the Wisconsin Avenue extension locally through tax increment financing by amending six existing TIF districts, which essentially means the project would not affect the property tax levy. ... The $124 million project so far includes five streetcars, 18 stations, tracks, overhead wires and a maintenance facility. Construction of the project is funded with a $55 million federal grant and money generated by Milwaukee tax financing districts. The $3.2 million annual operating budget will be covered by fares, advertising revenue, federal grants and cash from city parking meters and parking lots. ... Rides on the streetcar are free for the first year under a $10 million, 12-year sponsorship with Potawatomi Hotel & Casino. Tracks also have been laid for a lakefront loop that would open in 2020. That line would extend through the Couture, a high-rise apartment tower planned by Barrett Lo Visionary Development LLC. ******* Notes on image: Blue is existing line, Green has track laid but is waiting to open for a high rise development over one section, gold with white dots is immediate extension (hoping to complete before DNC next summer), gold w black dots is next extension, white w gold dashes is longer term planning. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
June 4, 20196 yr Company proposes ‘flying solar pods’ as new public transit alternative in Madison One company thinks the future of Madison’s public transit system is 20 feet above city streets in tiny solar-powered pods. Transit X, a Boston-area company, claims it could revolutionize city transportation with a 108-mile network of lightweight “flying solar pods” that would each carry four to five passengers all around Madison on elevated railways. The proposal was met with skepticism Monday at a city Transportation Policy and Planning Board meeting, where a transit planner’s review included 10 reasons the project isn’t currently feasible in Madison. According to Transit X, the proposed 7,103 pods would travel up to 45 mph, be within a five-minute walk of 95% of the city population, have 700 stops and be operational within a year or two. Transit X also proposed a smaller, 31-mile network with 1,916 pods for the city to start with. The company claims it would develop the micro railway at no cost to the city, as the project would be privately funded. Transit X founder Mike Stanley said he thinks the pods are a “silver bullet” that will eventually eliminate the need for buses, cars and other forms of transportation. ... The planning board said it would continue to monitor Transit X’s progress and might look at its proposal again when it has more evidence that the project is realistic. But for now, the city will keep its focus on developing Bus Rapid Transit. “I would never say something’s not possible because it’s great to think about different ways of doing things, but just this particular model at this time is unproven,” said Ald. Keith Furman, 19th District. “It just doesn’t seem realistic, unfortunately.” More insanity below: https://madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/company-proposes-flying-solar-pods-as-new-public-transit-alternative/article_69fd2bf1-5979-56f7-9fd7-12c8c28c8e2e.html "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 14, 20196 yr Author Increasingly, I think these rail and transit replacement ideas are being touted by rail and transit opponents to try and kill rail and transit projects. Unfortunately it's been very successful here in Ohio where elected officials have no idea what a modern passenger train looks like so they fall under the spell of totally tubular trains or fruitloops or these cough drops or whatever. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 15, 20196 yr On 6/4/2019 at 4:13 PM, ColDayMan said: Company proposes ‘flying solar pods’ as new public transit alternative in Madison I love public transit, but Madison WI is probably one of the best walkable and most beautiful downtowns in the the US. This would be ugly.
July 12, 20195 yr https://www.wsj.com/articles/bostons-frustrations-with-transit-mount-after-derailment-11562837400?mod=searchresults&page=1&pos=10 Boston's problems point out how money is only part of the problem. In the most optimistic scenario it will take five years (and $8 billion) before progress becomes noticeable. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
August 28, 20195 yr Phoenix votes to keep light rail A proposition that would have halted light-rail projects and redistribute voter-approved funds to other transportation projects is defeated in a special election. https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/article/21094643/phoenix-votes-to-keep-light-rail In the end, it wasn’t even close. Phoenix, Ariz., voters, for the fourth time since 2000, took to the ballot box in a special election on Aug. 27 to vote down Proposition 105, which would have stopped existing and future light-rail expansion plans in the city. The city says approximately 180,636 ballots were cast, which is the highest number in a Phoenix Special Election involving only ballot measures. Unofficial election results show that 62.33 percent of the votes were against Prop 105 while 37.67 percent were in support of it with approximately 15,000 early ballots remaining to be validated and processed. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
September 5, 20195 yr this is pretty wild — vietnam is going all in on building out rail service in both ho chi min city and hanoi at the same time (if only in the 3C’s, right?) — but — its china vs japan in leading vietnam metro system development — guess who is doing it better?! btw both cities should begin to open service in 2020: https://amp.scmp.com/week-asia/business/article/2104149/vietnams-tale-two-metros-one-built-japanese-and-other-chinese
September 20, 20195 yr this seems like a very good idea for jersey city -- we will see how it plays out: Jersey City ushered in a new era of public transportation Thursday with the unveiling of the city’s on-demand transit system. Through a partnership with the ride-sharing company, Via, the city will offer an on-demand bus system allowing Jersey City residents to access any neighborhood in the city for just $2 a ride. ... “As NJ Transit continues to neglect the city’s mass transit systems, and without help from the state, we are now creating our own innovative solutions that will meet the needs of our residents,” Mayor Steve Fulop said. “This is the latest step towards our larger vision of getting cars off the road, while creating mobility in neighborhoods that sometimes lack connectivity to other parts of the city. more: https://www.nj.com/hudson/2019/09/jersey-city-unveils-new-on-demand-transit-system.html
November 6, 20195 yr This Planetizen brief gives some links to transit measures that have passed. Locally, Lake County passed a $.25 sales tax increase for LakeTran: https://www.planetizen.com/blogs/107068-election-2019-planning-and-development-related-results-roundup
November 23, 20195 yr Wow, saving $84,000 in 10 years is pretty great. North Park Family Saves Big Using Mass Transit for a Decade By Ashley Matthews A North Park family spent a decade to answer the question: How much would you save if you swapped your car for mass transit? Cars and homes are generally our biggest expenses, and one family made it a point to only use one car, forgoing a second to bike or bus. John Anderson has biked to work every day for the past 10 years, and his wife either taken the bus or biked as well. Anderson is a certified public account, so he’s always tracking expenses and finding where he can save. His family estimated that it costs about $9,000 a year to own and maintain a car, based of numbers from the American Automobile Association. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/North-Park-Family-Saves-Big-Using-Mass-Transit-for-a-Decade-565336792.html
November 25, 20195 yr ^ good example! *** today i noticed our new 14st busway now has a seperated bike lane in union square and the temporary bus boarding pads are being installed:
December 3, 20195 yr Meanwhile, in Kansas City... "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
December 4, 20195 yr 2 hours ago, ColDayMan said: Meanwhile, in Kansas City... The proposal would result in connecting to the Plaza and UMKC. The extension is a good bit longer than the current route. They are really doing a nice job with this Streetcar. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
December 22, 20195 yr https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/article/21118648/early-gift-for-sound-transit-as-feds-intend-to-fund-federal-way-extension “Federal funding for Sound Transit’s Federal Way light-rail extension is imminent following the transfer of a $790 million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) on Friday that kicked off a 30-day notification period. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Transportation notified Congress of its intent to close a $629.5 million Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan for the project that is part of a master loan agreement secured in 2016. ... “This project extends light rail 7.8 miles from Angle Lake Station in the city of SeaTac to the Federal Way Transit Center. The extension includes three stations in Kent/Des Moines near Highline College, South 272nd Street and the Federal Way Transit Center. All three stations add parking for a total of 3,200 spaces along the route. Sound Transit expects between 29,000 and 34,000 riders will use the service daily by 2026.” Here’s the best map I found of the extension. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
January 23, 20205 yr “To an Ohio resident - wherever he lives - some other part of his state seems unreal.”
January 23, 20205 yr ^ Speaking of Disney, here's an interesting video about the Houston airport's "Subway" people mover which was designed by WED Enterprises:
January 28, 20205 yr On 4/9/2019 at 5:15 PM, taestell said: You should check out what Albuquerque built for their BRT project (somewhat confusingly called Albuquerque Rapid Transit, or ART). It is center-running, and in places where the road is wide enough, there is a dedicated bus lane in each direction. However, in narrower sections, there is a single bidirectional bus-only lane. I'm not sure what they plan to do in these sections, but there are two possibilities. Either, you can coordinate the buses so that they pass each other at stations; or you can just have the peak direction use the single lane and have the off-peak direction use the general travel lane, where there shouldn't be a huge amount of traffic anyway. I missed this news when it happened, but Albuquerque's BRT system finally opened in November 2019. The system was supposed to open for full service in early 2018, but due to problems with the electric buses built by Chinese manufacturer BYD, the opening was delayed. Ultimately that contract was cancelled and Albuquerque went with diesel New Flyer buses.
January 28, 20205 yr On 1/23/2020 at 4:55 PM, taestell said: ^ Speaking of Disney, I think the post-WWII people mover schemes illustrate why a lot of engineering skill was wasted during that era. Basically none of it caught on as anything other than a niche service. Here we are 70 years later and the options are either super-expensive subway (which is what they were all trying to avoid back then) or high-quality streetcar or street-running light rail. So there has been basically zero significant improvement over what the possibilities were 70 years ago. The recent appearance of electric scooter share is simply the people mover of the 2010s - a niche mode. At this point I'm pretty confident in predicting that 70 years from now - so in 2090 - the prominent forms of urban public transport will be bus, streetcar, light rail, elevate rail, and subway. So exactly what they are now, with the exception of some automation of streetcars and buses. We of course have had driverless subway trains back in 1965, so paradoxically the less-robust the method of mass transit, the more technically complicated the task of automating it.
January 28, 20205 yr ^ don't forget elon musk tunnels. and star trek transporters. here is more commentary on the new triboro rx study: http://secondavenuesagas.com/2020/01/22/mta-launches-triboro-rx-feasibility-study-24-years-after-the-initial-rpa-proposal/#comments
February 5, 20205 yr pennsylvania towns supportive of re-establishing passenger rail service: PA: Tamaqua (PA) council backs passenger rail plan Council members are “all aboard” a plan to bring passenger rail service back to the borough. Jill Whalen/Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa. Jan 23rd, 2020 TAMAQUA — Council members are “all aboard” a plan to bring passenger rail service back to the borough. On Tuesday, council approved an agreement with the Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad to construct a train platform at the Tamaqua Train Station. ... The rail company frequently runs freight on its tracks through the area. It has passenger service in Reading, Port Clinton, Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville, but recently stopped service in Jim Thorpe through its sister line, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. more: https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/infrastructure/news/21122512/pa-tamaqua-council-backs-passenger-rail-plan
February 11, 20205 yr sao paulo restarts work on metro line 6. Work to resume on São Paulo metro Line 6-Orange Feb 11, 2020 Written by Renata Passos THE government of the state of São Paulo announced on February 7 that construction will resume on metro Line 6-Orange this year after deciding to proceed with an offer from Acciona, Spain, to continue the project. Work on the 15km line started in April 2015, but was halted in August 2016 when some of the original contractors which made up the Move Consortium, including Odebrecht, Queiroz Galvão and UTC Engenharia, became embroiled in the Lava Jato (“Car Wash”) anti-corruption operation. The consortium, which was required to fund half of the construction costs and operate the line for 25 years under the terms of the public-private partnership (PPP), also complained of financial difficulties. The consortium’s contract was subsequently cancelled in 2018. In November, Spanish company Acciona came forward with a bid to purchase a 70% stake in the Move Consortium for Reais 1bn plus debt and will now continue the project. The Move Consortium is expected to retain the remaining 30% share. more: https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/metros/work-to-resume-on-sao-paulo-metro-line-6-orange/
February 11, 20205 yr hyderabad, india just opened a new 11k metro line. Hyderabad Metro opens Green Line Feb 10, 2020 Written by Kevin Smith HYDERABAD Metro successfully inaugurated the 11km Green Line of the automated metro on February 7, taking the total length of the network to 69km, the second longest in India behind Delhi. more: https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/metros/hyderabad-metro-opens-green-line/
February 14, 20205 yr Looks like Esri is trying to get into the transit game. I wonder if any Ohio agencies will bite: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/3e62d2d425fc472db12404dfa116c18b
March 12, 20205 yr MI: Hourly bus service between Detroit and Ann Arbor begins Monday https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/news/21129382/mi-hourly-bus-service-between-detroit-and-ann-arbor-begins-monday Mar. 11--You should be able to catch a bus beginning Monday from Detroit to Ann Arbor and vice versa throughout the day every weekday. In a step forward on regional transit, hourly bus service between Detroit's Grand Circus Park and Ann Arbor's Blake Transit Center is set to launch next week. The service, known as D2A2, is to run from 5:45 a.m. until 11 p.m. Mondays through Fridays with limited service on Saturdays and Sundays, according to information provided by the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
March 12, 20205 yr 12 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said: MI: Hourly bus service between Detroit and Ann Arbor begins Monday https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/news/21129382/mi-hourly-bus-service-between-detroit-and-ann-arbor-begins-monday Mar. 11--You should be able to catch a bus beginning Monday from Detroit to Ann Arbor and vice versa throughout the day every weekday. In a step forward on regional transit, hourly bus service between Detroit's Grand Circus Park and Ann Arbor's Blake Transit Center is set to launch next week. The service, known as D2A2, is to run from 5:45 a.m. until 11 p.m. Mondays through Fridays with limited service on Saturdays and Sundays, according to information provided by the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan. I am surprised that didn't already exist.
May 2, 20205 yr On 6/6/2014 at 11:24 AM, Old AmrapinVA said: This article is a bit deceptive in terms of new heavy rail construction. DC Metrorail is currently expanding 20 miles westward to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County, VA to the tune of about $6 billion. While the new line is not for the most part a subway it is certainly an extension of the existing system and not light rail. So there has been new construction of heavy rail since 1993. The LA red line was extended to North Hollywood in 2000 or soon thereafter. The Purple Line extension is being built as we speak beneath Wilshire to Century City. The Phase 3 extension to UCLA and the Santa Monica border is fully funded. BART was extended on the peninsula to SFO & Milbrae in the 2000s, and the east bay line is under construction as we speak to the edge of DT San Jose. A subway extension into DT San Jose is planned. In NYC, the #7 was extended to Hudson Yards in the 2010s, and the new Second Ave. line was built simultaneously. In the 2010s, the Miami Metrorail was extended to the airport.
May 13, 20205 yr new purple line brt for indy: https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/infrastructure/press-release/21138008/indianapolis-public-transportation-corporation-indygo-citycounty-council-approves-ordinance-language-for-indygos-purple-line
June 2, 20205 yr Author PA: NEXTransit looking at the future of transit in Allegheny County The plan for the Pittsburgh region's public transportation future will be called NEXTransit, but where that system should serve and how it should get there will be determined over the next year. https://www.masstransitmag.com/management/news/21140496/pa-nextransit-looking-at-the-future-of-transit-in-allegheny-county "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 5, 20205 yr FTA advances KC Streetcar extension project to engineering phase https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/FTA-advances-KC-Streetcar-extension-project-to-engineering-phase--60535 “The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) last week approved Kansas City Streetcar Authority’s (KCSA) Main Street extension project to enter the engineering phase of the federal Capital Investment Grants New Starts program. ... “The approval moves the $351 million project into the final phase of the federal program, positioning it to receive a future federal grant. The project team is seeking $174 million in federal funding to be combined with local funding, KCSA officials said in a press release. “The KCSA plans to finalize a federal grant award in early 2021, begin construction by 2022 and open the route in 2025.“ ***** $350M for a 3.5 mile extension. It’s crazy how much light rail costs in this country. I’m still glad the project is moving forward. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
June 5, 20205 yr That extension will darn-near complete the urban corridor of Kansas City. Well done for them. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 5, 20205 yr 6 hours ago, ColDayMan said: That extension will darn-near complete the urban corridor of Kansas City. Well done for them. Yes, I agree. And now I’m realizing I posted this in the wrong thread. Can you or one of the other move these KC streetcar posts to the Other States Light Raul / Streetcar thread? Sorry! Edited June 5, 20205 yr by Boomerang_Brian Typo When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
June 5, 20205 yr Meh, you can post a second one if you want there. This thread is also appropriate as it's transit news. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
June 5, 20205 yr 1 hour ago, ColDayMan said: Meh, you can post a second one if you want there. This thread is also appropriate as it's transit news. Yeah, sorry, it dawned on me after I posted that I could just copy and paste my own post in the other thread. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
August 13, 20204 yr cap metro and austin partnering for project connect, partner! more: https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/Cap-Metro-Austin-partner-to-deliver-Project-Connect--61280 Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Austin, Texas, officials formed the Austin Transit Partnership. Photo – Cap Metro Facebook
August 13, 20204 yr On 6/4/2020 at 11:40 PM, ColDayMan said: That extension will darn-near complete the urban corridor of Kansas City. Well done for them. Stuff is in a nice-and-neat line in KC in a way that is superficially similar to Columbus, however the place is set up in a lower density format than the Short North. I don't expect that the place will ever be as walkable as Columbus thanks to the hills and wider streets.
August 19, 20204 yr On 8/13/2020 at 6:47 PM, jmecklenborg said: Stuff is in a nice-and-neat line in KC in a way that is superficially similar to Columbus, however the place is set up in a lower density format than the Short North. I don't expect that the place will ever be as walkable as Columbus thanks to the hills and wider streets. the upside is a lot of room to take out street lanes for wider sidewalks, seating, bike lanes and the like post-covid and pre the next pandemic, that could help.
August 19, 20204 yr st louis is looking to expand its rail: St. Louis city officials earlier this week issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for analysis of alternatives to expand public transit service in the Northside-Southside Corridor. The city is exploring possibilities for closing the existing funding gap to construct and operate a Northside-Southside light-rail expansion; and explore less capital-intensive options for high-capacity transit within the corridor. more: https://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/St-Louis-issues-RFQ-for-transit-expansion-alternatives--61348
August 19, 20204 yr st pete's is getting brt PSTA begins construction on SunRunner The 10.3-mile line will include 16 stops with buses running every 15 minutes. Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) Aug 18th, 2020 more: https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/infrastructure/press-release/21150733/pinellas-suncoast-transit-authority-psta-psta-begins-construction-on-sunrunner
August 19, 20204 yr 22 minutes ago, mrnyc said: st pete's is getting brt PSTA begins construction on SunRunner The 10.3-mile line will include 16 stops with buses running every 15 minutes. Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) Aug 18th, 2020 more: https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/infrastructure/press-release/21150733/pinellas-suncoast-transit-authority-psta-psta-begins-construction-on-sunrunner Love it, but I can’t figure out why these articles don’t include maps. Argh. I can’t be the only person who wants to know, so I went and found one. It seems like it should go another few blocks east all the way to the pier, although that would slow it down. In better news, the new BRT will go right past my cousin’s house! (Ha BRT -@jmecklenborg trigger alert) When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
August 20, 20204 yr ^ ha thats pretty funny. when you visit you can hop right on easily and get around.
August 23, 20204 yr On 8/19/2020 at 7:12 PM, mrnyc said: the upside is a lot of room to take out street lanes for wider sidewalks, seating, bike lanes and the like post-covid and pre the next pandemic, that could help. When I was in Kansas City in 2018, I walked past a street where they were doing a "pop-up road diet". Using cones and cinder blocks, they narrowed the width of the street to make room for a protected cycle track and parklets. I also saw a few (permanent) examples across the city of where they eliminated slip ramps and did other things to make their streets more complete.
September 9, 20204 yr The contractor-Maryland battle over the Purple Line continues to rage. Maryland says most of the available $1 billion has been spent. It's not clear what will happen when the money is gone and the work is far from complete. The 16-mile project is projected to cost well over $100 million a mile. There will be nothing usable at the point the money runs out. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/maryland-would-have-to-divert-money-from-other-projects-if-purple-line-builders-quit-state-transit-chief-tells-court/2020/09/08/85dd149a-ee22-11ea-99a1-71343d03bc29_story.html Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
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