Light Rail Hate in Austin- please explain (Dallas, Paris: apartments, for rent)

[timfountain]

Originally Posted by Austin97

rail never alleviates traffic. Please name one city in the entire world where rail has alleviated traffic?


The value of rail is as a way to attract people that want to ride rail to austin. Im not saying that is a bad reason, just that there will be no significant reduction in traffic due to rail. There is a benefit to the people that want to ride rail for convenience/reduced commute time etc.

London, Munich, Copenhagen, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Paris, Madrid, New York, Tokyo, Guangzhou.

[tfresca]

Originally Posted by Komeht

It doesn't take "most" people to use light rail for it to take a tremendous load off the roads. And you "car people" who have chosen to live in sprawlburbs should hope and pray more people us "not car people" opt to use other means of transportation - otherwise your commute to and from sprawl gets worse and worse with each new person who moves to the city of Austin at a rate of 110/day.

You should note that lots of people would prefer to live in Austin but can't afford the cost. Housing stock is through the roof and super competitive.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by tfresca

You should note that lots of people would prefer to live in Austin but can't afford the cost. Housing stock is through the roof and super competitive.

That's exactly why commuter rail is important. Suburban development is inevitable, and everybody living in the city is physically impossible. Commuter rail is the only way to make commuting tolerable for all these people.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by winkosmosis

A bus is limited by traffic speed, a train isn't.

Compared to highways, rail is a bargain... And that's not even including the cost of the cars and fuel.

Don't let the facts get in the way of your religious dogma. The express busses Metro Rail replaced made the trip in exactly the same time. Second, the roads the busses travel on are a sunk cost - unlike the capital cost of Metro Rail. That really isn't a discussion you want to start. Rail already loses on operating cost.

But hey, to religious zealots, the facts don't matter, do they?

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by tfresca

You should note that lots of people would prefer to live in Austin but can't afford the cost. Housing stock is through the roof and super competitive.

I for one don't prefer to live in austin.

[riaelise]

As a New Yorker it baffles me why there's a resistance to rail. I look at the nice comfortable ride the long islanders have on the LIRR and am envious. What we have are two small knockoffs of the British tube, but at least it's something. I like public transport..too bad it's abysmal here.

[winkosmosis]

Originally Posted by scm53

Don't let the facts get in the way of your religious dogma. The express busses Metro Rail replaced made the trip in exactly the same time. Second, the roads the busses travel on are a sunk cost - unlike the capital cost of Metro Rail. That really isn't a discussion you want to start. Rail already loses on operating cost.

But hey, to religious zealots, the facts don't matter, do they?

If the train actually takes as long as commuting by bus or by car in rush hour traffic, then it's not fast enough or has too many stops

[scm53]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I look at the nice comfortable ride the long islanders have on the LIRR and am envious.

You are kidding, right?

[riaelise]

Originally Posted by scm53

You are kidding, right?

Hey, when I took it, it was a good ride. People hate te subway too. But if you took both things away and everyone has to commute by car, people would appreciate them, right

[verybadgnome]

Originally Posted by scm53

Don't let the facts get in the way of your religious dogma. The express busses Metro Rail replaced made the trip in exactly the same time. Second, the roads the busses travel on are a sunk cost - unlike the capital cost of Metro Rail. That really isn't a discussion you want to start. Rail already loses on operating cost.

But hey, to religious zealots, the facts don't matter, do they?

CapMetro has received federal grants to double track portions of the line around three stops which will improve speed. Also the express bus and train go different routes and serve different Central/DT areas. The bus is better for UT area while the train is better for the eastern side of DT.

And of course with rail you can keep adding trains to increase frequency and capacity while not impacting (much) other modes.

Lastly fixed guideways trains affect land use in different ways than buses routes do. The new developments around Crestview and MLK are hopefully just the start of dense transit oriented development around stops.