Light Rail Hate in Austin- please explain

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Are you _really_ going to claim that a express bus running down the highway (and not stopping) encourages development along that route (what development, billboards?) in the same way development is happening at Midtown commons, M Station, Plaza Saltillo...?

Which has precisely bupkis to do with whether the statements you make are factually correct.

#1. As much as you have a crush on rail, transit centers encourage development. The mode that services them is immaterial.

#2. "Factually correct" is in the eye of the zealot. Are you saying that Cap Metro's cost per passenger trip isn't higher for rail than express bus? You should read Henry Clay's biography. You sound like his famous quote. For the record, he never got elected, either. Just like this turkey.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by scm53

#1. As much as you have a crush on rail, transit centers encourage development. The mode that services them is immaterial.

But you're proposing running buses down the highway, without any intermediate centers. That's the only way you're getting service times even close to the rail.

[RooCeleste]

MetroRail, ExpressBus, regular bus -- I'd use any of them to get to work and back on a daily basis IF it was feasible, which it isn't. The MetroRail is out because neither it nor its connector buses go anywhere near my office at Cameron/Cross Park, and as for the bus...well, even with driving to Lakeline Station then taking a bus, I'd have to transfer at least once and then walk almost a mile, and it would take over twice what it takes me to drive it! So what's the point?

I love it when I'm going to be at the Convention Center so I can ride MetroRail or at one of the downtown state office buildings with a bus stop nearby, but those days are very rare. My stress level is much less when I'm able to let someone else do the driving, but it isn't worth it if it takes me twice the time one-way and/or I have to leave an hour earlier than I already leave.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by scm53

Are you saying that Cap Metro's cost per passenger trip isn't higher for rail than express bus?

I'm saying we don't know, we don't have that data. We do know it's pretty close between the two (from your own data). Plus rail has a lot of additional benefits (not taking up capacity on the highway, less chance(though non-zero) of getting held up because of an accident(the first time someone has an accident in that separate toll lane in the section with no shoulder, it's going to tie up traffic for an hour).

[verybadgnome]

Originally Posted by scm53

The HPNA begs to differ.

The Hyde Park Neighborhood Association? That's who you look to for transit planning? Well that explains a lot about your views.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by verybadgnome

The Hyde Park Neighborhood Association? That's who you look to for transit planning? Well that explains a lot about your views.

Too bad you are better at snark than you are at reading comprehension. Your point was about density:

Originally Posted by verybadgnome

Transit needs density to be efficient (and it is coming).

How that became about transit planning fails me.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I'm saying we don't know, we don't have that data. We do know it's pretty close between the two (from your own data). Plus rail has a lot of additional benefits (not taking up capacity on the highway, less chance(though non-zero) of getting held up because of an accident(the first time someone has an accident in that separate toll lane in the section with no shoulder, it's going to tie up traffic for an hour).

metro rail costs tax payers $9/rider trip when metro rail is at full capacity for the year. not sure how much the bus is. This doesnt count amortization of the capital costs.

Library I think costs about $6 and zilker park costs about $4

[verybadgnome]

Originally Posted by scm53

Too bad you are better at snark than you are at reading comprehension. Your point was about density:



How that became about transit planning fails me.

Because land use and transportation are inexorably linked. Here is a primer for you:

Online TDM Encyclopedia - Clustered Land Use

"As a general rule of thumb, 4-7 dwelling units per acre are required to create demand for “basic” bus transit service (20-40 buses per day), 6-15 units per acre are required to create demand for “frequent” bus transit service, 9 units per acre are needed to create demand for light rail transit, and 12 units per acre are needed to create demand for rapid transit."

And yes you can cherry pick from the rest of that page, but the bottom line is more dense cities can better utilize transit options.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by verybadgnome

Because land use and transportation are inexorably linked. Here is a primer for you:

Online TDM Encyclopedia - Clustered Land Use

"As a general rule of thumb, 4-7 dwelling units per acre are required to create demand for “basic” bus transit service (20-40 buses per day), 6-15 units per acre are required to create demand for “frequent” bus transit service, 9 units per acre are needed to create demand for light rail transit, and 12 units per acre are needed to create demand for rapid transit."

And yes you can cherry pick from the rest of that page, but the bottom line is more dense cities can better utilize transit options.

You know, if you didn't have the snark gun in full auto when you see my name, you would realize we are in agreement.

But hey, fire away.

[AguaDulce]

I know most people would rather just sit on their butts and squabble on this forum about such things:

CapMetro:

Wednesday, March 12, 2014
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Customer Satisfaction Advisory Committee meeting
Capital Metro Transit Store
209 W. 9th St.



Project Connect:

Friday, March 21, 2014
1:30pm to 3:30pm
Central Corridor Advisory Group meeting
City Hall Council Chambers
301 W. 2nd Street