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I thought that one of the (deserved) criticisms of the stimulus package was that it didn't spend enough on infrastructure type projects such as this one. Roads, bridges, tunnels, transit, etc...
I agree that there's bad debt and good debt. In this case, I'm still on the side that says that the federal government spending in the last 18 months - when no one else could or would - was the only option to keep us from an even worse economic crises. Be it TARP, the stimulus or others - certainly there was money wasted and money that could have been better spent - but in this case, I think the overall theory is sound.
Another example of transit assisting an area is the DC Metro. People pay a premium to live within walking distance of a metro stop - Ballston, Arlington, etc. In areas where mass transit has a critical mass, it helps.
I also do think that there is somewhat of a 'halo' effect of having a decent transit system as far as a city goes...or at least, avoiding the negative.
For the $25 million, I'd still rather have BRT (Bus Rapid Transit), maybe between Uptown and the Airport, but that's just me.
I don't think you are the only person who has wondered about this over the years. To me, that has always seemed strange that we don't have that service here.
I was surprised when I moved back and found that LYNX didn't hook up with the airport. And not having BRT seemed even more puzzling.
Has anyone ever heard/read an answer as to why CATS does not have BRT from the airport to both uptown and SouthPark? It seems a money-maker to me.
I don't think you are the only person who has wondered about this over the years. To me, that has always seemed strange that we don't have that service here.
I was surprised when I moved back and found that LYNX didn't hook up with the airport. And not having BRT seemed even more puzzling.
Has anyone ever heard/read an answer as to why CATS does not have BRT from the airport to both uptown and SouthPark? It seems a money-maker to me.
Maybe that will be something that will eventually happen in time! I always thought they need to have a commuter rail service from the airport to uptown, then extend it into Gaston County.
Maybe that will be something that will eventually happen in time! I always thought they need to have a commuter rail service from the airport to uptown, then extend it into Gaston County.
Well, I do know this. Before I moved away, there was discussion about a Gaston transit link-up. However, I moved and I don't know where those discussions went in the early 90s.
I agree with you - it would make sense. In the mid 80s, the discussion was that the city would move west and there was discussion about a business corridor that links up with Gaston. It seemed feasible to me.
Now, since that time, I realize a lot of factories/plants went under (or shipped business overseas) - manufacturers who were once located in Gaston CO - or who had warehouses, trucking . . .
So I don't know what impact all that has had on development. It is not something I have spent a lot of time researching since I came back here. But I definitely have been very puzzled about the airport and why more attempt hasn't been made to make it easier to get from the airport to the business centers (and hotels) in both uptown and SouthPark.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Originally Posted by prwfromnc
Maybe that will be something that will eventually happen in time! I always thought they need to have a commuter rail service from the airport to uptown, then extend it into Gaston County.
My guess is that Charlotte will fight the idea of a train to the airport, kicking & screaming.
There should be an extension of Lynx planned to the airport from Uptown & a bus line from South Charlotte. A bus should be running to the airport until a light rail extension can be built.
Then there's the Gaston County part of your post (which makes perfect sense). This old thread of mine should answer that pretty well.
I don't think you are the only person who has wondered about this over the years. To me, that has always seemed strange that we don't have that service here.
I was surprised when I moved back and found that LYNX didn't hook up with the airport. And not having BRT seemed even more puzzling.
Has anyone ever heard/read an answer as to why CATS does not have BRT from the airport to both uptown and SouthPark? It seems a money-maker to me.
They rebranded the number 5 to be called a sprinter bus.
They did improve the service, it now runs every 20mins instead of 30 and it now takes approx 22-24 mins instead of the 35-40 it used to take.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
23,813 posts, read 34,657,307 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
Well, I do know this. Before I moved away, there was discussion about a Gaston transit link-up. However, I moved and I don't know where those discussions went in the early 90s.
I agree with you - it would make sense. In the mid 80s, the discussion was that the city would move west and there was discussion about a business corridor that links up with Gaston. It seemed feasible to me.
Now, since that time, I realize a lot of factories/plants went under (or shipped business overseas) - manufacturers who were once located in Gaston CO - or who had warehouses, trucking . . .
So I don't know what impact all that has had on development. It is not something I have spent a lot of time researching since I came back here. But I definitely have been very puzzled about the airport and why more attempt hasn't been made to make it easier to get from the airport to the business centers (and hotels) in both uptown and SouthPark.
Ani, this is my take on it, from my vantage point. I can certainly be wrong.
Gaston County has lost most of the mills. They seem to be replacing the mills with more of an assortment of businesses & they seem to skew more white collar.
Heavy duty industry seems to be headed for Shelby (paper plant) & beyond, with Kings Mountain as the changing point. Recently, Kings Mountain has gotten a mix of businesses ranging from small industrial to possibilities of a small bio-diesel plant south of the city, in the unincorporated area, & a possible 2nd phone center. Commissioners to discuss Clearwater and "Project Diesel" tonight | clearwater, meeting, commissioners - Breaking News - The Star Online : The Newspaper of Cleveland County (http://www.shelbystar.com/news/clearwater-48136-meeting-commissioners.html - broken link) Kings Mountain is in both Gaston & Cleveland counties.
There is a lot of land up for sale here & I expect that when it sells it will divide between residential, commercial, & retail.
There will be a park & ride lot in Kings Mountain when the commuter train to Gastonia & Charlotte comes.
Shelby is getting a bypass for 74, which will start in Kings Mountain.
How this ties in to the thread topic, is that rather than the street car, Charlotte would have been better served by working with Gaston County on the rail line that will be coming in, in spite of the unwillingness to have a commuter line from Gastonia & beyond.
Ani, this is my take on it, from my vantage point. I can certainly be wrong.
Gaston County has lost most of the mills. They seem to be replacing the mills with more of an assortment of businesses & they seem to skew more white collar.
Heavy duty industry seems to be headed for Shelby (paper plant) & beyond, with Kings Mountain as the changing point. Recently, Kings Mountain has gotten a mix of businesses ranging from small industrial to possibilities of a small bio-diesel plant south of the city, in the unincorporated area, & a possible 2nd phone center. Commissioners to discuss Clearwater and "Project Diesel" tonight | clearwater, meeting, commissioners - Breaking News - The Star Online : The Newspaper of Cleveland County (http://www.shelbystar.com/news/clearwater-48136-meeting-commissioners.html - broken link) Kings Mountain is in both Gaston & Cleveland counties.
There is a lot of land up for sale here & I expect that when it sells it will divide between residential, commercial, & retail.
There will be a park & ride lot in Kings Mountain when the commuter train to Gastonia & Charlotte comes.
Shelby is getting a bypass for 74, which will start in Kings Mountain.
How this ties in to the thread topic, is that rather than the street car, Charlotte would have been better served by working with Gaston County on the rail line that will be coming in, in spite of the unwillingness to have a commuter line from Gastonia & beyond.
I will never ever understand why CLT has opposed hooking up with the Gaston rail line section. It is just weird and short-sighted. I don't get it. Even tho we have discussed it in the past, I still can't understand the reasoning.
We really need the connectivity b/n communities and Gaston is growing with more industrial and business parks and I believe that will continue.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
I will never ever understand why CLT has opposed hooking up with the Gaston rail line section. It is just weird and short-sighted. I don't get it. Even tho we have discussed it in the past, I still can't understand the reasoning.
We really need the connectivity b/n communities and Gaston is growing with more industrial and business parks and I believe that will continue.
Ani, Gaston county & Kings Mountain are progressing like the South Jersey suburbs of Philly did, 30/40 years ago. They will be self-sustaining but linked. I've seen it there & I see it happening here.
I know that I have not been here that long, but I see the signs. It's deja vu. I have lived through this before.
The silliest part is that Charlotte is claiming Gaston County as their metro, to the Cleveland County line. Kings Mountain straddles the 2 counties. What is wrong with the officials that they are not claiming the whole town? Are they nuts or just stupid? You can literally cross a street & change counties here. There is a street where the counties change & there is a couple of feet where the road is unpaved on the Gaston County side.
This can not be the sticks if the LaVecchias are opening another Old Stone Steakhouse here that will be twice the size of the one in Belmont. Yet, Charlotte doesn't want us commuting in on a train line.
They should be running a spur of the light rail to the airport. Then invite Gastonia to have a nearby stop & run a shuttle bus to the airport from that station. It ain't brain surgery. Don't want to run light rail to the airport? No problem. Just invite Gastonia to have a nearby station & run a shuttle from it. Charge people 50 cents. They could make their costs. Charge 75 cents & make a profit.
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Don't want to run light rail to the airport? No problem. Just invite Gastonia to have a nearby station & run a shuttle from it. Charge people 50 cents. They could make their costs. Charge 75 cents & make a profit.
