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Thank heavens the elected officials in our town FINALLY did something right!
The train will only serve a select group of people and will probably require major subsidies (reduced ticket prices) to generate steady commuter traffic. There's no reason to spend $500M +/- to serve a few people at select hours of the day when the same funds could improve I77, which serves many, many more people 24/7.
No Red Line!
But as ani said wouldn't a train help relieve the congestion on I-77 during rush hours? I don't know much about this project, but is it mainly supposed to be for commuters? If so, I think Mooresville could possibly benefit the most, since right now that's probably a brutal drive on 77 for those that commute uptown. On public transit, although that could still be a long ride, it would be a lot less stressful than sitting in traffic.
But speaking of which, I hope this would be a little faster than the light rail in Baltimore, which takes almost an hour to get from its northernmost point to downtown, which is less than a 20 mile trip. Mooresville is 30 miles from uptown Charlotte, so that could be even longer. If you take it all the way from Statesville, yikes!
And I think what Stella said about the crime would probably be true there as well...the only increase you'd probably see if any would be right in the immediate area of the station. So being as how Mooresville is pretty spread out I don't think that would be much of an issue.
Edit: forgot that they said it would stop in Mt. Mourne, so that's only about 25 miles...and if that's where it was supposed to end, where did the talk of it going to Statesville come from?
But as ani said wouldn't a train help relieve the congestion on I-77 during rush hours? I don't know much about this project, but is it mainly supposed to be for commuters? If so, I think Mooresville could possibly benefit the most, since right now that's probably a brutal drive on 77 for those that commute uptown. On public transit, although that could still be a long ride, it would be a lot less stressful than sitting in traffic.
But speaking of which, I hope this would be a little faster than the light rail in Baltimore, which takes almost an hour to get from its northernmost point to downtown, which is less than a 20 mile trip. Mooresville is 30 miles from uptown Charlotte, so that could be even longer. If you take it all the way from Statesville, yikes!
And I think what Stella said about the crime would probably be true there as well...the only increase you'd probably see if any would be right in the immediate area of the station. So being as how Mooresville is pretty spread out I don't think that would be much of an issue.
If we could find out about the projected use and capacity during rush hour, that would probably either make it clear that the rail is a great idea for commuters or a really expensive idea that isn't gonna provide any real relief to the commuter traffic.
I will see if I can find that info. Stripes has a point - if it is millions of $$$ (and those are on-going costs!) and it only helps a few hundred folks get to work - then that doesn't seem much of a benefit to commuters.
I would really like to hear more from Mooresville leaders as to what led them to their final decision. I am sure it was not a knee jerk decision.
Board Chairman Steve Johnson has made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that he does not support the plan.
“They’re crazy,” Johnson said of the DOT and CATS leaders who are promoting the project. “There is no way in the world that this thing works financially.”
Johnson said the plan for making the rail financially feasible is to attract businesses along its route and to haul freight for those companies.
“But who goes into a business not even knowing if there are any customers?” Johnson asked rhetorically.
Without the freight-hauling component in place, Johnson said the plan is essentially designed to operate in red ink.
“They lose money every time a passenger gets on,” he said. “I wouldn’t get out of an electric chair to vote for this.”
If that's true, then yeah, it might not be a very good idea. But there wasn't really any info backing up what he said (or backing up that it would be successful for that matter)
If that's true, then yeah, it might not be a very good idea. But there wasn't really any info backing up what he said (or backing up that it would be successful for that matter)
LOL, they got the freight hauling idea from Gastonia!
If that's true, then yeah, it might not be a very good idea. But there wasn't really any info backing up what he said (or backing up that it would be successful for that matter)
TY for posting that info!
Yeah, I need some cold hard facts. It would be great to have a simliar line to compare it to, also - see what some other city's experience w/ $$$ and ROI has been.
I have been asking around . . . and a lot of folks don't want another MARTA in Iredell County, lol.
I'll leave this one alone.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
Your remarks about Lowes, as well as the county leaders, were kinda snarky and uncalled for, Urban. Really.
I saw nothing "snarky" about them at all. Lowes is busy with "other issues" at the moment and 4 out of 5 non-Mooresville area republicans on the board aren't interested in rail transit; point, blank, period. The 1 Mooresville area republican will vote no too just so he isn't ousted in the next election.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
Not everyone has your vision of an intense urban landscape - that doesn't mean they are wrong.
When there is growth (which we have) and EVERYONE wants "land and open space" (as long as they all get to own a piece of it) what do you have; you have metro Atlanta in roughly 30 years (you know, the city metro Charlotte doesn't wish to be like, but is headed there rapidly due to a lack of proper urban planning).
Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
On top of it . . . anyone who has studied demographics knows that Iredell County residents feel as "connected" to Winston as to Charlotte. Not everyone thinks being connected to Charlotte is all that, and two snaps more.
What in the world does the mentality of northern Iredell has to do with a train to Mooresville (and why not build a train to Winston as well)?
Besides, anyone who studies demographics knows that 50% of Iredell county's population will be south of Troutman by 2030. A plan to bring commuter rail to that particular part of the county is just a proactive approach to an obvious future transportation problem in our region. It's about giving people choices. Those folks can choose between an hour commute to Charlotte (in traffic); or a 30-45 minute train ride.
Anyways, politics will stop this train for now; so everything stated above is moot.
Why is transit in fast growing Metro's such a bad word in the fast growing Southeast? Its a fair question for 2012. A Red Line a Purple Line whatever line has to be built at some space in time. Thats what happens when people populate an area. Otherwise what the real statement is saying without saying it is. "Own a car" and build more roads for more cars. Even if you can't afford one you must own a car or life will be isolated for you. Well it must be nice if everyone in large Metro's can afford a car, but I don't think life works that way. There has to be options for getting from A to B or you don't make fast growing Metro's. You might as well put up the sign "Were Closed".
This country will most definitely see $5.00 gas this year all over the country, not just here on the West Coast. In fact I think it will go higher at least out here and the Northeast. I would like to have said locations had already started preparations, for this scenario that has been building for Years. I would have liked to have said that but I know thats not true. Reading not all but much of this forum is what scares me about much of America. No preparation but the complaints over the high cost of gas and how unfair it is, always start to fly when the gas shoots up.
Charlotte Metro is growing fast and will really pick up as the economy improves. I hope people know where growth leads with limited Transit. It leads to Atlanta, Houston and Los Angeles to name a few that have limited transit.
I really hope the area deals with their Red Line, as well as facing the facts of where growth leads without options.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anifani821
TY for posting that info!
Yeah, I need some cold hard facts. It would be great to have a simliar line to compare it to, also - see what some other city's experience w/ $$$ and ROI has been.
There are several articles in the Gaston Gazette about this rail line.
Here's some.
Setting up light rail from Gastonia to Charlotte could cost $300 million | rail, gastonia, charlotte - Local News - Gaston Gazette (http://www.gastongazette.com/news/rail-38918-gastonia-charlotte.html - broken link)
Gastonia looks to make trains and buses more attractive for travelers | gastonia, city, want - Local News - Gaston Gazette (http://www.gastongazette.com/news/gastonia-52557-city-want.html - broken link)
Why is transit in fast growing Metro's such a bad word in the fast growing Southeast?
Simple answer Jim; it's politics.
Most conservatives don't want anything to do with rail transit. There are a few here that has seen the light (Pat McCrory and Thom Tillis to name a few) but the rural/suburban conservatives ain't trying to hear it. Iredell is as rural and conservative as it gets. Mooresville is a fast growing Lake Norman area suburb (who still has to answer to a county that has not seen the growth that Mooresville is now seeing).
IMO, there are two choices; wait for the growth to hit the rest of the county (and they'll be more willing to listen in Statesville) or Mooresville should find a way to fund this thing with or without the support from the county.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimrob1
Otherwise what the real statement is saying without saying it is. "Own a car" and build more roads for more cars. Even if you can't afford one you must own a car or life will be isolated for you.
And BELIEVE me Jim; there are those hardcore conservatives who believes 100% that providing public transportation (something that is used mostly by "the po-folk") is a total waste of their tax dollars. In their opinions, the people riding transit should pay the total costs (while ignoring the fact that roads and education are heavily subsidized moreso than transit). Like I said, it's political. And politics (simply put) is "my ideology against YOUR ideology".
The REAL problem is that our society treats mass transit like an option. When was the last time we voted for or against keeping our public schools free of tuition? When was the last time we voted for or against having freeways in our cities? The truth is that those issues are not debatable (but transit is). IMO, the politics (ie, the debate) should be taken out of transit. That won't happen any time soon though (and the reasons for this goes FAR beyond North Carolina and the south).
Last edited by urbancharlotte; 01-17-2012 at 12:36 PM..
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