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So basically it's just for people who live on campus and people who live downtown (which is fine, but the COTA is already available to campus and downtown areas).
No a streetcar would not be equal to bus service. There is a MAJOR misunderstanding among individuals regarding the reasons why mass transit is needed to grow an urban economy.
Localized mass transit is needed to move people up and down our residential, office, retail, and visitor rich high st. corridor. 60,000 people live along the proposed line, 50,000 students live along this line as well, and many visitors.
In addition, bus service travels up and down High St., but after 7pm it is only every half hour then only once an hour later at night. A street car travels every 5-7 minutes! So in essence, if you live on high like I do, I can step outside of my door and catch the car to a restaurant and know that it will be there ready with only a 5 minute wait. This results in a service that is guaranteed to be there and will run 17 hours a day.
Also, in order to grow an urban economy and foster even more development on our already bustling high st. corridor mass transit like a street car is needed. Right now if I want to shop at Barned and Nobles on High I would have to drive there or look at a bus schedule, so I might be more likely to go to the one at lennox that does not use a parking garage.
Even if you don't live in the downtown area you might use the car. If you are visiting the Short North (which is a linear retail strip) you might want to shop at a store 5 blocks north of where you park. You can hop on a car and visit that store, then go back down the street on the car to another location. This is how the economic impact by the street car is more than measurable.
In addition, a long distance mass transit system (such as light rail) is needed in Columbus, but there also has to be a localized system in the central city. If say Jane takes the light rail from Dublin to downtown, then she will need a way to get around downtown without her car. Right now there would be no way. Light rail would less effective without having a street car system that can move citizens around the central city.
Localized mass transit, like a streetcar system on high st., is just as necessary to an urban area as a highway or basic road is to a suburban one. Mass transit is essential for a central city to function and grow economically. Many that are use to only suburban development fail to realize this. Lastly, the street car runs on electric rails and looks like this... this is the exact design that the mayor wants
No a streetcar would not be equal to bus service. There is a MAJOR misunderstanding among individuals regarding the reasons why mass transit is needed to grow an urban economy.
Localized mass transit is needed to move people up and down our residential, office, retail, and visitor rich high st. corridor. 60,000 people live along the proposed line, 50,000 students live along this line as well, and many visitors.
In addition, bus service travels up and down High St., but after 7pm it is only every half hour then only once an hour later at night. A street car travels every 5-7 minutes! So in essence, if you live on high like I do, I can step outside of my door and catch the car to a restaurant and know that it will be there ready with only a 5 minute wait. This results in a service that is guaranteed to be there and will run 17 hours a day.
Also, in order to grow an urban economy and foster even more development on our already bustling high st. corridor mass transit like a street car is needed. Right now if I want to shop at Barned and Nobles on High I would have to drive there or look at a bus schedule, so I might be more likely to go to the one at lennox that does not use a parking garage.
Even if you don't live in the downtown area you might use the car. If you are visiting the Short North (which is a linear retail strip) you might want to shop at a store 5 blocks north of where you park. You can hop on a car and visit that store, then go back down the street on the car to another location. This is how the economic impact by the street car is more than measurable.
In addition, a long distance mass transit system (such as light rail) is needed in Columbus, but there also has to be a localized system in the central city. If say Jane takes the light rail from Dublin to downtown, then she will need a way to get around downtown without her car. Right now there would be no way. Light rail would less effective without having a street car system that can move citizens around the central city.
Localized mass transit, like a streetcar system on high st., is just as necessary to an urban area as a highway or basic road is to a suburban one. Mass transit is essential for a central city to function and grow economically. Many that are use to only suburban development fail to realize this. Lastly, the street car runs on electric rails and looks like this... this is the exact design that the mayor wants
not 100 yr. old technology.
First, I am entitled to my opinion. I did not state that lightrail would be equal to the bus, rather the bus is an available option for people living along the High Street corridor, but people in the suburbs don't have the #2 to get them downtown in just a few minutes.
Giving up DC's Metro was very difficult, and I certainly appreciate efficient public transportation. Although I am in favor of light rail in Columbus, I think it is a shame that they are not incorporating something to make it more favorable for use by everyday commuters who don't happen to live between 11th and German Village! I would be happy to take it to work each day, saving the $100 monthly parking fee, but to utilize it I would have to park on campus! That's just not feasible. So on days I want to take public transit, it's the #2 for me.
When I go to the Short North, I normally valet, and then I walk, so no, I still wouldn't use the streetcar. Although I am sure many people aren't capable of walking five blocks, I am. How about attracting more people from Dublin and Westerville to the Short North by providing light rail service to the suburbs?
I hadn't heard about any real plans to extend light rail to the suburbs. Coleman needs to come up with a feasible proposal for this instead of just a vague mention (which is all I heard). If this is a catalyst to expansion of a light rail system, then great. I'd love to hear about the routes they are planning to build, because as I stated, I have only heard a vague mention, rather than feasible plans.
Look at Denver's MallRide. It's continuous bus service that links into the light rail station and it seems to work pretty well. They also have light rail to the suburbs. I think it's a pretty good system.
I also understand that it will not be old-fashioned streetcars. So why not call it what it is? Light rail sounds more progressive than streetcars. It just evokes a better image.
No plan is going to please everyone, but I think Coleman should focus on extending light rail to the suburbs, and make it available for everyday commuters. Even incorporating a few Park and Rides would help make it more useful for people who don't live along High Street.
Like i said before... The City, State or Federal government is not going to build a huge rail system without any rail development to try it out and see if it succeeds... There also is a bigger plan called the Ohio Hub project (search it on Google and you will find a lot of info on it)
Like i said before... The City, State or Federal government is not going to build a huge rail system without any rail development to try it out and see if it succeeds... There also is a bigger plan called the Ohio Hub project (search it on Google and you will find a lot of info on it)
I have read about this, and we have done some studies on it in college. It is a very good possibility of happening. The state government has to match 80% federal construction match, but it will not affect the state's budget in a negative way. The outlooks for this are great.
First, I am entitled to my opinion. I did not state that lightrail would be equal to the bus, rather the bus is an available option for people living along the High Street corridor, but people in the suburbs don't have the #2 to get them downtown in just a few minutes.
Giving up DC's Metro was very difficult, and I certainly appreciate efficient public transportation. Although I am in favor of light rail in Columbus, I think it is a shame that they are not incorporating something to make it more favorable for use by everyday commuters who don't happen to live between 11th and German Village! I would be happy to take it to work each day, saving the $100 monthly parking fee, but to utilize it I would have to park on campus! That's just not feasible. So on days I want to take public transit, it's the #2 for me.
When I go to the Short North, I normally valet, and then I walk, so no, I still wouldn't use the streetcar. Although I am sure many people aren't capable of walking five blocks, I am. How about attracting more people from Dublin and Westerville to the Short North by providing light rail service to the suburbs?
I hadn't heard about any real plans to extend light rail to the suburbs. Coleman needs to come up with a feasible proposal for this instead of just a vague mention (which is all I heard). If this is a catalyst to expansion of a light rail system, then great. I'd love to hear about the routes they are planning to build, because as I stated, I have only heard a vague mention, rather than feasible plans.
Look at Denver's MallRide. It's continuous bus service that links into the light rail station and it seems to work pretty well. They also have light rail to the suburbs. I think it's a pretty good system.
I also understand that it will not be old-fashioned streetcars. So why not call it what it is? Light rail sounds more progressive than streetcars. It just evokes a better image.
No plan is going to please everyone, but I think Coleman should focus on extending light rail to the suburbs, and make it available for everyday commuters. Even incorporating a few Park and Rides would help make it more useful for people who don't live along High Street.
I think the adage is 'You have to crawl before you can walk'. In my opinion the mayor will use this as a trial run for an expanded light rail system that Columbus so severely needs. The proof will be in the pudding, if the system is lightly used or not respected by residents don't expect any sort of expansion.
I think it is a brilliant idea; I just hope that people vote with their feet, proving light rail is a good investment in the cities future. Certainly the businesses and property owners/developers along the strip will be rubbing their hands together. The potential for income growth is huge and there really is no cap to what this can do for the city.
This is perhaps the dumbest thing I have heard of. Serious question Columbus people, why does everything in your city revolve around OSU, seriously???? The way I see it is that the majority of riders will be drunk college students bar hopping from campus to downtown and back. This does absolutely nothing for anyone else in Columbus, those that commute into downtown and back out to the suburbs or from one side of town to the other.
Secondly, the proposal suggests the money to fund this would come from those using the services in the downtown areas along the route through bars, resturants, parking, etc. One more reason not to go downtown and support something that would not benefit me.
Lastly, it's suggested that this city seriously look at other major cities with lightrail, etc. on a plan for the whole area. Perhaps people would vote for a public transportation network in this city if it would have a benefit to them and not just OSU and downtown.
west5548 i would like to propose a question ... would you like to test an experiential system that could have the possibility of failing and spend 103 million or billions and billions on a light rail system and not even know if it is going to work?
This is perhaps the dumbest thing I have heard of. Serious question Columbus people, why does everything in your city revolve around OSU, seriously???? The way I see it is that the majority of riders will be drunk college students bar hopping from campus to downtown and back. This does absolutely nothing for anyone else in Columbus, those that commute into downtown and back out to the suburbs or from one side of town to the other.
Secondly, the proposal suggests the money to fund this would come from those using the services in the downtown areas along the route through bars, resturants, parking, etc. One more reason not to go downtown and support something that would not benefit me.
Lastly, it's suggested that this city seriously look at other major cities with lightrail, etc. on a plan for the whole area. Perhaps people would vote for a public transportation network in this city if it would have a benefit to them and not just OSU and downtown.
Seriously??
Lets see ... THE Ohio State University is a major, major employer, a hub of entertainment, culture & local pride, and has more than 50k students who pump a lot of money into the local economy.
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