Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since I live in Charlotte, I am hesitant to make comments on the Triad Forum. Sometimes people may think that I am trolling. But that is not the case. I am here to make constructive comments. But I will say that I think that the low density and urban sprawl of the Triad is hurting it to a degree. I was originally against Charlotte building the Lynx Blue Line. I was for building more freeways. But I have come to realize that I was wrong. Charlotte is not a very dense city or metro either. It is one of the lowest density metros in US over one million MSA. Many cities are less dense that were built after WWII due to auto prevalence. I have come to realize that freeways create less density and more urban sprawl. I think the last freeway that will be built in Charlotte area is the Monroe Tollway. But Charlotte has created density downtown, South End, NODA and other areas near downtown. Approximately 20,000 people live downtown with more apartments coming on line soon. As the Blue Line expands north to University later this year, density will increase there. This density near the core is what millennials want. They want to get to work without their car and walk to bars. They want to live downtown, take their dogs to a downtown vet, see a movie downtown, bowl downtown, walk their dogs downtown, go to downtown parks, walk along the greenway downtown etc. Due to this density and the 3 downtown bar districts and the South End bar district (midtown), NoDa bar district (along rail line and 1.5 miles north of downtown) and Plaza Midwood bar district (midtown) millinneals are flocking to Charlotte and love living here. Of course, jobs also play an important role. More apartments have been built along the Blue Line in South End over the last 5-10 years than any area in the country. Millinneals can hop the Blue Line from South End and be downtown in minutes and not have to pay to park. There is no doubt that this density downtown and along the Blue Line is one of the reasons that Charlotte is booming. Charlotte has around 20 micro-breweries and this is expected to go over 30 in the next few years. Most of these are in these 6 bar districts or near by. Not everyone wants to live in or near downtown but, it gives people a choice and people seem to like that . My point is that I think the massive freeway system that is being built in the Triad is bad for the area. It is creating more urban sprawl and less density. Millinneals do not want sprawl. They want density with walkable neighborhoods, greenways, parks, neighborhood restaurants and bars. The apartments, restaurants and bars do not all have to be built downtown Greens or WS. These amenities can be built in historic neighborhoods near downtown too. Creating a higher density is part of the evolution of building a true city. I have come to realize that without the density cities feel like suburban areas. I am now against more freeways and, I am all in for the building of more commuter rail lines. I would not have believed this if I had not seen this transformation of Charlotte over the last 20 years. Look at many of the boom cities such as Charlotte, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Austin, San Antonio and, you realize these cities have created density in and around their downtowns (in funky neighborhoods). Charlotte is the 17th fastest growing MSA in the US in actual numbers since 2010 and, it is prepared to start growing by about 500,000 people over the next 10 years. This is just food for thought.
I wish the Triad could get a light rail system. Unfortunately that won't happen until the region reaches a critical mass. The Triangle will get it before the Triad. I think in about 15 to 20 years the Triad will be ready for light rail. It seems like it's a long ways off but if you live long enough 15 to 20 years goes by in no time.
I wish the Triad could get a light rail system. Unfortunately that won't happen until the region reaches a critical mass. The Triangle will get it before the Triad. I think in about 15 to 20 years the Triad will be ready for light rail. It seems like it's a long ways off but if you live long enough 15 to 20 years goes by in no time.
My brother has been living in Raleigh for over a decade now and he said initially Raleighfolks were not wanting to uptick in taxes to cover the light rail expense. My brother kept saying the yuppies don't want to stop driving their gas-guzzling SUVS. Also, because we both grew up working poor in Winston, we recognize that to some elitist folks public transportation means poverty. So I feel like for sheltered folks who don't know much about how metros work; they assume public transportation is unsafe. But because of population density it makes sense for the Triangle and not the Triad at this point.
My brother has been living in Raleigh for over a decade now and he said initially Raleighfolks were not wanting to uptick in taxes to cover the light rail expense. My brother kept saying the yuppies don't want to stop driving their gas-guzzling SUVS. Also, because we both grew up working poor in Winston, we recognize that to some elitist folks public transportation means poverty. So I feel like for sheltered folks who don't know much about how metros work; they assume public transportation is unsafe. But because of population density it makes sense for the Triangle and not the Triad at this point.
You do bring up a point. People in the Triad and many southern cities love the independence of driving their own automobile. One could argue that the reason why many people in northern urban cities use mass transit is because in many ways they are forced to. New York is good example. Traffic there is terrible. Building wide freeways in the Triad certainly is not an incentive for using mass transit.
Nita and the others. I agree with ur post on the public transportation here in the triad. Just a few weeks ago I was telling a friend that we should hop around Greensboro on a bus just to get the experience and big city feel so to speak... She told me she had to to take a bua once here in Greensboro and she would never do it again unless a last resort.Unlike DC or nyc where it's all mix of classes here in the triad it does seem like only the lower class only use public transportation.
I agree that using a city bus is not an option that some want to use. That is true in Charlotte too except for express routes. But rail transit is different in Charlotte. And it helps to create that density that cities want. It creates a vibrant area around the inner core. And let's face it all cities in NC need more density. All NC cities need their urban populations as defined by US Census Bureau increased. And rail also provides an option for those not wanting to sit in traffic or pay to park downtown. I am saying that Greens and WS (as well as CLT and other cities) should try to create more density in and around downtown and on certain corridors. But the more freeways built then the more urban sprawl and less density created.
Nita and the others. I agree with ur post on the public transportation here in the triad. Just a few weeks ago I was telling a friend that we should hop around Greensboro on a bus just to get the experience and big city feel so to speak... She told me she had to to take a bua once here in Greensboro and she would never do it again unless a last resort.Unlike DC or nyc where it's all mix of classes here in the triad it does seem like only the lower class only use public transportation.
That attitudes really bothers me. I grew up riding the bus in Winston and remember very few unsafe incidents. Admittedly, there's the rare "sketchy-looking" person on the bus, but it's usually people and kids going to and from work or going shopping. They certainly aren't rich, but why is that a problem? I agree with what you say about larger cities and mass transit. The first thing I noticed in Charlotte at the bus depot downtown was how economically/ethnically diverse the crowd using public transportation. I feel like attitudes like that of your friend are superficial and based in ignorance, tbh. Too many people stay in their little bubbles and thus form erroneously offensive attitudes about poor people and others. I'm glad that you have a more progressive attitude about public transpo; it really ain't bad at all.
Larger cities (understandably) have more route options, so you can get to your destination faster. When I rode the bus in Winston, I had to give myself at least a 2-hour window between the time I left the house and the time I got to where I needed to be. When people gripe about it taking too long to get around, that's a reasonable complaint.
You do bring up a point. People in the Triad and many southern cities love the independence of driving their own automobile. One could argue that the reason why many people in northern urban cities use mass transit is because in many ways they are forced to. New York is good example. Traffic there is terrible. Building wide freeways in the Triad certainly is not an incentive for using mass transit.
This country's entire economy is built around the automobile. It's not just southerners who love to drive and nearly all states have a luxury that states like New York don't- available real estate.
They're not making anymore land up north.
My brother has been living in Raleigh for over a decade now and he said initially Raleighfolks were not wanting to uptick in taxes to cover the light rail expense. My brother kept saying the yuppies don't want to stop driving their gas-guzzling SUVS. Also, because we both grew up working poor in Winston, we recognize that to some elitist folks public transportation means poverty. So I feel like for sheltered folks who don't know much about how metros work; they assume public transportation is unsafe. But because of population density it makes sense for the Triangle and not the Triad at this point.
Light rail doesn't have that stigma you're referring to; it's seen as cool and trendy. It's buses that have the stigma of being poor people's transportation.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
