Public RAIL in Louisville? (Lexington, Frankfort: living, costs, move to)

[zzz69]

Expanding bus service is hard to implement when a guy on foot can keep pace with a bus (and thats not taking a head start----if I included days when I didnt walk out my door when the bus was coming, the results would be absurdly skewed in my favor).

But in all seriousness, nearly every public transportation study done has shown that people FAR prefer to and will ride a train as opposed to a bus.

[tomocox]

It is my opinion that a solid monorail system would work. It must be the backbone with a high quality bus system serving as the ribs reaching into the residential, commercial, and industrial subsections.

[SteviePee2]

Originally Posted by tomocox

It is my opinion that a solid monorail system would work. It must be the backbone with a high quality bus system serving as the ribs reaching into the residential, commercial, and industrial subsections.

Tom, etc.

On a related note...Since this whole gas mess started a couple of months ago, I have read several articles about how employers are addressing the problem of the high cost of commuting. One of the ideas that seems to have caught on in a couple of instances are employer operated/sponsored shuttles...Kind of a "Park and Ride" thing. The employees park there vehicles in a more or less centralized location and a company vehicle shuttles them to work. Acknowledging the liability constraints, something like this might work for "large" employers in many areas of the country...maybe even L'ville.

Steve P

[basinstblues]

Are you all forgetting, the 2 out of 3 Louisvillians who are obese and eating at least one meal in the car will not ride a monorail/light rail/train unless it makes stops at Mc D's, Taco Bell, etc.

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by basinstblues

Are you all forgetting, the 2 out of 3 Louisvillians who are obese and eating at least one meal in the car will not ride a monorail/light rail/train unless it makes stops at Mc D's, Taco Bell, etc.

You are just a ray of sunshine aren't ya sweetie

[basinstblues]

The facts (obesity and meals actually eaten in cars) as they pertain to Louisville are not rays of sunshine, no. They are facts. Though I was being facetious, ultimately enough people probably wouldn't use a light rail/monorail system in this area because too many are so car-focused and pick up a meal in drive-thru.

[noland123]

Originally Posted by basinstblues

Are you all forgetting, the 2 out of 3 Louisvillians who are obese and eating at least one meal in the car will not ride a monorail/light rail/train unless it makes stops at Mc D's, Taco Bell, etc.

They would stop at Mickey D's and other fast foods in their Mini -Coopers

[KYcoyote]

Originally Posted by SteviePee2

Tom, etc.

On a related note...Since this whole gas mess started a couple of months ago, I have read several articles about how employers are addressing the problem of the high cost of commuting. One of the ideas that seems to have caught on in a couple of instances are employer operated/sponsored shuttles...Kind of a "Park and Ride" thing. The employees park there vehicles in a more or less centralized location and a company vehicle shuttles them to work. Acknowledging the liability constraints, something like this might work for "large" employers in many areas of the country...maybe even L'ville.

Steve P

Steve, this is being done right now with UPS. They run 2nd shift shuttle service to/from Radcliff for package handlers and sorters.

Returning to the rail question, we've already got tracks in place running to West Point alongside Dixie Hwy and Peewee Valley on the East side. Strikes me it wouldnt cost much money to wake up existing train stations that been in place 100 yrs. Spur also runs to Bardstown.

I guess its a question of co-operation among neighboring counties, not bloody likely that Bullitt for example is eager to sign a deal with the city.

[tomocox]

Originally Posted by KYcoyote

I guess its a question of co-operation among neighboring counties, not bloody likely that Bullitt for example is eager to sign a deal with the city.

You are correct about co-operation among neighboring counties. While each of the outlying counties would greatly benefit from co-operation with big brother Louisville-Metro, the price of such co-operation comes in way too high for the loss of independence. The current mayor for life would love to consolidate all the area into a mega-opolis. Something we all have already fled.

[KYcoyote]

Tom, the same is true down South around Bowling Green. There's 100 yr old abandoned train stations at Cave City and Horse Cave could provide 20 minute service to BG. But none of the big city surrounding areas want to become part of the sprawl.

It's ironic that towns on the old railroad line, owing their foundation and original success to rail trade, now shun the idea of re-establishing their link to major cities. Presently the rails dont even serve factory industry, been replaced by trucking and shipping over the road.

And with Louisville being logistics hub, UPS calls it the perfect national center for their operations, seems really weird L'ville doesnt even have an Amtrak station.