San Antonio's Answer to Light Rail is More Buses... (Austin: residential, car)

[crystalblue]

the only true way to keep growing without wrecking the environment (well, less) would be towers

and most americans dont want to live in towers.

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by tgannaway89

No matter where you build your home you tear up the land. I don't know why enviromentalists jump on the those living outside the loop. Inside of 1604 used to be trees and a healthy ecosystem. Now there are a few pocket parks here and there, but mostly businessses and houses. In my opinion you are not a better person toward the enviroment just because you live inside the loop.

No people living in the loop aren't better people, but I believe that it is more environmentally responsible to live in a denser, urban neighborhood. Reasons: 1. Reuse of older buildings, 2. Closeness and walkability to services (ex: my wife regularly walks to our HEB 2 blocks from our house), 3. Access to mass transit (multiple bus lines run down Fred. Rd.), 4. That little aquifer thing.

Yes, you can live responsibly outside of the loop, and yes you can be an environmental hog inside the loop; but I believe living inside gives you a better head start.

[LookingtoLeave]

Perhaps. Now that a few high rises are being built, you never know what may come in the future.

And not to sound ignorant, but what exactly is done in the recharge zone? I hear it's bad to build over or around it, but is that just due to pollution of the water?

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by LookingtoLeave

And not to sound ignorant, but what exactly is done in the recharge zone? I hear it's bad to build over or around it, but is that just due to pollution of the water?

San Antonio's sole source (or is it primary source now?) is the Edwards aquifer. Unfortunately, the limestone does not filter anything that soaks into it, which means that if oil, pesticides, or other contaminants run over it (or directly into a fissure), they go directly into our water supply.

[The Man in SATX]

I for one would use any type of rail system if they built one here. Less cost to me (gas wise) and I would be able to actually relax on the way to work. Probably would have to get up a little earlier but is something I would be willing to do to get that. I could use VIA.. but it takes too dang long to get to where I want to go due to the fact that it gets clogged up in traffic and I can do the same thing on my own with my own vehicle and dont have to get up that much earlier for that.

Bring a rail system here that doesnt stop anywhere but its intended stops... and I am so there!

[urbsan]

Originally Posted by tgannaway89

No matter where you build your home you tear up the land. I don't know why enviromentalists jump on the those living outside the loop. Inside of 1604 used to be trees and a healthy ecosystem. Now there are a few pocket parks here and there, but mostly businessses and houses. In my opinion you are not a better person toward the enviroment just because you live inside the loop.

its not directly the fault of the people living outside 1604 its mostly the developers and the cities fault, of course this is my opinion, but i feel we our being wasteful with our land. In only 47 square miles san francisco fits around 700,000 people, in around 33 square miles manhattan fits over 1,900,000 with over 400 square miles san antonio only fits 1,100,000. The problem with preserving nature and building urban is 1) not everyone wants to live in an urban environment and 2) not to many people in our parts are familiar with truly urban places so naturally push away from it.
So its not "wrong" for people to live outside of 1604 its just neglecting the good land we have inside 1604 and even inside 410 that can be gentrified or reutilized, because we keep on going out as opposed to up the inner city keeps being neglected and becomes more and more unattractive and undesirable so more people move out and more land gets "wasted" its a cycle that will keep on going until we start living and building wiser and healthier.

[tops]

I received this in an email from some people in the SA planning departments
Streetsblog » StreetFilm: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Bogotá

This is more extensive and integrated than I first thought.

[CelesteDF]

I've been in Bogota and ridden the BRT there... it's fantastic... as good as if not better than the Metro in DC (which I LOVE!). Bogota is a denser city than SA, so a system exactly like theirs might not work here but the concept is certainly much more economical and faster to implement than light rail. Better mass transit in SA would certainly go a long way toward improving quality of life and supporting long-term economic growth. Everyone should watch the video that tops linked to above... it's really good!

[BigDogsTX]

The BRT system being planned here is in no way going to resemble the Bogota system which uses dedicated lanes and actual stations. The system here will more likely resemble the "Rapid" busses that travel along Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles and are basically articulated express busses that are able to delay traffic signals until they pass.

Metro Rapid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There's nothing attractive about a bus stuck in traffic along already congested Fredericksburg Road. The only time BRT becomes competitive with Light Rail is when it it built with a dedicated right of way like the orange line in LA is....

Metro Orange Line (LACMTA) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

...but by that point you have built 90% of the infrastructure required for a light rail system and its really silly to not spend the extra money to get the lower operating costs and added capacity of a true light rail system.

Austin has been able to build a 22 mile commuter rail system for about the same amount VIA is planning on spending for this BRT system and already developers are buying property around the stations for new urban development, something thats sorely needed along Fredericksburg. But honestly, what developer is going to want to invest in building mixed use residential and retail around a bus station?

[Guerilla]

Originally Posted by tops

I received this in an email from some people in the SA planning departments
Streetsblog » StreetFilm: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Bogotá

This is more extensive and integrated than I first thought.

The one planned for SA is no where close to the one for Bogota.