Austin Commuter rail... how long until we get this here!? (San Antonio: light rail, gas)

[Montirob]

Originally Posted by hello13685

2) If street level light rail were to be built up a road such as Fredericksburg (a great route in my opinion), how wide of a swath of historic homes would they have to demolish to do so? Take the "deco district" for instance. If they went along the west side of Fredericksburg, they would cut into the historic district. If they went along the east side, they would be forced to demolish the only commercial real estate strip that stands a chance of making that area worthy of rejuvenation. How would they do that?

This is a good question that many of us in Monticello Park have been asking amongst ourselves. Over the next year, we many know more about how it could work as VIA begins the actual design for their initial leg of the Bus-Rapid-Transit line that will run down Fred. Road. At the meeting I attended last month, VIA said that they would have dedicated lanes UNTIL they hit the Deco District. Once there, the buses would share the lanes with automobiles - I know it doesn't answer your question. I've always thought the idea was to convince SA of the feasibility of a different form of mass-transit (BRT) and then convert the routes to light rail at a later date which, as you state, would be difficult in the Deco area. It could be that they do like other cities (Cleveland?) and have a mix of the two. It is a question that deserves to be asked.

[BigDogsTX]

This was in Thursdays paper... maybe this is the leadership change its going to take to get the city serious about rapid transit.
MySA.com: Traffic

[SpoiledWife]

Originally Posted by BigDogsTX

This was in Thursdays paper... maybe this is the leadership change its going to take to get the city serious about rapid transit.
MySA.com: Traffic

“We're so far behind in so many things,” he said. “We've got to get to cracking here.”



YEPPPPPPP


Wollf is right. San Antonio will be the only major Texas city without rail service once Austin's opens in '09.



Change is needed in a lot of places and the conservative minds are holding San Antonio back.

[hello13685]

Originally Posted by SpoiledWife

Change is needed in a lot of places and the conservative minds are holding San Antonio back.

Amen to that!

[ryneone]

Amen Amen Amen yea change for the sake of change!

Do we need light rail yet? Maybe

Im sure not a single poster has researched it though!

I cant believe that this thread popped up!

Maybe you guys can all move to Austin when theirs opens in 09'

[SpoiledWife]

Originally Posted by ryneone

Amen Amen Amen yea change for the sake of change!

Do we need light rail yet? Maybe

Im sure not a single poster has researched it though!

I cant believe that this thread popped up!

Maybe you guys can all move to Austin when theirs opens in 09'

Change for the sake of necessity.

Gas prices are not dropping therefore more and more people want to use mass transit but using mass transit, in San Antonio, means using the VIA bus and that is not always a feasible option since sometimes routes are not strait shots and it would take a ridiculous amount of time. San Antonio is a large city(area and population wise), we all know that, but with a light rail going to key focal points of the city, it would create a wonderful alternative to the VIA bus and could give San Antonio that push it needs to become a 'big time' city.

The user 210 or perhaps it was the user named Insomniac created a wonderful map of proposed routes the light rail could do thruout the city.

Either way, San Antonio needs more mass transit. I understand VIA has a new system in the works but I have yet to research that in depth.

[tgannaway89]

Several CD members (including myself) have researched this topic extensively - http://www.city-data.com/forum/san-a...lity-give.html

[ryneone]

Originally Posted by SpoiledWife

Change for the sake of necessity.

Gas prices are not dropping therefore more and more people want to use mass transit but using mass transit, in San Antonio, means using the VIA bus and that is not always a feasible option since sometimes routes are not strait shots and it would take a ridiculous amount of time. San Antonio is a large city(area and population wise), we all know that, but with a light rail going to key focal points of the city, it would create a wonderful alternative to the VIA bus and could give San Antonio that push it needs to become a 'big time' city.

The user 210 or perhaps it was the user named Insomniac created a wonderful map of proposed routes the light rail could do thruout the city.

Either way, San Antonio needs more mass transit. I understand VIA has a new system in the works but I have yet to research that in depth.

From all your post id love to see you "rub elbows" with other on this mass transit.

With this resent gas crunch it might be used more but the fact is in San Antonio we have a few employment centers! It will not be practically yet as we have no where near the density.

[ryneone]

With those starter routes you posted in the other thread did you even bother looking at employment figures by zip coeds? Does not look like it!

Sorry guys their was no proof in that thread except that other city's were doing it! Do we need something yes is it light rail who knows but with these threads you people only seem to think it is the answer.

[tgannaway89]

Originally Posted by ryneone

With those starter routes you posted in the other thread did you even bother looking at employment figures by zip coeds? Does not look like it!

Sorry guys their was no proof in that thread except that other city's were doing it! Do we need something yes is it light rail who knows but with these threads you people only seem to think it is the answer.

Most routes were planned down the more dense corridors in the city (like Fredericksburg). They served the best interests of both locals and tourists. Major universities, major hospitals, dense residential areas, etc. are all well supported by light-rail transit. Of course those routes are impractical because they have not been studied professionally. The city/VIA will have to hire a professional firm to develop such routes.