mass transit (map, metro, suburb, highway)

[Wild Style]

I wanted to know what you guys think about mass transit. Specifically do you guys think it would be better to invest in large first class mass transit in metro areas with say regional bullet trains connecting major cities (Nashville to Atlanta, Atlanta to Charlotte etc.)? Given peak oil and the things that come along with it (high gas prices) do you guys think Mass transit is the answer? What do you think our politicians should or shouldn't be doing.

[tablemtn]

Texas actually had a plan to build a high-speed rail network connecting the cities of the "Texas Triangle" (Houston, DFW, Austin, San Antonio), but it was canceled.

In retrospect, that cancellation was probably a shortsighted error.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by tablemtn

Texas actually had a plan to build a high-speed rail network connecting the cities of the "Texas Triangle" (Houston, DFW, Austin, San Antonio), but it was canceled.

In retrospect, that cancellation was probably a shortsighted error.

This has actually happened in South Florida. The government wanted to implement a penny tax to found a mass transit system. The people shot that down quickly. I think people do not appreciate the situation we are in here in America. They have not explained to them "look, gas is going to go up and KEEP going up". yes alternative fuels are on the way but that also presupposes you have the money to go out and buy one of these new fangled cars. People hardly have the money to get to work every week no less go buy a new car.

I think if the government leveled with the people, then the people would be more willing to fund this stuff. Not only that, they should lay out the daily cost for ridership as well and give a clear cut time line for when everything would be done. It will take being VERY upfront with the public about all the issues on the table now and laying out a clear road map on how to improve our situation.

[denverian]

The Denver metro area approved a tax hike in the '90s to drastically expand light rail and that's underway right now. Eventually all major work centers, many retail areas, and the airport will all be accessible via light rail. Where new lines are planned, zoning is changed at future stops for high density, mixed use, meaning offices, stores and condos/apartments that will be within walking distance of the train. This allows the metro area to expand within its current footprint (more or less) rather than massive sprawl like you see in many metro areas.

I fully support this over simply adding freeway lanes because it's becoming more obvious that our auto-centric society cannot last forever.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by denverian

The Denver metro area approved a tax hike in the '90s to drastically expand light rail and that's underway right now. Eventually all major work centers, many retail areas, and the airport will all be accessible via light rail. Where new lines are planned, zoning is changed at future stops for high density, mixed use, meaning offices, stores and condos/apartments that will be within walking distance of the train. This allows the metro area to expand within its current footprint (more or less) rather than massive sprawl like you see in many metro areas.

I fully support this over simply adding freeway lanes because it's becoming more obvious that our auto-centric society cannot last forever.

This makes me want to do a darth vader scream. Why in the Hell can't EVERY metro area in America do this? People scream about sprawl and one guy even tried to say phoenix and some areas in Texas are to spread out to do this.To them I say bull crap, other wise those very cities wouldn't be in the process of rolling out their own mass transit systems as we speak.

I would love to see the Federal Govt. come in and instead of this, fix our highways non sense, Obama and Hilary were talking about, invest in mass transit. I would love for them to assemble a team of the countries top civil engineers. They would then be tasked with going from city to city, figuring out their needs (in conjunction with local civil engineers) and come up with plans that best suit that areas needs. Then as I said before, bullet trains to tie together the cities for long distance commutes. I think this is just a pipe dream though. Probably will never happen

[Lillietta]

I would love it! Especially since I don't like driving.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

This makes me want to do a darth vader scream. Why in the Hell can't EVERY metro area in America do this? People scream about sprawl and one guy even tried to say phoenix and some areas in Texas are to spread out to do this.To them I say bull crap, other wise those very cities wouldn't be in the process of rolling out their own mass transit systems as we speak.

I would love to see the Federal Govt. come in and instead of this, fix our highways non sense, Obama and Hilary were talking about, invest in mass transit. I would love for them to assemble a team of the countries top civil engineers. They would then be tasked with going from city to city, figuring out their needs (in conjunction with local civil engineers) and come up with plans that best suit that areas needs. Then as I said before, bullet trains to tie together the cities for long distance commutes. I think this is just a pipe dream though. Probably will never happen

We lived in Orange County (sprawl hell IMO!) before moving to Denver and every time light rail was brought up, it was shot down by every city in the county. People would scream that light rail brings blight to communities (total ignorance) and that "this is the suburbs - we don't want urban elements here".

Denver is slowly transforming into a much denser metro area and rezoning along future light rail lines (they're called TODs, Transit Oriented Developments) seems to be the best way to transform suburbs to support light rail. It also puts businesses and stores directly on light rail lines so in the future, there will be things people want to access via light rail.

Here is one of these TODs in the suburb of Lakewood, CO. They tore down a dying mall and replaced it with an urban community (and it does feel urban, even though it's surrounded by suburbs) and construction is underway on Denver's next light rail line that will go from downtown, through the Belmar development. Belmar :: About Belmar :: Demo (http://www.belmarcolorado.com/sub/about/ - broken link)

[NewToCA]

I like mass transit for the coastal cities, connecting Boston through Washington DC and San Francisco/Sacramento through LA/SD. Otherwise, it depends on the city.

Places with strong central business districts, like Cleveland, might be able to pull it off. Decentralized business district cities like Columbus would have much more difficulty implementing this type of concept.

[Wild Style]

^^

How diverse is Denver ethnically?

Originally Posted by NewToCA

I like mass transit for the coastal cities, connecting Boston through Washington DC and San Francisco/Sacramento through LA/SD. Otherwise, it depends on the city.

Places with strong central business districts, like Cleveland, might be able to pull it off. Decentralized business district cities like Columbus would have much more difficulty implementing this type of concept.

What if places like Columbus started doing infill, you think if they altered their urban development plans they could possibly do it?

[NewToCA]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

What if places like Columbus started doing infill, you think if they altered their urban development plans they could possibly do it?

Too difficult at this point, they have developed business cores well outside of the central business district. The distance between these cores is too great, and much housing and other businesses already exist in the expanses between these cores.