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As they have replaced bridges on the Northway, they are making them wider so they could widen the road in the future. The issue the DOT keeps having is the Twin Bridges. They're iconic and not needing replacement soon. There are issues with the hill and river, too. Should be interesting to see how that's handled in the future.
The TZ didn't need replacement either, but it needed widening, hence the major construction going on right now.
My point is that they have gone from a 20% FRR to a 70% FRR in the past two decades. That's a significant improvement, any way you want to look at it.
The most recent major project was the changeover from 5S (or whatever it was) to 890 around Schenectady. It just widened and improved an existing road for the most part, the cost was about $4M a mile, which isn't all that bad.
You're preaching to the choir.
You can't get from Rensselaer to Rochester in three hours unless you're driving 80+ mph. It's a full 3.5 hour drive, not including any traffic, bad weather, or rest breaks. When Amtrak runs on time, it's actually a quite pleasant way to travel. I've used it a lot on the North east corridor to avoid air travel. The seats are comfortable, I can get work done along the way, and particularly on Acela the amenities are great.
When I lived in Albany I took CDTA to work, even though I owned a car. It was easy and cost less than gas and parkign did.
The worst of the congestion is am just before the Twin Bridges on 87 and PM the area around where 787 meets 7 meets 87 in Latham--regardless of your route. It is no where near the congestion in other cities. Heck, we have worse congestion in Orlando.
I'm not sure what you are saying. You've repeated what I said as if you are disagreeing with me. That's exactly my point. No one is going to do that when it's just as fast/cost effective and more convenient to drive. The only way to get people to give up the car is to make driving more difficult--ie institute HOV3 lanes using an existing lane to make traffic even slower/heavier for those driving as singles in a car.
Again, you're preaching to the choir. Go back and read what I wrote.
Actually there are rail cars and buses made with storage for skiis and luggage, they are used in Europe. I agree that it would be under utilized, and frankly I don't support the idea of tax payers covering the cost of vacations.
Most of what you quoted from me wasn't in reference to things you said. Others posted and I commented on them. I know I'm preaching to the choir. We agree on many parts of this issue.
My husband has driven from Rochester to Rensselaer in 3 hours. He's also driven from Geneva to Rensselaer in 3 hours. I know he wasn't doing 80! 73 is the tops he goes.
Amtrak is great when it's on time. Out of the trains he's taken since we relocated, one has been on time. Most are late. Very late. 2 hours late was the worse one. He does like that the seats are wide and you can actually fit in them. He can work on the train and it has wifi which is really nice.
Sure there are rail cars and buses in Europe that have massive storage, but this isn't Europe. Our train system is nothing like theirs. They have the numbers to support that system and the taxes. They pay much more in taxes in Europe and subsidize a lot of things we don't.
I completely agree that tax payers shouldn't be paying for people's vacations. That's ridiculous actually!
I've stayed at the hotel (a Fairfield Inn) half a dozen times in the past two years. There was always a TON of parking available in the (dead) mall lot, even in the middle of the afternoon. Where is the Malta P&R?
Those buses used to be full, if they no longer are, then CDTA needs to figure out why and make changes. I'm not familiar with any P&R's in Latham or Colonie. If they could offer free parking, I'll bet people would use them over paying to park downtown.
Malta has 2 P&R's. One at the Malta Commons Business Park (used to be the outlets). And one at the Malta Mall (it's a plaza not a mall) at exit 11.
There are 3 P&R in CP. Two of them are at exit 9. I can't think of anyone I know who lives in Saratoga County and works in Albany. I'm really trying to think of someone!
There are 3P&R's in Latham. Oh and the famous Duanesburg who someone said needed a train has P&R already.
Airplanes are not subsidized, airports are. Without them, cargo costs would rise sharply and those costs would be passed on the all consumers. Everyone uses highways, even if they don't drive. Their groceries, clothes, and medicines are delivered via trucks which use roads.
What states plan and the reality of it happening are two different things. Good transit doesn't have to include rail--Syracuse is a fine example of that. Less than 60% of the top 200 transit authorities in the US and Canada offer a rail component. If you remove the "Big Boys" who have had rail for 100+ years (originally street cars) of NYC MTA, MBTA, SEPTA, MUNI, CTA/PACE, WMATA, NORTA, and MTA (Baltimore), that number reaches just under 90% without rail.
By the way, 3000 people a day is a pitiful number for a rail system. NJ Transit averages 136,000 train passengers a day. The same mission could be accomplished with buses, although again, my opinion is that public funds should not subsidize vacations, and there are already private carriers that service teh ski areas.
I meant airports not airlines. My bad. I know airports are subsidized. I lived in Albany County during one of the airport expansions and there was talk about our taxes being seriously jacked up for it. I was like WHY?? So few of us are using it, why should we pay for it? It's not like a road where groceries, clothes, home heating fuel, medications, etc are transported daily that EVERYONE benefits from. Why should my 80 year old grandmother pay for an airport that she hasn't used 20 years? Makes no sense to me!
Notice most of the cities that have a rail system are OLD and have MASSIVE populations in concentrated areas. Too bad others on this thread haven't figured that out. Those systems are also subsidized. Even NYC has subsidies. And they have 10 million people in a much more concentrated area that the Capitol Region!
Even 136,000 people using a train every day doesn't sound that great. 3,000 sounds beyond pitiful!! Sounds like bankruptcy will happen momentarily.
Malta has 2 P&R's. One at the Malta Commons Business Park (used to be the outlets). And one at the Malta Mall (it's a plaza not a mall) at exit 11.
Are those actual CDTA lots or just carpool lots?
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There are 3 P&R in CP. Two of them are at exit 9. I can't think of anyone I know who lives in Saratoga County and works in Albany. I'm really trying to think of someone!
Almost everyone I know in CP works in Albany. Albany Med, the State, CDTA, SUNY, St. Rose, Albany Law, Albany International (I know, that's technically in Menands), St. Peters, Verizon, and any number of other employers.
Quote:
There are 3P&R's in Latham. Oh and the famous Duanesburg who someone said needed a train has P&R already.
CDTA lots. There are buses that show up. I've seen them. Fun watching them in the 800 roundabouts!
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Originally Posted by annerk
Almost everyone I know in CP works in Albany. Albany Med, the State, CDTA, SUNY, St. Rose, Albany Law, Albany International (I know, that's technically in Menands), St. Peters, Verizon, and any number of other employers.
We run in different circles. Everyone I know in Saratoga County works there (most work and live here), Warren County, Rennselaer County, or Schenectady County. I did know someone who lived in Schuylerville and worked in Colonie. I always thought she was nuts! She didn't work 9 to 5. She went in late and stayed late.
CDTA lots. There are buses that show up. I've seen them. Fun watching them in the 800 roundabouts!
We run in different circles. Everyone I know in Saratoga County works there (most work and live here), Warren County, Rennselaer County, or Schenectady County. I did know someone who lived in Schuylerville and worked in Colonie. I always thought she was nuts! She didn't work 9 to 5. She went in late and stayed late.
The people I know in Northern Saratoga County work in Saratoga County, but the ones in CP and (southern) Malta for the most part work in Albany. The exception are a few out in the Rexford area of CP who work for GE and one in Clifton Knolls who is a professor at RPI.
For a city/metro this size, Albany traffic is actually pretty bad. Wolf Road, Route 9 in Latham, and Clifton Park weekend traffic is just as bad as Long Island traffic from my observations. The Northway during rush hour is definitely comparable to the LIE.
I've lived in the Albany, New York area all of my life and go to downtown Albany all of the time. There's only one way I get there-car, more specifically 787 and 90. I think its finally time to seriously consider some sort of mass transit system. I have read past posts on this subject. What does everyone think?
They need to convert Rt 9 to a freeway - preferably adding at least one more lane in each direction.
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has P&R already. 
