Traffic Cincinnati We need Light Rail!!!!! (Columbus, Cleveland: how much, neighborhoods, wages)

[motorman]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

Also note that the 71X is completely empty from 9 to 3 pm even though a driver is somewhere being paid.

Your lack of experience (on Metro buses) is showing. First, the driver is "somewhere being paid" because he's driving a bus; second, the 71X isn't "completely empty" for the simple reason that it no longer exists, but now is a bus with a different route number. Sometime around 3:42 PM, this mysterious changeling 71X vehicle will magically reappear; however (oh no! ), it may have a different driver.

[WILWRadio]

This says it all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...nsit_ridership

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by motorman

Your lack of experience (on Metro buses) is showing. First, the driver is "somewhere being paid" because he's driving a bus; second, the 71X isn't "completely empty" for the simple reason that it no longer exists, but now is a bus with a different route number. Sometime around 3:42 PM, this mysterious changeling 71X vehicle will magically reappear; however (oh no! ), it may have a different driver.

Why would the 71X need to switch routes? Are you thinking that there is a second rush hour starting around 10AM and continuing to just before 3PM?

Maybe the slacker pot smoking losers without cars start their day at 10AM when they wake up and there is a big rush to get down to the Food Stamp Office, hence the need for the 71X driver to be pressed into service on a different route?

[Travel Crazy]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

This says it all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...nsit_ridership

Yea, good catch. I lived in Atlanta for a couple of decades and occasionally some newbie arrival (or general nitwit) would whine about there not being enough metro train transit in ATL.

I would point out that extensive systems can only work in densely-populated cities. They simply don't make economic sense otherwise plus, very importantly, your office or destination has to be within 2 or 3 blocks of a stop or people will not use the system. Atlanta is not set-up that way, it's a sprawling city, like Los Angeles. That's life.

Notice where Atlanta falls on that list. #30 at 11+%. That won't change much for a very long time, if ever.

[jmecklenborg]

There are two types of rail lines:

1. those that travel under major arterials and connect traditional neighborhood business districts with a downtown
2. those that make use of some sort of old freight right-of-way, ravine, or other corridor that allows a longer line for the same capital outlay but generally places stations beyond the walking distance of established activity centers.

Transit lines of type 1 usually have much higher ROI, even when they counter-intuitively travel more slowly or consume automobile lanes. They are difficult to get built because Tea Parties can only think speed and capital price. This is why the good in-street light rail and streetcar lines blow away the ROI of suburb-oriented rail systems like DART.

[WILWRadio]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_by_ridership

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_by_ridership

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...s_by_ridership

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street..._North_America

Transit Ridership Falling Everywhere — But Not in Cities With Redesigned Bus Networks – Streetsblog USA

[GearHeadDave]

Originally Posted by paz57

Hello Everyone! How frustrated are you with the traffic in this city and suburbs. I can barely take it anymore. 75 - 71- 275 Downtown the construction everywhere !!We need light rail! This is crazy! With all the school and colleges back in sessions it is terrible. Someone has to be looking at this. Light Rail! I know it was looked at before and knocked down but it needs to be done. People would use it What is going on with this? Spread the word We need progress Come on Cincy! Thanks for listening- Paz

Better solutions would be expanding/improving the Metro bus system. And, working (again) toward extending the East-West major corridors. Light rail is not a fit for Cincinnati.

[bjimmy24]

Privatize the roads. People will pay a premium to travel at 8:20 am, but they'll get there in time. People who want to save money will leave earlier or later. Over time, the distribution will somewhat even out and "rush hour" won't exist as it currently does.

Definitely don't build light rail. Light rail is one of the dumbest ideas that cities today jump on because yups want to feel European and have a way to go to summer baseball games or concerts that lets them drink a lot and feels quaint.

[WRnative]

Within 20 years, bus trolleys likely won't need drivers making the economics much, much better. Bus trolleys require a relatively small capital investment, and routes can be highly adaptable and flexible.

E.g., Cleveland this year extended a free bus trolley route into its reinvigorated East Flats for the summer months.

The East Flats already has rail rapid service, but it's often easier to walk to the East Flats, despite a steep hill and depending upon location, as the rail rapid only has one station downtown in Tower City, although a couple stops in the East Flats.

The Cleveland bus trolley routes offer many stops throughout downtown. The Cleveland bus trolleys also are FREE, subsidized by downtown businesses. Sadly, talking to Cleveland tourists, they generally are unaware of the free bus trolleys and instead use Uber or the Healthline, which requires a fare. The bus trolleys operate until 11 p.m. at night and on weekends, and I often use them to avoid double parking fees, RTA fees, or to take advantage of cheaper parking at fringe downtown lots.

I doubt that population/traffic densities justify most new rail projects, especially if dedicated rights-of-way must be acquired or subway tunnels constructed. Subway tunnels aren't a matter of just digging holes and building stations. They also require the great expense of relocating underground infrastructure in most cases.

With no drivers, smaller trolleys running much more frequent and more direct routes may become practical. Even point-to-point service may be offered cheaply. Given the technology transformation likely over the next couple decades, investing in new rail mass transit routes today may be problematic.

Columbus Ohio will lead the way with driverless cars - Business Insider

[Briolat21]

Originally Posted by paz57

This would not be just used twice a day Could be used many times a day and traffic is only increasing! Cincy in the dark ages! Only a matter of time till they want to widen 75 or 71 again. Wise up people One accident its a mess Rain another story Snow a disaster

No, what I was saying is that the major congestion on the freeways only happens at rush hour.

if you drive the freeways at any other time of the day, there is no issue. Sure, there is some traffic, but it is not stop and go or particularly congested.

Areas that have true gridlock (LA) experience it THROUGHOUT the day, making an infrastructure solution (such as alternative forms of mass transit) a reasonable investment.