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I agree these big cities/Metro's mentioned do top the list, for cities with the worst transit options. Sadly there are reasons and politics, that these areas top the list decade after decade. However this thread isn't about the reasons or politics. Its about the places.
You can hold to whatever you want, but the fact of the matter is that Los Angeles does not belong on any list that relates to this thread topic. Your opinion just doesn't jive with the current realities of LA's public transit systems (Expo Line Extension, Gold Line Extension, Purple Line Extension, Measure R, 30/10 Initiative, etc.)
There are objective data (i.e. miles of track, number of lines, ridership, etc.) out there for you to utilize and compare and contrast.
Just because it 'should' be much better doesn't mean it's not good now. Could it be better? Yes. Seems like you're penalizing LA on what should be instead of what is. Right now LA is already a top ten city when it comes to mass transit, and it will only get better (rapidly).
I agree with you. LA's Metro is widespread, modern, and efficient. The sytem and the surrounding development patterns reminded me of DC. I explored Hollywood and LA by subway and bus with ease. LA should not be on the list.
True. Seattle for years has had an efficient and dependable transit system without having heavy rail.
On that note, I suspect Seattle's rail system will be similar to MARTA in ridership and scale when complete. It's light rail but mostly grade separated so functionally almost the same. Also similar in that there are multiple centers (for Seattle: besides downtown, Bellevue and U-District) The bus system has better frequency and coverage than Atlanta's, so overall it will be a more complete combination. King County's bus ridership is the same as MARTA's total ridership.
Atlanta is okay with heavy rail. The city doesn't have a very good walk score. The system doesnt have good service at all. It's not the worst.
Nashville, Memphis and Raleigh are not good. Nashville has a hard time installing sidewalks but has nice wide streets with cars speeding.
St. Louis has decent LRT and can be useful if you live, work and play in the Central Corridor and Clayton. Outside of that, unless you live near the Grand Ave bus line you are sol for bus and rail transit being useful.
A British friend who visited Nashville thought the lack of sidewalks in the city itself not in a low density suburban area suggested poverty (it was in a poor area).
A British friend who visited Nashville thought the lack of sidewalks in the city itself not in a low density suburban area suggested poverty (it was in a poor area).
I can understand your friend thinking that. I have relatives from Ireland and when they have visited areas of the US, they have said the same thing.
And US rail systems are sub-par compared to other countries. Atlanta has a rail system that just sucks less.
Sucks less than what? Baton Rouge's rail system.
When you start to criticize rail transit, try to remember that most cities in the U.S. have little to none...so to say put Atlanta on a list of the worst is ridiculous.
Atlanta is okay with heavy rail. The city doesn't have a very good walk score. The system doesnt have good service at all. It's not the worst.
Nashville, Memphis and Raleigh are not good. Nashville has a hard time installing sidewalks but has nice wide streets with cars speeding.
St. Louis has decent LRT and can be useful if you live, work and play in the Central Corridor and Clayton. Outside of that, unless you live near the Grand Ave bus line you are sol for bus and rail transit being useful.
I'm curious...where do you get the information that MARTA "doesn't have good service at all"? As a frequent user of the system I will say that your assessment is just not true.
Some people seem to have preconceived notions about Atlanta transit. Could it be improved? Obviously. Is it even near the worst? No.
I'm curious...where do you get the information that MARTA "doesn't have good service at all"? As a frequent user of the system I will say that your assessment is just not true.
Some people seem to have preconceived notions about Atlanta transit. Could it be improved? Obviously. Is it even near the worst? No.
Noticed I didn't say that it was the worst.
From my experience working out of that market rail service stops servicing the airport before 10pm.
There seems to be a larger gap between trains now vs 10 years ago. Waiting for a train from downtown for 15min. At 8pm isn't good service.
For hrt, it's barely mediocre. Definitely not world class. But definitely better than some.
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Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis
Noticed I didn't say that it was the worst.
From my experience working out of that market rail service stops servicing the airport before 10pm.
There seems to be a larger gap between trains now vs 10 years ago. Waiting for a train from downtown for 15min. At 8pm isn't good service.
For hrt, it's barely mediocre. Definitely not world class. But definitely better than some.
No, you just aren't aware of how the system works.
There are two MARTA lines that feed in to the Airport. The last Gold line train leaves the Airport station at 1:18 am. You might have been confused by how the Red Line only runs service from Lindbergh north to North Springs from 9pm to 130 am. The Red and Gold lines share all the stations between Lindbergh and Airport during the day, after 9, people wanting to take the Red Line just need to take a Gold line train to Lindbergh and transfer.
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