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Actually we're not. He hasn't touched land use policies or parking regulations and that's the linchpin in terms of reducing car dependence. Adding more lines of light rail and eliminating a freeway are nice, but if driving is still convenient, cheap, and easy, that is the mode of transportation that most will use.
You're right that I didn't touch on land use policies and parking regulations in my original post. I didn't mean the reduction of freeways and expansion of rail would be the end all of reducing car dependency. It's one piece of it. You pretty much expanded on what I should've added in my original post.
But you still need the right people in office to get the ball rolling. Dallas finally has an actual urban planner and someone who uses public transit on its DART board. Before that, we had someone with literally no experience at all. We both agree on the right policies -- not expanding highways, expanding light rail, reducing/eliminating parking regulations, land use policies, etc. You just need the right people in office who support them.
You're right that I didn't touch on land use policies and parking regulations in my original post. I didn't mean the reduction of freeways and expansion of rail would be the end all of reducing car dependency. It's one piece of it. You pretty much expanded on what I should've added in my original post.
But you still need the right people in office to get the ball rolling. Dallas finally has an actual urban planner and someone who uses public transit on its DART board. Before that, we had someone with literally no experience at all. We both agree on the right policies -- not expanding highways, expanding light rail, reducing/eliminating parking regulations, land use policies, etc. You just need the right people in office who support them.
From what I understand, a big issue with DART is last-mile connectivity. That's somewhat unusual for a light rail system and it seems to have been conceived as more of a commuter rail system.
It should only expand rail, not highways. It's counterproductive to do both. The goal is to reduce car dependency.
DFW is a massive area that covers a lot of land with a consistent density for many many miles. It's just not going to happen in the metro. More likely in Central Dallas at some point.
From what I understand, a big issue with DART is last-mile connectivity. That's somewhat unusual for a light rail system and it seems to have been conceived as more of a commuter rail system.
All of the rail options in DFW are geared toward commuters. THe expanding street car is the best hope for getting people out of cars.
Daily rail ridership says otherwise, and Atlanta recently voted for an additional 1/2 cent MARTA tax to build out the Crosstown & BeltLine Streetcar network.
Dallas - DART Light Rail, Denton County A-Train & TRE Commuter Rail - 104,300 daily
Atlanta - Atlanta Streetcar & MARTA Heavy Rail - 223,700 daily
All of the rail options in DFW are geared toward commuters. THe expanding street car is the best hope for getting people out of cars.
That might be tough, given that streetcars are generally geared towards those going short distances--a little too far to walk, but not quite too far to drive.
Even incremental improvements tend to improve numbers. Add a few bus routes, increase frequency on key bus and rail lines, improve speeds a bit on key bus routes through queue jumps, bulb-outs, and so on...pretty soon numbers are up, even if driving is still easy.
But ending the artificlal carrots that support driving is important too. Let people choose to rent apartments without parking and some will. Let retail go up without parking and true urbanity might pop up. Stop building new roads and people will be more hesitant to drive long distances, and might skip driving period. Even the most car-dominated cities have some residents who don't have cars due to choice or money.
When you do some of these things, these cities will show the same dynamic as other cities already have. It becomes a self-generating upward spiral.
That might be tough, given that streetcars are generally geared towards those going short distances--a little too far to walk, but not quite too far to drive.
When you board a train, bus or plane, does it matter how many people have ridden it that day or that it gets you where you need to go?
You have had issues with giving Atlanta credit for anything since you've left. No need to turn this into a pissing contest, we do do some things right here.
When you board a train, bus or plane, does it matter how many people have ridden it that day or that it gets you where you need to go?
Do you think that many people would be riding MARTA if it wasn't getting them where they need to go?
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