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Not really impressed with Marta but it is the only HRT system in the southeast. Dallas has the largest LRT system in the country and seems cleaner and safer than Marta. Usefulness is something that I can't judge because I don't use the system on a regular basis but Dart seems to have better coverage. Marta has higher ridership.
If Baltimore is southern so is Washington DC and St. Louis.
I think Nashville and Tennessee is too conservative to support a rapid transit system. There would have to be a much larger urban population a long with a rock solid plan that would be useful for that city get out the votes for a multi billion dollar investment.
Not in this thread but in general I think Atlanta and Miami's systems are underrated. NOLA has good coverage in the city but it's really crappy out side of it. In this thread Dallas is overrated. For all the miles the population is still underserved. The success of a system should primarily be based on ridership and Dart ridership has never been good. Riding the red line in Houston is often too crowded for my tastes especially through TMC and downtown. Unless there is a special event Dart isn't usually as overbearing, although some spots get packed at certain times.
Also, the transit developments along Dart routes have been slower to take off compared to ATL, Miami, and even Houston.
I would say Atl and Miami is a bit higher than everyone else. For their size DART and metro Houston are just ok systems.
Not in this thread but in general I think Atlanta and Miami's systems are underrated. NOLA has good coverage in the city but it's really crappy out side of it. In this thread Dallas is overrated. For all the miles the population is still underserved. The success of a system should primarily be based on ridership and Dart ridership has never been good. Riding the red line in Houston is often too crowded for my tastes especially through TMC and downtown. Unless there is a special event Dart isn't usually as overbearing, although some spots get packed at certain times.
Also, the transit developments along Dart routes have been slower to take off compared to ATL, Miami, and even Houston.
I would say Atl and Miami is a bit higher than everyone else. For their size DART and metro Houston are just ok systems.
I don't like Houston's system because of too much street running and very little private ROW and almost no grade separation of any kind. To me, Houston Metro is just a modern, glorified streetcar system and not real rapid transit. On that score, Houston should not be compared to rapid transit cities like Atlanta, Miami or even Dallas. At least NOLA is honest in actually calling it's historic system a streetcar and that system works for NOLA because of its compact size and walkability, neither trait possessed by Houston. For all Houston's sprawl great freeway congestion, they need real rapid transit or, at the very least, a commuter rail network.
This is pretty close to how I see things, ... but you've got to consider Charlotte. No, I've never been to Charlotte either, but I've followed their transit exploits, and for its light density and sprawl yet strong downtown, Charlotte is doing a nice job with its 18-mile single line (2 branches) system, which looks to expand with either commuter rail to the north or a 13-mile extension of the LRT southeast to Matthews.
I'm thinking Miami, with its arsenal of Metrorail, Metromover, Tri-Rail (now in downtown Miami) and Brightline/Virgin Florida, is pretty comprehensive. Their biggest hole, though, is that tight, wacko-dense South Beach is unserved by rail and this must be corrected.
Atlanta's MARTA is very strong inside the City and some close-in suburbs. But the region is so incredibly sprawling with crazy freeway traffic, the area is screaming for commuter rail, which I'm not seeing in the city's immediate plans.
I feel the same way. The commuter and intercity rail (especially Brightline/Virgin) is what gives Miami and South Florida the edge, but no rail to South Beach, only busses and surged Uber rates. But Atlanta within the city and a few close in suburbs is better than any other city in the Southeast. If only the outer suburbs were better connected, and at least had a HSR line to Savannah. Actually there is one commuter rail line that's supposed to be getting built within the next decade to the suburbs south of Atlanta in Clayton County, but the northern suburbs really need it as well.
I'd put Dallas as a 3-way tie with Atlanta and Miami because of the coverage and multiple nodes (mainly because it also has commuter rail), but I'm hearing that the DART LRT is not efficient even though it has a lot of miles and coverage. Supposedly there will be a bullet train between Dallas and Houston in the near future.
I'd put Dallas as a 3-way tie with Atlanta and Miami because of the coverage and multiple nodes (mainly because it also has commuter rail), but I'm hearing that the DART LRT is not efficient even though it has a lot of miles and coverage. Supposedly there will be a bullet train between Dallas and Houston in the near future.
I'm thinking Miami, with its arsenal of Metrorail, Metromover, Tri-Rail (now in downtown Miami) and Brightline/Virgin Florida, is pretty comprehensive. Their biggest hole, though, is that tight, wacko-dense South Beach is unserved by rail and this must be corrected.
Minor correction which I didn't notice in your post before, but Tri-Rail is not in downtown yet and, as of now, not expected until mid-2020. It was supposed to be operating 2 years ago but still waiting on Brightline to complete safety upgrades due to heightened federal guidelines.
I think Nashville and Tennessee is too conservative to support a rapid transit system. There would have to be a much larger urban population a long with a rock solid plan that would be useful for that city get out the votes for a multi billion dollar investment.
The best thing Nashville can do in the short term is finish its commuter rail plan and introduce a BRT system.
Minor correction which I didn't notice in your post before, but Tri-Rail is not in downtown yet and, as of now, not expected until mid-2020. It was supposed to be operating 2 years ago but still waiting on Brightline to complete safety upgrades due to heightened federal guidelines.
You're correct, I meant to say Tri-Rail is coming to Miami Central station soon.
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