[Cold Warrior]

Ask yourself. You've had a long trip already. You're dead tired. Would you, in your wildest dream, ever consider dragging yourself, your spouse (and maybe kids) and your stuff to a curb, pay 7 bucks each, wait in the heat (or wind or cold) for that streetcar, load yourself-etc. onto a public streetcar, endure 24 stops to get downtown, then have to walk the rest of the way to the check-in? Or would you just take Uber and save time, money and hassle -- and get dropped off at the check-in?

It's pretty hard to leave the airport if you can't 'drag yourself' to the curb. Have you been paying $7 for an RTC pass? I usually pay $2. Maybe this is why you think uber is cheaper. McCarran to downtown would be $20 to $25 for uberx when demand is light. During a period of heavy demand it would be much more.

[Bruff]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

It's pretty hard to leave the airport if you can't 'drag yourself' to the curb. Have you been paying $7 for an RTC pass? I usually pay $2. Maybe this is why you think uber is cheaper. McCarran to downtown would be $20 to $25 for uberx when demand is light. During a period of heavy demand it would be much more.

We're talking visitors, so no RTC pass, full fare. When I attended a Maryland open house last year, I was told that the fare from McCarran to Downtown was $7. For Uber, the estimate was $18.
Please answer the operative question: would you even remotely consider using Wham-bam-tram? If so, what's the attraction?

[Cold Warrior]

The RTC fare for anyone is $2 for routes 108 and 109, both of which connect McCarran and the Bonneville Transit Center downtown. Seniors can ride for $1. See this RTC guide. When I last checked, yesterday, the uberx charge was $20 to $25.

I do use the free casino trams. I don't see why I wouldn't use a public tram.

[Bruff]

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

The RTC fare for anyone is $2 for routes 108 and 109, both of which connect McCarran and the Bonneville Transit Center downtown. Seniors can ride for $1. See this RTC guide. When I last checked, yesterday, the uberx charge was $20 to $25.
I do use the free casino trams. I don't see why I wouldn't use a public tram.

You're using the free casino trams because they connect two or three venues. So do I. I've also used the Westcliffe-to-McCarran connection twice (my first and my last). What joy it is being taken on a circuitous route that has you sloshing side to side (new seating arrangement, such fun) down to the hub, then a nice wait to catch your breath, then to McCarran, 50 minutes later.

As for the fare, when it comes to charging, the RTC, like everything in Vegas, is notorious for ripping off the tourists. The minimum charge for Strip Deuce - visitor and local - is 6 bucks (for two hrs) and, as I said, the cost for McCarran-downtown will be $7.

But the issue is whether (or not) you (or anyone) would use the proposed tram to travel between McCarran and downtown. Go to Google map and plan your RTC trip from you home to the downtown hub. Include lugging your crap to the bus stop, the wait, the fumes, the wonderful time you have with your new friends, then add the 24 stops it will take to get to McCarran.
My guess is that you won't do it but once. Or, as I did with the Westcliffe run, twice.

I'm saying they could give it away, and even at that, no one will ride.

[Bruff]

McCarran surveyed passengers as to how many would use this light rail. Fewer than 1% said they would. Would you?

[yellowsnow]

Originally Posted by Bruff

McCarran surveyed passengers as to how many would use this light rail. Fewer than 1% said they would. Would you?

I always took the train/subway from the airports in London. Don't see why people wouldn't take the train.

I was living in Minnesota when light rail went in and many people are afraid to use it in the city. I was told all the pickpockets/burglars/robbers, etc hang out at the stations and every 20 minutes the light rail brings them new victims.

[Bruff]

YellowSnow says "Don't see why people wouldn't take the train".

You're just off a long flight. You're tired, and after waiting a half hour at baggage claim, you and yours finally score your bags and roll into the (hot) sunshine. Do you truck a quarter mile to the LRT station and then put up with 11 stops before trucking another quarter mile on a busy sidewalk to check in -- or do you take a 10-buck Uber that gets you and yours to that same checkin in 12 minutes? I don't think so and so did most of those that answered the survey.

[equid0x]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

I find the dumbest decision made by "engineers" here is stop light timing. I've played around with speed on a couple of major streets and find going 55-60 on a 45 mph road lets me make the lights.

And I surmise that this is part of the problem with so many speeders here. They've figured that out, too.

I've said it before and I'll say it again; I swear the people who design these systems either don't drive, or never drive the streets they make decisions about.

I can't be sure but it doesn't seem like they have synchronized lights here. Perfect example is the overpass over 15 for Silverado Ranch Blvd. 3 lights on the 100ft bridge all of which are changing at different times so you're practically guaranteed to have to stop 3 times in 100 feet and then to stop again 500 ft later at South Point and again in another 500ft at Las Vegas Blvd.

[equid0x]

Originally Posted by Tek_Freek

Or copy Chicago. During morning rush hour there are lanes that have red lights for lanes going away from downtown, and green lights going towards downtown.

So 3/4 lanes heading into town in the morning with 2 lanes heading out. The reverse in the evening. It really moves traffic much faster.

DC does the same things. Some routes are all lanes inbound in the AM rush, all lanes outbound in the PM rush, and 2 directions any other time.

[equid0x]

Originally Posted by tijlover

The Maryland light rail system will never happen, that coming from an Editorial in the LV Review Journal.

First things first: light rail from the Airport to Downtown!

And let some of the future unemployed Uber/Lyft, Taxi drivers build it!

<sarc>Just where everybody wanted to go! From the airport to downtown!</sarc>

I, for one, can't wait to see my tax dollars being wasted.