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So you want to increase density in an area already having population issues, just so we can have transportation that runs on tracks?
You’re right. We should just build a wall around Raleigh and Durham so nobody else moves to the area or commutes into our cities because of these population issues.
I think you're discounting the park and ride model though. Go check out the Carter-Finley park and ride lot one morning and there are tons of people who drive there to take the bus between Raleigh and Durham.
Last edited by pierretong1991; 08-11-2019 at 06:11 AM..
You’re right. We should just build a wall around Raleigh and Durham so nobody else moves to the area or commutes into our cities because of these population issues.
I think you're discounting the park and ride model though. Go check out the Carter-Finley park and ride lot one morning and there are tons of people who drive there to take the bus between Raleigh and Durham.
Come on...you know that's not what I mean. You and I both come from a place where rail is in complete disaster mode. And that's a hub and spoke system which logistically is easier to develop and maintain than the Triangle where people work all over.
I'm all for public transportation and park and ride. I'm not for dumping tons and tons of taxpayer money into old rail technology that won't be used, just because some people feel we can't be "legit" without it. We don't need to be like other metros.
- Push companies to allow people to work from home? Nah can't have that because people are technophobic.
- Light rail which has been hugely successful all over the world? Nope, we are above it.
- Increase density rather than stick with 1950's city planning? Nope, too scared of change.
- Park and rides to BRT? That scares me because reasons!
I think we should all buy Nissan Armadas for single person transport and just leave everything like it is. It'll work out great. We don't need to be like other metros bro.
- Push companies to allow people to work from home? Nah can't have that because people are technophobic.
- Light rail which has been hugely successful all over the world? Nope, we are above it.
- Increase density rather than stick with 1950's city planning? Nope, too scared of change.
- Park and rides to BRT? That scares me because reasons!
I think we should all buy Nissan Armadas for single person transport and just leave everything like it is. It'll work out great. We don't need to be like other metros bro.
+1 on all. "because reasons!" - too funny. Repped.
I lived & worked in a place with light and heavy rail, worked great. I've done Park & Rides in another place I worked and it worked great. I used to take a bus to a shuttle bus to and from the office, although was limited in terms of frequency, despite that worked great.
In fact I've never seen any combination of these not work well.
Have you ever lived in an area with commuter rail? What demographic do you expect to ride these lines, and where is everyone going to park? Do you think people will ride if they have to get up at 4am to get a parking spot?
Answering your questions in the order presented:
1) Yes, for four years. I rode it for two of those years.
2) Quite literally everyone, from kids to professionals.
3) In my experience, stations usually have a fair amount of surface parking. Larger stations also have garages.
4) Yes. I've seen it with my own eyes.
Quote:
With so many different employment areas in the Triangle, how do you make it convenient for all areas of the Triangle to take the commuter rail and be able to access one of four major employment centers?
I'm sorry if I'm not optimistic, but I think people's expectations regarding ridership are unrealistic.
That's why you don't run just one line and expect it to serve everything. You put up at least three lines, and then you integrate the existing transit systems with the commuter line. If you try to make the transit modes exist independently in vacuums, that's inefficient at best and wasteful at worst.
A system implemented intentionally will most likely work. A system implemented just for there to be a new shiny thing is bound to underdeliver.
Not sure what the total cost is and Wake County stated that they won't pay for what's needed in Durham County (but hey at least Durham has some money now!) but Wake County has $886.5 million budgeted for the capital costs for commuter rail in the tax referendum (assumed 4% annual inflation from 2015 to 2027)
I didn't include stations in my list, other than Raleigh, but the capital investment for expanded or new stations would be at least a hundred million more (today's dollars).
Rail works well when people don't have to drive to it. A few parking lots along a line that 95% of people need to drive to, do no good.
Even with full efficiency and capacity of transit, people will still choose to live outside of job centers and transit catchments. There will always be a need for commuter lots for those individuals who commute from other cities and even states.
Unless you expect a station to be on every block for hundreds of square miles where people can walk or ride their bikes to a station.
If the Triangle is too stuck in the past or too cheap to get a better mass transit then there is only 1 other viable option: have government encourage companies to have more remote workers, even full time.
I know people on here are going to be like "but going into the office is better for work because REASONS" when countless studies show that's not true. Best way to relieve traffic is to get people off of the road and thousands upon thousands of white collar workers do not need to be in the office every day (it at all) to get their work done.
You want to say this area is big on "research and technology" then actually put your money where your mouth by using the research that shows that remote workers are happier, healthier, and more productive and use readily available technology to keep them off the roads and working remotely.
I wish I could rep all of your posts on this subject.
It is completely asinine with all of these desk jobs to make people go to a physical location every day. Removing all the useless vehicle transit would solve 99.9999% of commuting's biggest problems. We need to keep the roads clear for workers that actually have to do hands-on in-person stuff. Although I'm an automotive enthusiast, car ownership and associated wear & tear is a massive waste of money for most people. Think about how many households could ditch one (or more) of their cars if companies would get their heads out of the past (and out of their rear-ends) by offering more remote-work opportunities?
"But we can't collaborate without being in-person!" - video chats???
"But I can't trust my employees to work from home!" - you are a weak manager; why are you hiring people you don't trust?
But hey, let's keep wasting money building more freeways. That's totally working so well, right?
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