238 replies to this topic

[rotten777]

blink55184, on Aug 19 2006, 05:39 AM, said:

I see someone rotten has wandered over from ssc

LOL...I found this website when checking out Providence development...good to see that Hartford has a forum here!

[doz180]

I would like to know your opinion about the proposed busway between New Britain and Hartford. Rapid bus transit has been succesful in other cities, Los Angeles for example but do you think it will be a success in CT?

Here is a link to an article published in the Waterbury Republican, it is about the possibility of commuter busses running from Waterbury into the busway and ultimatly to Hartford. The article also mentions how private bus companies want access to the busway.

www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=16784

The proposed stations in Hartford are: Union Station, Sigourney Street,  Park Street, and New Park Avenue.
Do you think that this will spur development in these areas?

Edited by doz180, 28 December 2006 - 04:03 PM.

[beerbeer]

Actually BRT iss quite limited in LA.  The experiement in the Wilshire corridor continue but the final vertict isn't in.  And to call it a succes in other cities would be a stretch. I have attended numerous APTA conferences and have heard almost no "success stories" about BRT.  In fact, some early BRT attempts have been abandoned.

Please cite  the successful BRT lines you speak of.  Thanks.

[uconn99]

Silver line in Boston does quite well, but the main destination is South Station and Logan which are two huge destinations.

Isn't this BRT?

[doz180]

This is the forum about Hartford Connecticut so I'm not going to discuss BRT in other cities with you. If you have an agenda against BRT that is fine, I would be interested in knowing why and what would be the better alternative for Connecticut.

Every question I asked in my original post was related to the Hartford area. I would like to know everyones opinion. They are scheduled to start construction in 2008 yet hardly anyone is discussing it.

[mikel]

My opinion is that a rail right-of-way should be used for rail transit.    To pave that over with asphalt and run buses on it is a joke.    

This whole project is a joke.   All Connecticut DOT is capable of is getting more and more of the state paved with asphalt.   Even when it's mass transit, they need asphalt.   A JOKE.

[MadVlad]

No one wants to ride the bus, we need more commuter rail service.  This should be rail.

I'm not sure a busline will spur much of anything.  Again, I think it would be different with rail, but I can't imagine too many peiople would be impressed because the busline is there....

[ctman]

train=quiet and relaxing  bus=dirty and noisy
rail would be a MUCH MUCH better idea than brt.

[uconn99]

If something was done like the Silver line in Boston than I think it would be successfull. The Silver line is mostly electric the entire route, except when it goes onto Logan. I agree that rail should be done, however this is Connecticut we are talking about, nothing is ever done correctly.

[GHartford]

doz180, on Dec 28 2006, 05:02 PM, said:

I would like to know your opinion about the proposed busway between New Britain and Hartford. Rapid bus transit has been succesful in other cities, Los Angeles for example but do you think it will be a success in CT?

Here is a link to an article published in the Waterbury Republican, it is about the possibility of commuter busses running from Waterbury into the busway and ultimatly to Hartford. The article also mentions how private bus companies want access to the busway.

www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=16784

The proposed stations in Hartford are: Union Station, Sigourney Street,  Park Street, and New Park Avenue.
Do you think that this will spur development in these areas?

I know most people in this forum don't like the busway- for good reasons. Rail would be more reliable, more permanent, and more attractive to the upper-middle class. I agree with all those assessments. Still, I think the busway can be successful if it is done right. That means- permanent, large, heated and cooled, attractive stations, Clean buses- both physically and environmentally, and reliable service. That would eliminate most of the complaints people have about buses. With the right of way, the busway should compete with the automobile in terms of time- something buses have never been able to do. This will have to be marketed smartly. I'm not sure the DOT is capable of this- but even if the plans were for rail I would doubt the DOT's ability to market the project. Still, I think this could be a successful project, despite people's anger over it not being rail. The best thing we can do to show the DOT that we want more and better public transportation is to use what we have and demand more of it. I hope that, despite our misgivings, people on this board will use the busway when it opens...

A quick question. People have mentioned that fact that the busway would pave a portion of the rail right of way. But, I don't think that would mean actually paving over any track, would it? I know in Hartford, the busway would be beside the track...

[drc72]

uconn99, on Dec 29 2006, 12:12 AM, said:

If something was done like the Silver line in Boston than I think it would be successfull. The Silver line is mostly electric the entire route, except when it goes onto Logan. I agree that rail should be done, however this is Connecticut we are talking about, nothing is ever done correctly.

Where lucky if anything ever gets done.

[doz180]

I agree with everyone that light rail would be better for many reasons, but I also believe something is better than nothing. What I don't understand is the bias that so many people have against riding the bus? When I was working in Hartford I rode a commuter bus into downtown. I didn't have the stress of driving, I could read or take a nap, I didn't have to worry about parking, it was the best option for me. Would it have been better for me and the forty other people that used that bus to have each driven our own car into Hartford everyday further clogging the highway?

CTman wrote, "train=quiet and relaxing bus=dirty and noisy" and that is not always the case. I currently live in New York and I use the subway everyday, I wouldn't describe the F train from Queens to Manhattan as quiet and relaxing during the morning rush hour. But, it doesn't matter because it gets me to work quickly and easily. Once again I agree that a train is the best option, but hopefully the design of this busway will enable people to get to work quicker so they will be inclined to use mass transit. There are only eleven stops so it won't be like a city bus that screeches to a halt every two blocks and I believe they are planning on having express limited stop service as well.

Does anybody know more specifics about the actual plan, how are they going to handle road crossings?  Inside of Hartford is this thing going to be running on city streets or along a rail bed?

[GHartford]

Does anybody know more specifics about the actual plan, how are they going to handle road crossings?  Inside of Hartford is this thing going to be running on city streets or along a rail bed?
[/quote]

The busway will be along the rail right of way. The biggest problem so far is one road crossing in particular. They are talking about raising the road in one section to be a bridge over the bus/railway.

Their site is under construction right now. But you might be able to get some info. from this link...

[url="http://www.cssboston.com/projects/buswaytod"]http://www.cssboston.com/projects/buswaytod[/url]

[MadVlad]

doz180, on Dec 29 2006, 11:18 AM, said:

I agree with everyone that light rail would be better for many reasons, but I also believe something is better than nothing. What I don't understand is the bias that so many people have against riding the bus? When I was working in Hartford I rode a commuter bus into downtown. I didn't have the stress of driving, I could read or take a nap, I didn't have to worry about parking, it was the best option for me. Would it have been better for me and the forty other people that used that bus to have each driven our own car into Hartford everyday further clogging the highway?

CTman wrote, "train=quiet and relaxing bus=dirty and noisy" and that is not always the case. I currently live in New York and I use the subway everyday, I wouldn't describe the F train from Queens to Manhattan as quiet and relaxing during the morning rush hour. But, it doesn't matter because it gets me to work quickly and easily. Once again I agree that a train is the best option, but hopefully the design of this busway will enable people to get to work quicker so they will be inclined to use mass transit. There are only eleven stops so it won't be like a city bus that screeches to a halt every two blocks and I believe they are planning on having express limited stop service as well.

Does anybody know more specifics about the actual plan, how are they going to handle road crossings?  Inside of Hartford is this thing going to be running on city streets or along a rail bed?

Well, first you say that you too would prefer the rail line, but then state that something is better than nothing.  The question I ask you is why is something better than nothing?  Why not just do it right in the first place?  I have a problem with it because it seems a general consensus agree's it isn't the besrt thing to do, it's just "something".  I'm tired of "something", "something" is the fat chick you bring home at the end of the night because you struck out with the hot chick.  "Something" is going to see the Hartford Wolf Pack play the Providence Bruins in the Hartford Civic Center instead of seeing the Hartford Whalers play the Boston Bruins in the new Hartford Insurance Group Center arena.  We could always just ban cars and make people use horse and carriages again.  Yeah, cars are better, but we still have "something" don't we?

[Theophrastus Bombastus]

GHartford, on Dec 29 2006, 11:59 AM, said:

Does anybody know more specifics about the actual plan, how are they going to handle road crossings?  Inside of Hartford is this thing going to be running on city streets or along a rail bed?
The busway will be along the rail right of way. The biggest problem so far is one road crossing in particular. They are talking about raising the road in one section to be a bridge over the bus/railway.

Their site is under construction right now. But you might be able to get some info. from this link...

http://www.cssboston...jects/buswaytod

Here's the info:
http://www.ctbusway.com

Sounds like a bad idea to me.  Ending at Union Station?? Most people work EAST of there!

[doz180]

I found a presentation with a lot of photos. There is a lot of junk so skip through to page 30 and start there. You will find a lot of aerial photos and plans for possible transit oriented developments in the future. Please note it is from 2003 so it probably has changed somewhat since then. It appears that this thing will be built next to the railroad tracks not over them. You can also see that each stop has a passing lane so the express bus can pass the local bus that is picking up passengers.
www.cssboston.com/projects/buswaytod/presentations/oct03/October2003OpenHouseSlideShow.pdf

The stop at Sigourney Street looks like it will be walking distance to Aetna. So in the future when the New Haven to Springfield commuter train is working Aetna employees will be able to commute to Hartford on the train and then transfer to the bus and be one stop away from their office.

It looks like Walmart would be walking distance to the Flatbush stop. Anybody familiar with this area? They mention possible retail developments in that area so it could become a commercial area one day.

They also mention Central CT State University is considering expanding their campus which would be next to the Cedar Street stop.

Do you think the areas near these planned stops will be developed?

[MadVlad]

doz180, on Dec 29 2006, 02:22 PM, said:

I found a presentation with a lot of photos. There is a lot of junk so skip through to page 30 and start there. You will find a lot of aerial photos and plans for possible transit oriented developments in the future. Please note it is from 2003 so it probably has changed somewhat since then. It appears that this thing will be built next to the railroad tracks not over them. You can also see that each stop has a passing lane so the express bus can pass the local bus that is picking up passengers.
www.cssboston.com/projects/buswaytod/presentations/oct03/October2003OpenHouseSlideShow.pdf

The stop at Sigourney Street looks like it will be walking distance to Aetna. So in the future when the New Haven to Springfield commuter train is working Aetna employees will be able to commute to Hartford on the train and then transfer to the bus and be one stop away from their office.

It looks like Walmart would be walking distance to the Flatbush stop. Anybody familiar with this area? They mention possible retail developments in that area so it could become a commercial area one day.

They also mention Central CT State University is considering expanding their campus which would be next to the Cedar Street stop.

Do you think the areas near these planned stops will be developed?

Well, this sounds better than it did.  Central expanding the Campus is a good thing, and getting those students to Hartford for a night out would be awesome.  Flatbush area already is seeing a growth spurt with WalMart moving in with the other stores and the new housing that replaced the Charter Oak ghetto, so sure it could be even busier I suppose.  The Aetna area needs something else done to it before it expands, like, say, remove the f'ing highway...

[jdrct]

MadVlad, on Dec 29 2006, 05:00 PM, said:

Well, this sounds better than it did.  Central expanding the Campus is a good thing, and getting those students to Hartford for a night out would be awesome.  Flatbush area already is seeing a growth spurt with WalMart moving in with the other stores and the new housing that replaced the Charter Oak ghetto, so sure it could be even busier I suppose.  The Aetna area needs something else done to it before it expands, like, say, remove the f'ing highway...

Has their been any discussion about the equipment to be used. Will these be gas/diesel powered buses or will they be trackless trolleys using cantenary lines?

As an aside, I once asked a friend of mine who worked in the state capitol about the prospect of light rail instead of bus. He said the main reason was cost. He said the cost of an extensive light rail system/subway system eminating out of Hartford in all four directions, north, south, east, west was estimated at about $30 billion worth of bonding with equipment, tracks, right-of-way, station construction, personell costs, and the inevitable legal, regulatory disputes/approvals. He then added that, in a "good year", the state bonds about $2 billion. The long and short...this isn't a question of spending $150 million on a busway or $200 million on light rail. It seems to be the question of spending $X million on busway or $4 or $5 billion for rail.  So this seems more an issue of practical cost than anything else.

Incidentally, subway/rail systems in cities like New York (BRT and IRT) and Boston were constructed more than 100 years ago by private companies when it was easy to buy a swath of land and do just about anything with it.It wasn't until the mid-20th century that these systems became government entitities after the private companies couldn't keep up with costs.

[penetcostal_iglesia_faith]

Land Sales Are On Agenda
One Site Would Be Sold To State
By MONICA POLANCO | Courant Staff Writer
October 10, 2007

NEW BRITAIN - Tonight, the common council will discuss a proposal to sell a vacant Main Street parcel to the state for at least $454,500.

The state wants to use the 327 Main St. property for the proposed New Britain-Hartford busway, a two-way rapid bus line that would start in downtown New Britain, run through Newington and West Hartford and end near Hartford' s Union Station.

The property was once the site of Greenfield's grocery store and most recently has been used by a traveling carnival.

More readings on th other half; click here> http://www.courant.c...0,7598965.story

I am concern to what I read but the article also spoke about other then about New Britain-Hartford busway but putting other property on sale to the state such as on Arch and Oak street because that my concern but I'm afraid that they might nock some historic American brick Italianate building down, but I truly hope it is not the case and hope that they reopen it to remodel it and not let to much historic buildings to be fading away even with these empty areas in New Britain that need to be filled in too!

Edited by penetcostal_iglesia_faith, 10 October 2007 - 06:04 PM.

[grock]

Waste of money.   It should be a trolley or light rail.