Richmond Region Transportation

[Icetera]

On 8/4/2019 at 9:55 AM, jbjust said:

The fact that they're still relying on diesel south of DC means that we're stuck in the 20th century for the foreseeable future.  I was a dedicated once/week Amtrak rider for a year or so and the 30% late southbound arrivals and the 10% extremely late southbound arrivals have pushed me back into my car.  When they finish the HOT lane project that will extend south of Fredricksburg in a couple of years and finish converting the 395 HOV lane into a proper HOT lane, I don't imagine it will ever make much sense to take Amtrak.

That HOT lane will probably cost more than Amtrak, never-mind gas.  Unfortunately, just adding another person makes the car more financially sensible.

[jbjust]

7 hours ago, Icetera said:

That HOT lane will probably cost more than Amtrak, never-mind gas.  Unfortunately, just adding another person makes the car more financially sensible.

I’ve never seen the HOT lane at more than $20 each way, which is just over half the cost of the cheapest Amtrak ticket.  Also, I drive a Tesla and can generally charge for free in DC, so I’m out about $3 in fuel cost.  

[Icetera]

2 hours ago, jbjust said:

I’ve never seen the HOT lane at more than $20 each way, which is just over half the cost of the cheapest Amtrak ticket.  Also, I drive a Tesla and can generally charge for free in DC, so I’m out about $3 in fuel cost.  

I have paid over $30, but that was after a long trip from North Dakota so damn if I was not going to pay!

[blopp1234]

Also, Amtrak is around $33 dollars for a one way trip from Richmond to dc, so as long as amtrak is reliable (in my experience, it has been), then it’s around the same cost and time currently to drive (assuming little to no traffic) or take Amtrak. As for reliability, the DC2RVA project will also decrease travel times and improve reliability by adding additional track capacity.

[blopp1234]

It won’t just be for the northern Virginia region. This will add a third track along the entire corridor except thru Ashland, where Hanover county NIMBYs had their way in preventing a bypass west of the town. It will also add 9 new round trips between DC and RVA and will increase service to Main Street station by routing all new trains and all existing trains thru downtown Richmond. It will also increase the maximum speed on the corridor up to 90 mph and improve reliability.

Edited September 26, 2019 by blopp1234

[blopp1234]

Exactly, until a bypass is built, which I think with enough pressure, like the 20 NIMBYs will have to cave

Just now, blopp1234 said:

Exactly, until a bypass is built, which I think with enough pressure, the 20 NIMBYs will have to cave in.

 

[wrldcoupe4]

My understanding is that they are prioritizing work on a bottleneck in northern Va first. South of Fredericksburg would come at a later date.

[blopp1234]

2 hours ago, Hike said:

does anyone know a timeline for completion all the way to RVA?

No timeline from what I’ve seen. The project needs to secure funding first.

[blopp1234]

Last I checked the estimate was about $5 billion, so I’m guessing it would need federal funding of some sort. I’m also assuming that they would knock out the cheapest parts first, which would largely be between Ashland and Fredericksburg since it’s relatively flat and isn’t densely populated.

Edited September 26, 2019 by blopp1234

[vaceltic]

Almost hourly service daily between Richmond and Washington is coming, including to Main Street Station. This is such a HUGE deal for our local economy!!!

https://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/plus/virginia-has-billion-deal-to-expand-rail-service-between-richmond/article_460c07a4-84d1-5b0c-9c0f-6dd384d7aa7b.html

[rjp212]

10 years will be here before you know it.  Great news!

[Wahoo 07]

This is great news!  Another step towards high speed rail in the Commonwealth.

[Henrico Weather]

I'm not usually an Eeyor, but I'm betting that environmental and nimby lawsuits will push this out well past 10 years. At my current age, I'll be dead before this happens.

[vaceltic]

There will be new service to Richmond added before the 10 year timeframe. I think with the High Speed Rail Corridor Study, most (if not all) of the EIS analysis has already been done. I don't see lawsuits holding much weight or adding significant time to the proposal, since the EIS process would've been the time to file such lawsuits.

[eandslee]

In the mayor’s announcement today, he mentioned that NHDC and GRTC were looking at another possible site for the GRTC  bus transfer station.  Location is under or within the parking deck on Broad Street between Fourth and Fith streets.  Thoughts?

[wrldcoupe4]

Having this along broad street always made more sense for integration into the PULSE network. Only think is that the original plan had a pretty tall mutilfamily tower on the site. Is that going away?

[Icetera]

7 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Having this along broad street always made more sense for integration into the PULSE network. Only think is that the original plan had a pretty tall mutilfamily tower on the site. Is that going away?

If they keep a similar design, then the Broad Street location will be so much better as Coupe points out.

[eandslee]

23 minutes ago, wrldcoupe4 said:

Having this along broad street always made more sense for integration into the PULSE network. Only think is that the original plan had a pretty tall mutilfamily tower on the site. Is that going away?

Hope the tall multi-family tower isn’t going away...they can still put the transfer center there underneath or on the ground level of the tower I suppose. 

[wrldcoupe4]

Maybe they are swapping?

[eandslee]

Looks like GRTC is looking to purchase larger “accordion-style” buses for The Pulse in addition to seeking funding for a transfer station that has been in the works for years. 

https://www.richmond.com/news/local/three-year-grtc-capital-plan-includes-funding-for-new-transfer/article_f1e4b774-2824-58e2-aedd-8d8f4457aad5.html

“The GRTC Board of Directors voted Tuesday to approve a "blueprint" of a three-year capital spending plan that includes funding for two new transfer stations and six larger buses for the Pulse line.

The $85.6 million three-year plan begins with funding that's already been allocated in the fiscal year that began in July. New GRTC CEO Julie Timm said that's because she wanted the company's directors to understand where things stand now.

With funding now pegged to several projects that have been in the works, such as $12 million for a new downtown transfer center that's been in the works for several years, the plan also includes $4.8 million to buy six articulated buses to improve passenger capacity on the Pulse, GRTC's 7.6-mile bus rapid transit system.”

”The 60-foot "accordion" buses GRTC is considering are common in large and mid-size cities. Timm said the new buses could hold about 40 more passengers than the current 40-foot Pulse buses, which have room for 50 to 60 people.

In December, GRTC officials were invited to look over and test drive a new articulated bus that was en route to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City.

Timm said she is hoping a $1.5 million earmark in the plan will restart previously discussed plans to build a new transfer center near the Richmond Social Services Department on Hull Street at the Southside Plaza shopping center.

As for the transfer center that's part of the discussions around the Navy Hill coliseum redevelopment plan downtown, Timm said GRTC is not certain about whether it should remain on Ninth Street...”

 

Edited January 21, 2020 by eandslee

[cbl1]

Could be they are trying to move the budget for a new transfer station into GRTC funding to save money in the Navy Hill Plan.   I think when it comes to Navy Hill there is negotiating going on with the various council members to get their yes vote.  First the new tax savings shrinking the TIF area.  Now possible movement of the transfer station out of the Navy Hill scope - adding further savings to the plan.

[DowntownCoruscant]

Higher capacity busses would help during the PM rush hour. They get a little jammed up on the MCV to Government Center stretch to the point where you might get refused the first bus to arrive.

[wrldcoupe4]

Good news. Speaks to the success of the Pulse that they have increased frequency and are investing in larger capacity buses. 

[Icetera]

1 hour ago, DowntownCoruscant said:

Higher capacity busses would help during the PM rush hour. They get a little jammed up on the MCV to Government Center stretch to the point where you might get refused the first bus to arrive.

That stop gets insane!  With these longer buses, the Ram Rides are also going to need to cease stopping immediately next to the Pulse station.  I still do not understand why they switched to the outer lanes from Convention to MCV rather than keep it median running throughout.  The eventual conversion to light rail is going to be interesting.

Edited January 22, 2020 by Icetera

[Brent114]

The longer busses would be cool to see on our streets, but how will they be loaded/unloaded?  The platforms only accommodate 1 bus.  I’m not in favor of rebuilding the platforms.  Just add more busses ( and extend the route, adding a north/south route too).