Rhode Island Commuter Rail Proposals

[Recchia]

TOD's along the rail north of Providence Station would be a worthwhile experiment. I'd love to see it happen so I could live there myself.

It's too bad that East Bay is such impossible territory. I remember reading about Interstate 895 trying to be built from the end of Route 37 in Warwick across the bay into Barrington, and the huge uproar that ended it. Not that I am a fan of highway building AT all; it's just typical to see how they could stop that one but they couldn't stop 95 from tearing right through neighborhoods in Providence.

You would think that East Bay commuters would want an alternative to I-195 traffic, if I had to sit in that everyday I'd seriously consider swimming to work across the bay.

This may be a stupid question, but have they ever considered running an EAst Bay rapid ferry system, with stops all along the waterfronts, as a commuting option? Or does the bay freeze up in winter too much to make this practical?

[Cotuit]

This may be a stupid question, but have they ever considered running an EAst Bay rapid ferry system, with stops all along the waterfronts, as a commuting option?  Or does the bay freeze up in winter too much to make this practical?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think this would be a totally practical idea and would be fully in favour of it. New York and Boston both run year round commuter ferry services so the ice shouldn't be a problem. During extreme cold snaps ferries may be cancelled, when that happens ferry commuters can drive or take the bus.

Providence needs a good ferry pier outside the Hurricane Barrier though. If whe had a streetcar system running down Allens Avenue, a ferry pier could be located there.

[Mike D]

Couldn't agree more.  Something like the map that was posted on a forum here before (Providence Transit or something like that) would be excellent, with service to East Bay/Fall River, Blackstone Valley and down the Amtrak main line of course. 

Service to TF Green needs to hurry the heck up.  They've been talkin about it for how long now?  There's a thread on it here somewhere...  Hopefully this summer I can get up close to the project at my internship, last year they had one of the interns doing conceptual studies for commuter rail stops at Pawtucket and Kingston.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes it does. Newark and BWI airports have their rail stations. RIDOT needs to get their butts in gear and start building the TF Green Airport station. It's time.

And I think EMU/DMU service would be best for a RIPTA commuter rail line. I think with the combined MBTA/RIPTA rail service, we might be able to say goodbye to traffic jams on I-95 for good

[Recchia]

Providence needs a good ferry pier outside the Hurricane Barrier though. If whe had a streetcar system running down Allens Avenue, a ferry pier could be located there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Allens Ave is perfect for that, it has those tracks running right down the side of it doesn't it? Plus you could connect it back to the Amtrak line using the P&W line that runs along 95 near RW Park.

[Mike D]

Allens Ave is perfect for that, it has those tracks running right down the side of it doesn't it?  Plus you could connect it back to the Amtrak line using the P&W line that runs along 95 near RW Park.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've felt Providence should have some kind of streetcar/light rail system. Allens Ave would be a good starter line.

[eltron]

Anyone know offhand what the smallest city with a light rail system (or even single line) is?

Portland is pretty small, but is much bigger than Providence. Wracking my brain, and I can't really come up with any small cities on the scale of Providence...

...actually, I've got it. Salt Lake City is pretty small. Any others?

[Cotuit]

Burlington, VT was the smallest city with a commuter rail line, then it went away. It may be coming back though.

Salt Lake City and Charlotte are two smallish cities with starter lines for metro rail lines. Lines designed to move people about the city as much as to bring them into the city. Jacksonville, FL also has it's Skyway system. I think all these cities are slightly larger than Providence though.

Richmond, VA has a light rail proposal. El Paso, TX has a streetcar proposal, though I'm not sure how serious it is. Lowell, MA has a proposal to extend their historic streetcar line (which currently is mostly a tourist attraction) to serve the commuter rail station and UMass.

[Recchia]

The Portland Metro isn't that much bigger than the Providence metro is it? And Salt Lake City?

[pdxstreetcar]

Sacramento has a fairly extensive light rail system yet is quite a small region, Sacramento itself is 420,000 (when the first line opened it was around 300,000).

Sacramento LRT map

Sacramento 20 year Vision Map

Buffalo also has light rail.

Salem, OR is seriously looking at a downtown streetcar identical to Portland's.

There are some small towns that have historic trolley lines but are mostly for tourists.

[Recchia]

The Portland Metro isn't that much bigger than the Providence metro is it? And Salt Lake City?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Providence is 1.58 million, Portlands only 1.93 million, and SLC is only 968 thousand. We could definitely get in on some light rail. 2000 MSA's

[pdxstreetcar]

Metro Populations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unite...s_by_population

#23 Denver Metro - 2,190,000 (Light Rail since 1994)

#24 Cleveland Metro - 2,140,000 (Light Rail since 1920s, Subway since 1955)

#26 Portland Metro - 1,920,000 (Light Rail since 1986)

#28 Sacramento Metro - 1,800,000 (Light Rail since 1987)

#29 San Jose Metro - 1,730,000 (Light Rail since 1987)

#33 Providence Metro - 1,580,000

#37 Las Vegas Metro - 1,370,000 (Monorail since 2004)

#38 Charlotte Metro - 1,330,000 (Light Rail under construction)

#39 New Orleans Metro - 1,310,000 (Streetcar since 19th century)

#43 Buffalo Metro - 1,170,000 (Light Rail since 1984)

#51 Salt Lake City Metro - 970,000 (Light Rail since 1999)

[eltron]

Metro Populations: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Unite...s_by_population

#23 Denver Metro - 2,190,000 (Light Rail since 1994)

#24 Cleveland Metro - 2,140,000 (Light Rail since 1920s, Subway since 1955)

#26 Portland Metro - 1,920,000 (Light Rail since 1986)

#28 Sacramento Metro - 1,800,000 (Light Rail since 1987)

#29 San Jose Metro - 1,730,000 (Light Rail since 1987)

#33 Providence Metro - 1,580,000

#37 Las Vegas Metro - 1,370,000 (Monorail since 2004)

#38 Charlotte Metro - 1,330,000 (Light Rail under construction)

#39 New Orleans Metro  - 1,310,000 (Streetcar since 19th century)

#43 Buffalo Metro  - 1,170,000 (Light Rail since 1984)

#51 Salt Lake City Metro  - 970,000 (Light Rail since 1999)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Interesting...I was thinking mostly of actual municipal population v. metro pop. but it looks like Providence fits right in there. I wonder how relative density figures into these figures.

One advantage some of these cities have over Providence has on the Light Rail front is space, which in turn means lower cost of implementation...Right of Ways are easy to acguire because they just run the line down the middle of the ultra-wide streets (I'm thinking SLC in particular), a luxury we certainly don't have in Providence...

[Recchia]

Although Providence itself (and Pawtucket, Central Falls, EAST Cranston, East Providence, Woonsocket, etc.) are all dense enough, the rest of the metro area brings the overall Providence metro density down to little over 1,000/square mile. But who says the light rail would have to serve those sprawly low density suburbs anyway.

[Cotuit]

Although Providence itself (and Pawtucket, Central Falls, EAST Cranston, East Providence, Woonsocket, etc.) are all dense enough, the rest of the metro area brings the overall Providence metro density down to little over 1,000/square mile.  But who says the light rail would have to serve those sprawly low density suburbs anyway.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It could be a sort of hybrid service like Portland has, where the trolleys act as streetcars providing local service in the core, and wider spaced stops on seperate grades outside the core acting as a commuter service. The spawled outer areas have several things that would allow this, wider streets allowing for in street median trains that would move faster than ones running in traffic that would have to be downtown, and open areas that allow for ROW aquisition. Development can be focused around new suburban stations.

[Recchia]

Development can be focused around new suburban stations.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That would be nice, although don't you think they'll end up just putting in massive park and ride lots-that's what they want in Wickford Junction. I don't understand why they wouldn't want to put some larger housing developments and shops within walking distance of the stations. Recently they even shot down a plan to put in a bike path between Wickford itself and Wickford Junction station. Odd.

[Cotuit]

The East Greenwich proposal calls for housing. The housing there would be affordable which would help the town reach it's 10% requirement.

[Recchia]

The East Greenwich proposal calls for housing. The housing there would be affordable which would help the town reach it's 10% requirement.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ahh, great, I forgot about that one. That's in a much more historical and built-up area than Wickford and Kingston, though, but hopefully they'll consider that for both stations anyway...although this is South County....and Wickford Junction is anchored by Walmart....

[Cotuit]

T.F. Green allows overflow parking within security perimiter

Hmmm, maybe a commuter rail line to the airport would help ease that parking problem.

[Recchia]

Wow talk a bout a potential breach of security.

Parking fees are the Airport Corporation's largest sources of income? So I wonder what the airports actual stance is on the commuter rail stop is, and if they'll get the revenue from the park and ride at it.

[eltron]

Wow talk a bout a potential breach of security. 

Parking fees are the Airport Corporation's largest sources of income?  So I wonder what the airports actual stance is on the commuter rail stop is, and if they'll get the revenue from the park and ride at it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm sure they are 100% for the rail station, even if it does potentially cut into their parking fees (which it won't). It will make their airport much more marketable to airlines as an alternative to logan, will increase numbers of passengers, and will generate so much more business that a slight decline in the number of cars will more than be offset.

Plus it helps them as they face more and more issues with their environmental problems (primarily noise).

they can't wait to get that thing going (neither can I, for that matter).

[Frankie811]

http://www.pbn.com/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/114686

[Cotuit]

http://www.pbn.com/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/114686

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Working with Sen. Lincoln Chafee, Capaldi said language has been inserted in the highway bill that would allow the state to spend bridge off-system dollars to support construction of the

[pdxstreetcar]

^

Did you ever see the shuttle bus at the Kingston Amtrak station?

The station with one platform was on one side of the tracks and the other platform was on the otherside of the tracks. Amtrak didnt have the money for a bridge and it was seen to be too dangerous to have people cross the tracks with Acela shooting thru the station at almost 150mph. So they had a shuttle bus pick passengers up from the station side and would take them over to the other platform. Luckily a new pedestrian bridge opened in January putting an end to the shuttle.

[Frankie811]

http://www.projo.com/southcounty/content/p...il.23d55c0.html

[Frankie811]

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=..._id=73829&rfi=6