TIGER Grant Cycle

[kermit]

$600 million is available for this round of applications. If we were in charge what would you apply for? Keep in mind these are small (<$20 million) chunks of money so things like the Red Line or Gateway Station are out of reach.

My vote might be for a pedestrian bridge across the NS rail yard between Mathesion and Parkwood (to connect N Tryon to the BLE). It would solve a serious circulation problem created by the freight yard and thus could be considered to be 'transformational'

A second choice might be for a ped/bike bridge over Independence for the Sugar Creek Greenway. While this would be more recreational use than circulation, it would allow for the connection of the Sugar Creek Greenway to the rail trail extension (RTE?) in Belmont / Optimist Park.

BRT 'lite' dedicated bus service with signal priority (but not dedicated lanes) to connect either Scalybark or Woodlawn stations to Park Rd shopping center and Southpark. I suspect this bus service already exists but it is invisible to me. The idea would be to create a very visible and high frequency connection for blue line riders to retail (although it would be nicer if all the retail would just move downtown). This might make it possible for more Charlotteans to be car free. (a second BRT 'lite' option might be to connect the Sugar Creek BLE station with Plaza and Central)

Finally, my pet project would be $ for the minimal improvements necessary to run the existing vintage streetcar (not the replicas) from Cedar Yards to State / Turner ave on a regular schedule (2x per hour, 7-7pm?) This is almost certainly more than the TIGER grant could fund, and operational costs would need to be borne by the city, but it could begin to show how the massive potential of this area could be transformed with some small transit investments. Unfortunately I suspect low-ridership would torpedo any chance this proposal might have.

Just blue skying here, what other options do you all see?

[southslider]

Central Ave Sprinter (TIGER) would build upon Gold Line-Phase 2 (Small Starts) with connections at CTC, CPCC and Hawthorne/Sunnyside. Ideally, operated through Uptown as one east-west line, extending the existing Airport Sprinter.

[kermit]

I didn't know about the planned Sprinter expansion. Thanks for that.

I'll amend my two BRT lite suggestions to be a single BRT cross-town circulator service which links the BLE around Sugar Creek to the Blue Line around Woodlawn - Tyvola. Ideally it would have low stop density but have stations at Park Road SC, Southpark, Cotswald and a future streetcar stop at plaza or further out central (among other stops)

[ah59396]

If we are only talking about $10-$20 million, I'm all for an aggressive platform built on additional greenways and bike lanes. As someone who lives south of the park road shopping center area, I'd kill to finally connect the pineville portion of te greenway all the way up to the major portion of the sugar creek greenway. Right now it's just frustrating.

[southslider]

^Unfortunately, the lack of County real estate between Park Road Shopping Center and Park Selwyn Terrace remains a rather expensive hurdle for completing the Greenway.

[ah59396]

^Unfortunately, the lack of County real estate between Park Road Shopping Center and Park Selwyn Terrace remains a rather expensive hurdle for completing the Greenway.

Yeah good point. The acquisition costs would probably exceed any grant.

[Urbanity]

If we are only talking about $10-$20 million, I'm all for an aggressive platform built on additional greenways and bike lanes. As someone who lives south of the park road shopping center area, I'd kill to finally connect the pineville portion of te greenway all the way up to the major portion of the sugar creek greenway. Right now it's just frustrating.

 

I agree with idea but not with area of focus.  I would rather see a focus on greenway connection  from Littlte Sugar to Toby Creek considering the South/Southeastern part of Charlotte already has the most of the greenways not mention most of that part of the city already has walkable streets.  I also think West Charlotte is starved for Greenways in general.

Map of Greenways: http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/Greenways/Documents/Greenway%20Overall%20GWY%20Map.pdf

[kermit]

^ will the proposed (but stalled) cross county trail project make that connection? This was the greenway project that was in the original county capital improvement budget (along with the streetcar phase 2). IIRC Southsider said that it was chopped at 36th street because it must wait on the ACWR relocation.

[ah59396]

I agree with idea but not with area of focus.  I would rather see a focus on greenway connection  from Littlte Sugar to Toby Creek considering the South/Southeastern part of Charlotte already has the most of the greenways not mention most of that part of the city already has walkable streets.  I also think West Charlotte is starved for Greenways in general.

Map of Greenways: http://charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/ParkandRec/Greenways/Documents/Greenway%20Overall%20GWY%20Map.pdf

 

No, I agree with your sentiment.  I just want to have a green-way that actually connects and spans the city.  It is frustrating that we have such a disjointed network.  I'd be all for green-ways into west Charlotte, as long as they connected to the sugar creek green-way.  Having multiple, non-connected 3 mile green-ways just doesn't make sense to me.

[southslider]

The City's adopted (2013) Park Woodlawn Area Plan calls for a shared-use, ten-foot side path to help fill this Greenway gap.  The path would travel the sides of Montford Drive, Abbey Place, and Hedgemore Drive, between Woodlawn Road near the Greenway's current terminus and Park Road at Seneca Place, then along Park Road, between Seneca Place and Briar Creek, where the County does have land west of Park Road.

[Madison Parkitect]

They could always take the grant money and just give it to that Studio Charlotte guy that keeps asking for more and more 

[kermit]

So far it sounds like Charlotte's only transformative transportation and mobility project needs (under $20 million category) are for some new greenways.

I guess we have everything squared away.

How about realtime monitoring of all transit vehicle locations? They can show locations via smartphone and via some strategically placed screens in pedestrian nodes around town. I think it would make a significant difference in ridership, although it may not be transformative enough.

[RVA2CLT]

what about additional platform extensions to facilitate the 3-car trains?

Could we lay the extended elevated concrete slabs at a couple stations with that amount?

[Urbanity]

How about realtime monitoring of all transit vehicle locations? They can show locations via smartphone and via some strategically placed screens in pedestrian nodes around town. I think it would make a significant difference in ridership, although it may not be transformative enough.

Actually this is the most important idea put forth so far.   We forget that mass transit needs are far greater than rail. 

 

 If you have ever rode a CATS bus you know how ridiculous those timetables are at each stop.  They often have no relation to the reality of when the next bus is coming.

[ah59396]

Actually this is the most important idea put forth so far. We forget that mass transit needs are far greater than rail.

If you have ever rode a CATS bus you know how ridiculous those timetables are at each stop. They often have no relation to the reality of when the next bus is coming.

Absolutely agree. Great idea Kermit.

[DMann]

Absolutely agree. Great idea Kermit.

I currently come in from NoDa on the 3 or 23, and the schedule on ridetransit.org is pretty accurate, I have no problem with it.

[tozmervo]

I can second that about the 3 & 23 (also use those for most of commutes). But not so long ago, I was taking the extremely unreliable 20. Some routes have better performance, others miss it hard

[kermit]

The real time tracking of multiple routes appears to be an off the shelf product now:

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2014/02/these-real-time-transit-screens-belong-every-lobby/8475/

Its groovy that they include bike share availability information as one of the possible modes.

[Urbanity]

I currently come in from NoDa on the 3 or 23, and the schedule on ridetransit.org is pretty accurate, I have no problem with it.

How wonderful for the riders of the 3 or 23.  Riders of the 11 and 29 - not so fortunate...

[carolinagarnet]

I am not sure if this is exactly how it works, but I believe private developers could build apps based off of the logistical information from CATS. In DC, for instance, there are quite a few apps that track buses and metro trains real-time. Given the interest in more localized apps, CATS might not even have to develop the mobile platform.

[kermit]

re Greenways:

 

A very nice piece on the County being flexible to accommodate the construction of more greenways.

 

http://plancharlotte.org/story/dirtways-speed-trail-access-mecklenburg-nc

 

We need much more of this from CDOT and CATS IMO.

[dubone]

That is great news.    I wish they would do the same with street connections, putting gravel roads on right of way to allow connectivity without having the budget for the full cost of road construction. 

[kermit]

Forgive the brief non-Charlotte note:

 

Sounds like Winston-Salem may apply for a TIGER grant to fund its proposed streetcar.  Given the total absence of local funding at the moment I suspect its a longgggg shot.

 

http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/passenger/light-rail/winston-salem-set-to-ok-streetcar-plan.html

[Third Strike]

It'll be interesting if both Durham and Winston-Salem got their tram lines before Raleigh and Greensboro do. Has Greensboro made any push for light rail or streetcar?

[rugger62]

A little self-serving, but I would like to see a pedestrian path from the Scaleybark Station over to Tryon. Or in general, better pedestrian access to light rail stations to/from Tryon