The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[Rockatansky]

On 12/10/2016 at 0:05 PM, Dale said:

I'm from Charlotte, recently spent time in Nashville and can attest that congestion there is nothing, NOTHING like Charlotte. We just hopped and skipped everywhere we went.

I can confirm this. I lived in Charlotte in 1999 & 2000. Congestion, at that time, was as bad or worse than Nashville is today.

[Titans101]

I remember going to Carowinds in Charlotte back in the 80's. Is that place still open? 

[Dale]

50 minutes ago, Titans101 said:

I remember going to Carowinds in Charlotte back in the 80's. Is that place still open? 

Yep, and it's bigger than ever.

[markhollin]

Found these video clips of construction process in 2015 of the overpasses along the west side of downtown on I-65/40:

 

 

 

 

[MLBrumby]

Thanks for posting. I recall seeing those clips when the work was being done via the Tennessean website (I think), and it's nice to have them archived here. Because it truly was a major construction project that proved it could be done with minimal disruption. Each of those bridge segments was rebuilt in the course of a weekend, over successive weeks. Remarkable achievement. Wish it could be done like that in more places around the state. We have a dire need for wider overpasses along  I-24 to, and through, Chattanooga. 

Edited December 19, 2016 by MLBrumby

[markhollin]

In letter to Metro Council, Mayor Barry says that funding plan for nMotion transit plan is still months away:

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2016/12/23/in-letter-to-metro-council-barry-says-transit.html

[markhollin]

A first for Nashville mass transit: buses that can skip ahead of traffic.  Initial rollout will be along Murfreesboro Rd. corridor.

http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/first-nashville-buses-can-skip-ahead-traffic#stream/0

[Dale]

24 minutes ago, markhollin said:

A first for Nashville mass transit: buses that can skip ahead of traffic.  Initial rollout will be along Murfreesboro Rd. corridor.

http://nashvillepublicradio.org/post/first-nashville-buses-can-skip-ahead-traffic#stream/0

Isn't this pretty close to BRT ?

[MidTenn1]

Queue jump. Cool idea!!

[rookzie]

If I recall correctly, incorporating this new signal-priority principle on thr Murf. Pk. corridor was partially funded back in September 2014, with receiving $10M, specifically for traffic-signal prioritizing/pre-emption.

The smoke and mirrors ended up becoming “holograms”, following MTA’s initial announcement to establish a phased implementation of BRT along Gallatin Rd, beginning in 2009-2010, with the city's first BRT-lite, Nº56 Gallatin Rd Limited Stop.  As part of the Nashville Strategic Transit Master Plan Final Report, back in 2009, just before the MTA began receiving its first of what would become two new orders of 60-ft articulated coaches from Alabama, the mayor and then MTA CEO actually had announced to the press that BRT along Gallatin Road was a priority, and he specifically mentioned an incremental implementation of a BRT service, initially with the currently employed BRT-lite and prospectively, with the acquisition of R.o.W., for an advanced stage of BRT by utilizing a combination of dedicated lanes and “queue jump” lanes.

Queue jump lanes, as many are aware of, usually are segments of what appear to be right-turn lanes at intersections.  Queue jump lanes provide the opportunity for buses to move in front of other traffic after stopping for red lights at intersections.  In some cases, a "Queue/bypass" set-up is used as a compromise, by allowing buses to proceed across intersection for boarding and then queuing ahead of traffic, while sharing the pullover pocket for use by right-turning motorists.  During the study MTA had identified six such intersections along the Gallatin Pike corridor, and which it had suggested could be considered for construction of queue jump lanes.  Yes, the MTA still probably would have ended up having to acquire R.o.W., even for queue jumps, and especially within the narrower stretch of Gallatin Road south of Eastland Ave (no center neutral lane).  In all, though, after all this had been hashed out, the MTA had elected to defer implementation of queue jump lanes to a later (if not a next) phase of BRT implementation along Gallatin.

It's academic whether Gallatin Rd or Murfreesboro Rd would have been a better selection for transit-signal enhancements, because they both are.  Since queue-jump was what had been under some consideration for eval as far back as 2010 on Gallatin Pk., before the unveiling of the Cinderella "decision" for the E-W BRT connector, it appeared to have gotten lost in the shuffle and scuffle of the latter and much storied term of the previous Metro administration and "mysteriously" seemed to have been forgone, in favor of a plan which might glean more support.  At least it now appears finally about to be tested.

 

Queue-jump concept illustration  (Las Vegas' RTD 'MAX' BRT has been using this for a number of years)

Queue-bypass concept illustration  (Alameda Contra Costa Transit)
 

Frequently employed transit signals. (also can be used for tramways operating in roadway medians)

Not all the symbols ("signal aspects") shown are employed by practicing agencies.  Transit operators would be given a “Go” signal long enough for at least two buses to move through the intersection prior to other vehicles. When regular traffic gets a green light, transit vehicles will have to either wait in the bus-only lane or use the standard left-turn lane to turn left.  As part of the implementation plan, the transit agency must provide prerequisite and ongoing training of its operators on use of the transit signals.  The standard state driver's license training manual likely would require updating accordingly.

Edited December 30, 2016 by rookzie

[markhollin]

Smarter/better-timed traffic signals ready to be rolled-out by Metro as part of the overall transportation improvement plan.  

"Overall, Public Works reconfigured the timing of 550 traffic signals throughout the county, including 85 in Nashville's central business district."

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2016/12/29/metros-holiday-gift-for-commuters-is-ready-smarter.html

[smeagolsfree]

On December 28, 2016 at 8:59 PM, rookzie said:

If I recall correctly, incorporating this new signal-priority principle on thr Murf. Pk. corridor was partially funded back in September 2014, with receiving $10M, specifically for traffic-signal prioritizing/pre-emption.

The smoke and mirrors ended up becoming “holograms”, following MTA’s initial announcement to establish a phased implementation of BRT along Gallatin Rd, beginning in 2009-2010, with the city's first BRT-lite, Nº56 Gallatin Rd Limited Stop.  As part of the Nashville Strategic Transit Master Plan Final Report, back in 2009, just before the MTA began receiving its first of what would become two new orders of 60-ft articulated coaches from Alabama, the mayor and then MTA CEO actually had announced to the press that BRT along Gallatin Road was a priority, and he specifically mentioned an incremental implementation of a BRT service, initially with the currently employed BRT-lite and prospectively, with the acquisition of R.o.W., for an advanced stage of BRT by utilizing a combination of dedicated lanes and “queue jump” lanes.

Queue jump lanes, as many are aware of, usually are segments of what appear to be right-turn lanes at intersections.  Queue jump lanes provide the opportunity for buses to move in front of other traffic after stopping for red lights at intersections.  In some cases, a "Queue/bypass" set-up is used as a compromise, by allowing buses to proceed across intersection for boarding and then queuing ahead of traffic, while sharing the pullover pocket for use by right-turning motorists.  During the study MTA had identified six such intersections along the Gallatin Pike corridor, and which it had suggested could be considered for construction of queue jump lanes.  Yes, the MTA still probably would have ended up having to acquire R.o.W., even for queue jumps, and especially within the narrower stretch of Gallatin Road south of Eastland Ave (no center neutral lane).  In all, though, after all this had been hashed out, the MTA had elected to defer implementation of queue jump lanes to a later (if not a next) phase of BRT implementation along Gallatin.

It's academic whether Gallatin Rd or Murfreesboro Rd would have been a better selection for transit-signal enhancements, because they both are.  Since queue-jump was what had been under some consideration for eval as far back as 2010 on Gallatin Pk., before the unveiling of the Cinderella "decision" for the E-W BRT connector, it appeared to have gotten lost in the shuffle and scuffle of the latter and much storied term of the previous Metro administration and "mysteriously" seemed to have been forgone, in favor of a plan which might glean more support.  At least it now appears finally about to be tested.

 

Queue-jump concept illustration  (Las Vegas' RTD 'MAX' BRT has been using this for a number of years)

Queue-bypass concept illustration  (Alameda Contra Costa Transit)
 

Frequently employed transit signals. (also can be used for tramways operating in roadway medians)

Not all the symbols ("signal aspects") shown are employed by practicing agencies.  Transit operators would be given a “Go” signal long enough for at least two buses to move through the intersection prior to other vehicles. When regular traffic gets a green light, transit vehicles will have to either wait in the bus-only lane or use the standard left-turn lane to turn left.  As part of the implementation plan, the transit agency must provide prerequisite and ongoing training of its operators on use of the transit signals.  The standard state driver's license training manual likely would require updating accordingly.

Something very similar to this is used in NOLA for the street cars. Motorist are still clueless as to why they get to go in front of them.

[grilled_cheese]

22 hours ago, markhollin said:

Smarter/better-timed traffic signals ready to be rolled-out by Metro as part of the overall transportation improvement plan.  

"Overall, Public Works reconfigured the timing of 550 traffic signals throughout the county, including 85 in Nashville's central business district."

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2016/12/29/metros-holiday-gift-for-commuters-is-ready-smarter.html

I don't understand why this is thought of as a "project", this should be routine maintenance and a part of their job, IMO.

[rookzie]

2 hours ago, grilled_cheese said:

I don't understand why this is thought of as a "project", this should be routine maintenance and a part of their job, IMO.

I can understand that this would be considered as a "No-Brainer", and indeed I share similar impulses of response, what with universal and ever-mounting frustration.  The fact is, this has taken a right smart amount of funding for countywide planning, hundreds of new traffic signal controllers and new software network with new servers.  Plus all this will better integrate with interactive transit operations, as mentioned earlier with transit-signal priority along corridors.

There's just far more to this than what meets lay people like me.

[PruneTracy]

On 12/30/2016 at 5:43 PM, rookzie said:

The fact is, this has taken a right smart amount of funding for countywide planning, hundreds of new traffic signal controllers and new software network with new servers.  Plus all this will better integrate with interactive transit operations, as mentioned earlier with transit-signal priority along corridors.

Correct. Traffic data collection and signal retiming should be performed on a regular basis, but this project involved a lot of changes to signal guts, which is a lot more complicated than it sounds. Most of the equipment is off-the-shelf and not much different than the types of devices a network admin would purchase for servers, but making sure it's compatible with existing equipment (and personnel) is another matter.

[LA_TN]

8 hours ago, PruneTracy said:

Correct. Traffic data collection and signal retiming should be performed on a regular basis, but this project involved a lot of changes to signal guts, which is a lot more complicated than it sounds. Most of the equipment is off-the-shelf and not much different than the types of devices a network admin would purchase for servers, but making sure it's compatible with existing equipment (and personnel) is another matter.

Also, remember that this could actually be considered phase 2, with phase 1 being the Gallatin Pike and Murfreesboro Pike corridors being completed about 2 years ago

[nashvylle]

realistic, or dead in the water?

http://www.nashvillepost.com/politics/taxation/article/20847791/clemmons-pushing-alternative-gas-tax-plan

[smeagolsfree]

Very well thought out and presented......realistic.

[markhollin]

Got this e-mail today:

 

Here is the active link to the new Tennessee Public Transportation Association:

http://www.tntransit.org/

[SumnerCountian]

That is a well reasoned plan for providing long term, sustainable revenue to fund the transportation needs. It makes sense, but does that mean it will survive in the TN legislature? Probably not. People want nice things, but they do not want to pay for them.

[markhollin]

Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce doubles down on mass transit in 2017 legislative agenda:

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/01/04/chamber-doubles-down-on-transit-with-2017.html

[markhollin]

Statewide poll says majority of Tennesseans willing to pay for public and alternate transit with gas tax:

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2017/01/05/poll-tennesseans-are-willing-to-pay-at-the-pump.html

[L'burgnative]

Maybe I got the idea from someone here; I don't know, or maybe I came up with it on my own.  One thing I've thought about lately is how every state in the country's DOT's are hurting.  Every state's tax structure is based by consumption of gas from a time when the average vehicle across the board was probably 16 to 21 MGP's (if that), Now we have Cafe laws of 35 MPG's.  If you are not familiar with what the Cafe laws are it's an average MPG a manufacture must meet or pay penalties if you want to sale your product in this country.  If Nissan sales 10 different model lines in this country those ten models have to average out to 35 MPG's (that's why we're getting crap like CVT's and automatic trannies geared so poorly you're feeling a tone of lug, but that's a different rant).  The average vehicle on the road gets more then twice the MPG's they did when most states set there gas tax what they are today; No crap that hurts DOT's.  They've lost revenue while the cost per mile to maintain/construct goes up.  I say to combat this you remove the gas tax all together and mileage be recorded annually when paying your wheel tax (yes; tag registation and current wheel taxes still apply), and pay a value per mile annually.  People how are using the roads the most will now be contributing the most to the roads no matter if you're truckin down the road in a Hummer or a Prius.  You can't have a car on the road without a tag, so if the cars got a tag they're paying to maintain the road.

Edited January 6, 2017 by L'burgnative

[PruneTracy]

10 hours ago, L'burgnative said:

I say to combat this you remove the gas tax all together and mileage be recorded annually when paying your wheel tax (yes; tag registation and current wheel taxes still apply), and pay a value per mile annually.  People how are using the roads the most will now be contributing the most to the roads no matter if you're truckin down the road in a Hummer or a Prius.  You can't have a car on the road without a tag, so if the cars got a tag they're paying to maintain the road.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_miles_traveled_tax

I'm a fan as well of using odometer readings to determine mileage as a) it's already illegal to tamper with and b) every vehicle already has one as standard equipment. You may notice that most VMT tax proposals assume the use of an electronic device to record mileage continuously and bill at shorter intervals. (The conspiratorial among us might ascribe that to the feds' desire to gather data on its citizens.) But even if the state wanted shorter billing periods, they could pro-rate mileage based on previous years and bill the difference at the time of the actual reading. NES operates a similar program for people who want a steady electric bill year-round.

Another interesting fact is that TDOT does not administer vehicle license plates or get revenue from their fees, the Department of Safety does.

[L'burgnative]

^^^I guess each state is different but doesn't the wheel tax revenue typically go to education?