The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[volsfanwill]

Per wsmv, 34,000 people have early voted. 

[e-dub]

I voted at Casa Azafran Saturday afternoon.

[Bos2Nash]

13 hours ago, volsfanwill said:

Uber and Lyft are actually very expensive. we fell like they are cheap, because they are cheaper than taxis.  also, both of them plan to raise prices once traditional taxi companies are out of business.  as it is they are both hemorrhaging money.   I live on 8th ave and to get to a preds game non surge pricing, it is about $9 before tip. (always tip your driver, they make crap wages) but last night I wanted to go to Von Elrods, next to the Sounds Stadium (I Highly Recommend)  the quoted price was $34.   yes, I could have waited  half an hour or more for a bus, but i drove instead,  spent no money on alcohol,  and only had dinner and went back home, instead of going out with friends afterwards.   If we had a robust transit system, I would have spent more money last night, and therefore paid more taxes.

Oh they are incredibly expensive! My girlfriends brother was in town this past weekend an stayed over at Opryland and paid a $50 uber back there from Broadway (thank you preds game surge). My analogy for uber is like buying coffee in the morning. It isn't too bad when you do it a couple times a month, but as soon as you start doing it everyday, you hemorrhage money (just like the companies are doing). 

You mention parking as well... was it free?? I wish the "no" crowd would calculate out the cost for parking cars over the course of a 50 year span (similar to their $43,000 calculation). I did a quick calculation using the 222 2nd Ave South garage that equals out to $187,500 over the course of 50 years for one car. ($15 daily = $75 weekly = $3,750 annually (50 weeks to include 2 week vacation) = $187,500 for 50 years). The only way this begins to be alleviated is when the cars dont have to park there, but again, that technology is still a ways away

Edited April 23, 2018 by Bos2Nash

[PruneTracy]

39 minutes ago, PHofKS said:

When the first 'diverging diamond' was proposed for Tennessee, I reviewed it and had a couple of reservations about the functionality of it.

I thought the DDI at US 129 and Middlesettlements was a good application (though I haven't driven through it at peak periods). The one on Interstate 40 at SR 66, I don't understand; there is (though increasingly was) more than enough ROW there for any number of treatments (up to and including flyover ramps). I guess the DDI is cheaper than the alternatives but I also bet it is going to clog up on its own as the parts of Kodak north of the interstate become more developed.

I previously was involved in the planning/design for a few DDIs for TDOT (didn't get built) and other state DOTs and the only real reservation I have is that people don't seem to understand that they were conceived for a specific situation. DDIs are made for urban interchanges with heavy left-turn volumes and while they work outside of those conditions they aren't automatically the best option. Sort of like roundabouts.

39 minutes ago, PHofKS said:

However...I have to wonder if other upgrades in safety, free flow merge lanes and proper signal placement and markings might have resulted in similar accident reduction numbers.

Maybe there has been a lot more study on this subject since I last looked at it and more data based conclusions have been drawn to support the safety claims. But on the basis of congestion management improvements, it seems to be a solid concept that I would probably have endorsed. 

DDIs have fewer conflict points and they eliminate the left-turn crashes that are usually the most severe at an interchange (especially unsignalized interchanges). I think Mizzou did a study for MoDOT (who loves DDIs, they have more than the other states combined) a couple of years ago that showed a 30% to 40% decrease in crashes of all severity types. I do wonder if this is at least partly because of the novelty factor and if it will increase as DDIs become more prevalent. Also sort of like roundabouts.

[samsonh]

Scare tactics from anti transit again.

 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/04/23/anti-transit-group-slammed-warning-more-crime-after-waffle-house-shooting-nashville-tn/541774002/

 

It is almost like this is the same argument this side uses for everything.  We need to get back to a world where facts matter. 

[BnaBreaker]

7 hours ago, samsonh said:

Scare tactics from anti transit again.

 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/04/23/anti-transit-group-slammed-warning-more-crime-after-waffle-house-shooting-nashville-tn/541774002/

 

It is almost like this is the same argument this side uses for everything.  We need to get back to a world where facts matter. 

Bullsh*t and (often racist) scare tactics.  That's just about all that their ilk has to work with on so many issues, because they know the facts aren't on their side.  Humans have, for better or worse, probably been dishonest with each other pretty much since we developed the ability to communicate.  Dishonesty is about as much a part of the human experience as breathing, and has probably been around almost as long.   Never before though in human history have so many otherwise intelligent people been so wrapped up in creating completely alternate realities for themselves just so they can avoid thoughts that might make them uncomfortable.  It's incredibly dangerous, and it needs to stop.

Edited April 23, 2018 by BnaBreaker

[volsfanwill]

As expected, they are going all in with scare tactics.  I don't even know where to begin with this one. 

[Bos2Nash]

^^By pic of the sinkhole, they actually mean paper model of a recreation, right???

 

Furthermore, I stupidly went over to their FB page this morning and I wanted to scream at my computer and comment on ever y last one of their posts, smh.

Edited April 25, 2018 by Bos2Nash

[MagicPotato]

1 hour ago, volsfanwill said:

As expected, they are going all in with scare tactics.  I don't even know where to begin with this one. 

I'm pretty sure  parts of New York city composes of limestone , and they look fine to me.  Not only that, but there's been ongoing drilling and construction going on in downtown and mid town so far and those areas are not having any issue. 

Edited April 25, 2018 by MagicPotato

[Pdt2f]

I got my first anti transit mailer yesterday (well, my first of any side of the transit debate) and it was incredibly frustrating how incorrect it all was. The anti-transit Facebook pages are even more frustrating. They don’t seem to understand that highways are federally funded, not city funded. Plus we just passed an infrastructure repair bill in the state legislature last year, why would Davidson county need to pass additional road repair bills. 

[SoundScan]

2 hours ago, volsfanwill said:

As expected, they are going all in with scare tactics.  I don't even know where to begin with this one. 

Hilarious. Nashville already has over 1.5 miles of tunnels (built via a TBM, just as new transit tunnel will be) running underneath downtown for the District Energy System: http://www.nashville.gov/District-Energy-System/About/Metro-DES-Facts.aspx

Are these anti-transit folks advocating that we raze all downtown buildings and move all water/sewer/electric infrastructure above ground because of a sinkhole in Kentucky?

[SoundScan]

I’d also like to point out the irony in the picture of automobiles (rather than trains or buses) that have fallen into a sinkhole. I didn’t realize that roadways were naturally unaffected by geologic conditions.

[MagicPotato]

Anti-transit is trying everything in their power to stop the transit plan....

Okay so what about Seattle, Salt lake city, Denver, Tokyo, London, etc? The cities have pretty low crime rates and they have a light/heavy rail system... especially Tokyo...

 

[PaulChinetti]

So are they really worried it's going to pass so they are just laying it on thick without regard to anything? 

Wasn't that one of the big things in Atlanta with the MARTA, scaring people with CRIME!!!! AHHHHHH

[Jamie Hall]

12 minutes ago, MagicPotato said:

Anti-transit is trying everything in their power to stop the transit plan....

This might be the dumbest argument against transit so far. Honestly a new low for the anti-transit crowd.

[dmillsphoto]

4 minutes ago, Jamie Hall said:

This might be the dumbest argument against transit so far. Honestly a new low for the anti-transit crowd.

Frankly, it's disgusting. 

[Tennessine]

"Don't like severe weather? Tired of all this rain? Transit will bring more rain, flooding, etc. Vote Against on May 1st!"

[AronG]

[BnaBreaker]

Why do they call themselves "Better Transit for Nashville" when they are very clearly anti-transit in general? Is it so they can appear to be a legitimate group offering valid alternative transit solutions and not the BS factory bought and sold by fossil fuel billionaires that they are? Obviously nobody that is interested in "better" transit would even think of making any of the laughable arguements we have just seen.  It's pathetic... but what's even more pathetic is that there are so many people out there who fall for this type of obvious con job crap.  

[tokiorose]

Train rhymes with rain... Coincidence.. I think not.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[rookzie]

On 4/13/2018 at 9:03 PM, rookzie said:

Just don't be caught by surprise, if the Koch Bro's pull a big sink-hole in the path of the Plan.  We all should have our seismic probes on the ground for that one ─ Yay or Nay.

 

On 4/20/2018 at 9:46 PM, Buildtall said:

Saw this today on a fence headed into Bordeaux  from metro center.

 

 

On 4/20/2018 at 11:12 PM, BnaBreaker said:

"Paid for by Americans for Prosperity" AKA The Koch Brothers.  

I think I hear the reverb "Kwoir".  Mock my words...

As expected, "they" even  reared their heads in Milwaukee and OKC, both of which already have something less comprehensive in planning or construction.

Edited April 26, 2018 by rookzie

[fishsticks176]

3 hours ago, rookzie said:

Mock my words...

ok 

[bigeasy]

I have heard that transit would cause us to lose an hour of daylight during the summer. Studies have also shown that no transit would reduce the amount of pedal taverns by 43%.

 

 

On a serious note, is there a good website that lists the pros/cons in an unbiased manor? I would love to have a link to send to people.

Edited April 26, 2018 by bigeasy

[Rockatansky]

58 minutes ago, bigeasy said:

On a serious note, is there a good website that lists the pros/cons in an unbiased manor? I would love to have a link to send to people.

WPLN has a pretty good summary.

http://nashvillepublicradio.org/term/nashville-transit-referendum#stream/0

[PaulChinetti]

1 hour ago, bigeasy said:

On a serious note, is there a good website that lists the pros/cons in an unbiased manor? I would love to have a link to send to people.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2018/04/20/nashville-transit-plan-bold-step-forward/532622002/

I thought this was pretty good too.