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The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread


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Just now, PaulChinetti said:

"ANY dedicated lanes whether they’re tolled, bus only, bike only, autonomous vehicles only, any restricted lane is anti-liberty, period."

Quite the assertion.  

Bike lanes! Bike lanes are anti-liberty... 

Cassette tapes or die!

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12 minutes ago, billgregg55 said:

A low-tax regime hasn't done a lot for many states. A number of Southern states have had relatively low taxes for a century or more, yet still lag the nation in economic growth. And you don't have to look any farther than Kansas to find a recent example of very low taxes not producing the promised results. Other factors like climate, scenic beauty, infrastructure, human capital and cultural cachet must be having a bigger impact. You absolutely could raise taxes enough to deter businesses and people from moving to a city or state, but the current amount of variation doesn't seem to be a big factor.

Tennessee has low taxes, but we are also aggressive in incentive packages for business relocations. High taxes can deter businesses out of those states (NY, California), but those businesses will look to relocate to low tax states with the best incentives. 

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14 minutes ago, billgregg55 said:

A low-tax regime hasn't done a lot for many states. A number of Southern states have had relatively low taxes for a century or more, yet still lag the nation in economic growth. And you don't have to look any farther than Kansas to find a recent example of very low taxes not producing the promised results. Other factors like climate, scenic beauty, infrastructure, human capital and cultural cachet must be having a bigger impact. You absolutely could raise taxes enough to deter businesses and people from moving to a city or state, but the current amount of variation doesn't seem to be a big factor.

So what are your thoughts about Nashville's case?

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15 minutes ago, billgregg55 said:

A low-tax regime hasn't done a lot for many states. A number of Southern states have had relatively low taxes for a century or more, yet still lag the nation in economic growth. And you don't have to look any farther than Kansas to find a recent example of very low taxes not producing the promised results. Other factors like climate, scenic beauty, infrastructure, human capital and cultural cachet must be having a bigger impact. You absolutely could raise taxes enough to deter businesses and people from moving to a city or state, but the current amount of variation doesn't seem to be a big factor.

Agreed, it's a all a part of the package that we offer.

 

Also, what happened in Kansas is horrible. Every time I hear "CUT TAXES CUT TAXES CUT TAXES" it make me wonder if that very recent lesson was heeded...

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Glad you posted.
I am glad you enjoy the Metro. For me riding the Metro to Bethesda or Rockville is bothersome more times that not.  I drive most of the time via alternate routes. You mentioned I65N and I chuckled...from 3-7:30PM no one should be on I65 North if they have a schedule to keep. Again I find alternate routes. 
One variable may be I drive like the cabbies to a certain extent (better?). I am not rude, but I am direct and take available space. I merge well with traffic and allow others to merge. Driving in Nashville is kid's play compared to driving in DC which is in turn timid compared to driving in Manhattan. 

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3 hours ago, MagicPotato said:

So what are your thoughts about Nashville's case?

None that matter really much (i.e., backed up with data). I haven't seen much hard info on why people and companies actually do relocate, just a lot that indicates that taxes aren't a big deal in most cases. Probably every chamber of commerce of any size has some data on this, and a quick Google search turns up some listicles on the topic.

There's a mix of things that people find appealing about a city, and even though they're looking at lists of metrics, I suspect in the end that that mix may not be very different for corporate executives.  I'd be interested in what factors others think suddenly made Nashville an "it" city and kicked off the current round of growth.

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"I mean, we have a $20 to $25 million shortfall. We own a downtown park, which we’re about to trade to Tony Giarratana as if it’s worth $3.5 million. Other parking lots in downtown are selling for close to $25 million"

The author said they voted for transit but then proceeds not to talk about transit and bring up stuff like this. 

They come off as what other people have been talking about, someone who doesn't want Nashville to change. As the quote below says, I don't mind you getting something as long as I get something too, else F-off and NOBODY GETS ANYTHING. Seems childish at best. 

"No one even minds pitching in for something that may not benefit them if, someday, everyone will pitch in on something that does benefit them."

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Yeah, and I don't really disagree with the author's idea that there were a sizable amount of people (certainly not all)  who voted against transit because they are against growth and change and feel that somehow if we stop planning, the growth and change will just go away.  And that density is the problem (but in the same breath, we don't have enough affordable housing). AAHHHHH. Drives me nuts. 

Yes, of course we are sometimes too generous in giving deals to developers. But we also need a lot more housing stock if we are going to significantly bring down rent prices. I know I'm preaching to the choir here...

I don't think this is everyone, and I think that a more modest transit proposal will pass.

Edited by 12Mouth
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5 minutes ago, 12Mouth said:

I don't think this is everyone, and I think that a more modest transit proposal will pass.

I don't know, the notax4trax people harped on how this expensive program wouldn't cover enough people. To make a more modest one they would harp on the same thing. 

YOU ARE PAYING ALL THIS MONEY AND GETTING NOTHING THE SKY IS FALLING TAXES AHHHHHH!!!!

I don't have the answer and not sure how any of these plans could pass, just have to find the right messaging I guess and run a better campaign. 

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I think the biggest factor in passing future referendums will just be a change in population. As more people move here from larger cities where transit is used and appreciated, they will have a bigger sway over the vote. In the meantime, traffic will get worse and people who were on the fence this time around under the impression that a new, “better” plan could be easily and quickly conjured will be less hesitant to vote in the next one. What we need to focus on while we wait is keeping transit in the spotlight and educating people about its value and function. This vote created a lot of armchair urban planners with some pretty ridiculous notions as to best practices. Fighting that amount of misinformation was an impossible task to accomplish in just a two month countdown to the vote. Let’s keep the conversation alive and position ourselves better for Nashville’s next shot at this.

Edited by fishsticks176
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1 minute ago, markhollin said:

Bird, the ride sharing electric scooter service, officially launched in Nashville on Monday in downtown and its nearest neighborhoods.

The initial fleet includes 100 scooters in downtown, the Gulch, Music Row, Midtown, Germantown and East Nashville.

Bird pitches its service as a "last mile" solution to commutes, or for trips that are too far to walk.

Bird does use docks, so users can park their scooters at the end of their ride. At the end of the day, the scooters are collected and returned to their nests to recharge. Riders use the scooters in bike lanes.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2018/05/07/nashville-gets-bird-scooter-sharing-service/585778002/

This is brilliant too:

Quote

Additionally, Bird returns $1 per vehicle daily to the city governments to build bike lanes, "promote safe riding" and maintain infrastructure.

I saw these downtown (near Ascend) last night and wondered what was going on. Man I hope these things find a niche. I got an electric bike a year ago and it's been amazing. I have to think a lot of people who are getting in a car to go 1-3 miles would be a lot happier (and would take up a lot less road space) if they tried out something like these. We need more bike lanes though...

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It is generally the tourists here (in SF) who ride the scooters (and bicycles) on the sidewalk. Thankfully, the sidewalks here are pretty wide everywhere and most people will get back into the road if you tell them. There are also tons of bike lanes so that helps as well. Overall, the scooters are a positive in my opinion. Anything new takes some time to work out the kinks. I think the biggest concern for Nashville will be that drivers there are far less accommodating of alternative transportation methods (bicycles, etc) sharing the road.

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14 minutes ago, SoundScan said:

It is generally the tourists here (in SF) who ride the scooters (and bicycles) on the sidewalk. Thankfully, the sidewalks here are pretty wide everywhere and most people will get back into the road if you tell them. There are also tons of bike lanes so that helps as well. Overall, the scooters are a positive in my opinion. Anything new takes some time to work out the kinks. I think the biggest concern for Nashville will be that drivers there are far less accommodating of alternative transportation methods (bicycles, etc) sharing the road.

Yeah, I know people in Nashville who see bicyclists and anyone else not using a fossil fuel burning automobile, as literally infringing on their "freedoms" because they've been trained to equate that with what it means to be an "American."  Yikes. :tw_expressionless:

Edited by BnaBreaker
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