The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[FromParkAveToTN]

It's funny how so many people were screaming for a transit system when gas prices were sky high and those times when the city ran completely out of gas, but now they are back to being content.  I have no doubt in my mind that one day gas prices will be very high again and hopefully at that time, we'll be prepared by having more transportation options. 

Edited April 9, 2018 by FromParkAveToTN

[Guest]

Register voters is historically weak measure compared to likely voters.
 

16 hours ago, PHofKS said:

The TENNESSEAN took a poll on February 25 that gave the following results...

The sample consisted of 723 registered voters.The poll seems fairly credible indicating the opposition will need to persuade 77% of the undecided voters to kill the referendum. That's a tall mountain to climb, and I would suspect the undecided would not be motivated to go to the polls regardless of their ultimate choice.

 

[jmtunafish]

I just saw this ad on TV.  Love it.

 

[LA_TN]

[MagicPotato]

1 hour ago, LA_TN said:

But then the people that vote against the light rail transit complain about traffic...

[Tennessine]

^ Who responded to that poll? Was it only Davidson county residents or was anyone allowed to answer?

[Flatrock]

4 hours ago, nativetenn said:

^ Who responded to that poll? Was it only Davidson county residents or was anyone allowed to answer?

Anyone can (and does) respond. 

Edited April 10, 2018 by Flatrock

[japan]

3 hours ago, Flatrock said:

Anyone can (and does) respond. 

And multiple times...

[bhibbs]

thought I would throw this out there--

was taking my grandmother (who lives in Whites Creek) out to lunch this past weekend, and somehow the transit vote came up.
she told me that someone came to her church group recently and went on and on about how they shouldn't vote for the transit bill because of two things:
-it wouldn't help them at all living where they live
-it would make their property taxes go way up

she said she couldn't remember the mans name, but, he was very well dressed and well spoke and most of her church group (with the majority of people there all being her age) believed every word the man told them.

seemed more than just a little sketchy

[PruneTracy]

1 hour ago, bhibbs said:

thought I would throw this out there--

was taking my grandmother (who lives in Whites Creek) out to lunch this past weekend, and somehow the transit vote came up.
she told me that someone came to her church group recently and went on and on about how they shouldn't vote for the transit bill because of two things:
-it wouldn't help them at all living where they live
-it would make their property taxes go way up

she said she couldn't remember the mans name, but, he was very well dressed and well spoke and most of her church group (with the majority of people there all being her age) believed every word the man told them.

seemed more than just a little sketchy

Don't know where she lives in Whites Creek but it is getting a rapid bus line and transit center as well as the ubiquitous "improved local routes".

[bhibbs]

14 minutes ago, PruneTracy said:

Don't know where she lives in Whites Creek but it is getting a rapid bus line and transit center as well as the ubiquitous "improved local routes".

further out OHB towards Clarksville Pike

[japan]

Just stopped at the Edmondson library which is an early voting location and there were about 10 anti-transit signs already up for tomorrow.  Zero pro-transit signs.

[nashwatcher]

2 minutes ago, japan said:

Just stopped at the Edmondson library which is an early voting location and there were about 10 anti-transit signs already up for tomorrow.  Zero pro-transit signs.

Who handles getting signs out for the Pro Transit side? They should be fired.

[japan]

Update: Now that I have walked to my car in the lot 2hours later there are now pro transit signs at the library. 

[markhollin]

Seattle's mass transit system is wildly popular.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/04/09/seattle-transit-nashville-light-rail/498796002/

How downtown Seattle workers commuted in 2017:

48% transit

25% drive-alone

10% rideshare

8% walk

[markhollin]

Here's some background on a last minute counter proposal for the Transit Plan.  It's all wishful thinking in that it is a regional plan, and puts an awful lot of emphasis on autonomous cars.

Autonomous vehicles and double-decker highways: Those are the lynchpins of Metro Councilman Robert Swope's vision for mass transit in Nashville, which he unveiled Tuesday.

Dubbed "Intelligent Transit for the It City Nashville," Swope's plan — which was formed in coordination with Memphis-based The Digit Group — suggests implementing new technology to help alleviate the region's growing mobility problems.

Swope said he hopes to eliminate the idea that personal transportation and mass transit have to be separate by building a system of interconnected autonomous vehicles to serve commuters and Davidson County residents.

More at NBJ:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2018/04/10/councilman-unveils-alternative-plan-for-mass.html?ana=twt

Here's the map, which includes 6 surrounding counties:

Part of the proposal is double decker freeways downtown. Once gain, makes no sense funding wise, since all of that money would have to come from TDOT and federal government---not a local Davidson County/Metro referendum.

The primary terminal would be on the PSC Metals site.

[PaulChinetti]

Yeah that's what I want, TALLER interstates cutting between downtown and the surrounding areas, stop trying to wall everything off with interstates!

[BnaBreaker]

That is... just... no. 

[PaulChinetti]

""I'm here to say [autonomous] technology is here, and will be implemented within the next 12 months, not next 12 years.""

WHAT??

"Swope's plan suggests building double-decker highways on the three interstates that encircle downtown: I-64, I-24 and I-40."

"The double-decker highways would make up most of that, coming in at $900 million to build, according to Swope."

DOUBLE WHAT???

Double decking 24, 40 and 65 would only cost 900 million? I can't even imagine the point of that, let alone the disruption have those major arteries closed for however long that took.

Saying nothing about how MORE LANES, means MORE TRAFFIC, do these people do research, it's been proven over and over again.

[Bos2Nash]

1 hour ago, markhollin said:

Seattle's mass transit system is wildly popular.

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2018/04/09/seattle-transit-nashville-light-rail/498796002/

How downtown Seattle workers commuted in 2017:

48% transit

25% drive-alone

10% rideshare

8% walk

 

"Since 2009, annual bus ridership has increased by 8 percent to more than 121 million people and regional transit ridership more than doubled to 45 million."

"the number of cars driving in each morning has dropped by 4,500 since 2010, while the number of jobs increased by 60,000, Hopkins said, crediting the light rail and bus system. Nearly half of downtown commuters said they used transit to get to work in 2017."

Less cars, more jobs. Win-Win in my book. 

"downtown streets are not free from gridlock because of factors that include the increase of Uber and Lyft usage, delivery drop-offs, construction and tourism"

Yet I have a great idea, lets use Uber/Lyft/Ride sharing as our public transit system. HOOORRRRAAAYYYYY cars!

55 minutes ago, PaulChinetti said:

""I'm here to say [autonomous] technology is here, and will be implemented within the next 12 months, not next 12 years.""

WHAT??

"Swope's plan suggests building double-decker highways on the three interstates that encircle downtown: I-64, I-24 and I-40."

"The double-decker highways would make up most of that, coming in at $900 million to build, according to Swope."

DOUBLE WHAT???

Double decking 24, 40 and 65 would only cost 900 million? I can't even imagine the point of that, let alone the disruption have those major arteries closed for however long that took.

Saying nothing about how MORE LANES, means MORE TRAFFIC, do these people do research, it's been proven over and over again.

Anytime a leader mentions expanding highways while criticizing ACTUAL mass transit, I essentially stop reading. What scares me a little bit is those flashy renderings will catch people's attention and make them think "oh that can totally happen". That 900 million price tag? I would estimate that would be upwards of 9 billion, easy. Shutting down the highways for this expansion would be political suicide, so there would be some heavy premium payments to keep the highway open and work around them. 

Such a painful joke..... so so so painful

[Will]

Yeah that's a bad plan, undeserving of serious consideration. 

Anybody watch the debate last night? You can watch the whole thing on the Tennessean now. I thought there were some good questions posed and some reasonably cogent answers. Unfortunately Bone got touchy and took the conversation personal around the 40 minute mark, but it eventually got back on track (no pun intended). 

[MagicPotato]

1 hour ago, markhollin said:

Here's some background on a last minute counter proposal for the Transit Plan.  It's all wishful thinking in that it is a regional plan, and puts an awful lot of emphasis on autonomous cars.

Autonomous vehicles and double-decker highways: Those are the lynchpins of Metro Councilman Robert Swope's vision for mass transit in Nashville, which he unveiled Tuesday.

Dubbed "Intelligent Transit for the It City Nashville," Swope's plan — which was formed in coordination with Memphis-based The Digit Group — suggests implementing new technology to help alleviate the region's growing mobility problems.

Swope said he hopes to eliminate the idea that personal transportation and mass transit have to be separate by building a system of interconnected autonomous vehicles to serve commuters and Davidson County residents.

More at NBJ:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2018/04/10/councilman-unveils-alternative-plan-for-mass.html?ana=twt

Here's the map, which includes 6 surrounding counties:

Part of the proposal is double decker freeways downtown. Once gain, makes no sense funding wise, since all of that money would have to come from TDOT and federal government---not a local Davidson County/Metro referendum.

The primary terminal would be on the PSC Metals site.

Looks like Dallas 2.0   ,  but with automated cars/buses. 

[PruneTracy]

1 hour ago, markhollin said:

The mismatched scale on this is hilarious.

[MagicPotato]

Just now, PruneTracy said:

The mismatched scale on this is hilarious.

Yeah, having an interstate/highway connecting directly to Broadway sounds like a bad idea. 

[Bos2Nash]

16 minutes ago, MagicPotato said:

Yeah, having an interstate/highway connecting directly to Broadway sounds like a bad idea. 

I think everyone on this board would agree that the approximate 8 lanes of traffic shown here could totally fit up broadway and do better for and interrupt the businesses less than a deep bore tunnel with station surface construction lol

Edited April 11, 2018 by Bos2Nash