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The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread


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11 hours ago, e-dub said:

Schitt... Did I just get got on April Fool's Day? LOL

11 hours ago, e-dub said:

I'm pretty angry that after all these years on the internet that I got had today. So disappointing, lol.

If it makes you feel better, this prompted my lunch time walk yesterday. I needed to see it with my own eyes and I welcomed the ridicule once I realized what had happened haha.

 

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NBJ has prepared a 12 part map series showing the various road closures that will happen in steps leading up to the NFL Draft in several weeks.  Below is the final map showing all the streets affected on the big day.

Full set of maps at this link:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/04/03/the-nfl-draft-will-impact-downtown-commutessooner.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

 

Screen Shot 2019-04-03 at 11.52.23 AM.png

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  • 2 weeks later...

New transportation coalition launched, endorsed by 10 CM candidates:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2019/04/16/nashville-needs-transit-plan-puts-people-first/3488347002/

https://www.nashvilletransportation.org/

Their 6 key priorities look good to me. Wonder if they'll get any traction.

Quote

1. IMPLEMENTING SAFE STREETS/VISION ZERO
82 people were killed on Nashville’s streets in 2018 alone, including 23 pedestrians. Redesigning Metro Nashville’s street network with a goal to eliminate these fatalities and all injuries will make all Nashvillians safer.

2. COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PLANNING
Nashville’s community-members will most directly feel the positive and negative consequences of Metro’s transportation decisions. Agencies should proactively seek out impacted communities’ input and trust during those agencies’ planning processes. 

3. NASHVILLE-WIDE BUS IMPROVEMENTS
Nashville’s bus system is Nashville’s public transportation system, and will remain its backbone for decades to come. Metro-wide improvements are necessary to make WeGo’s transit service reliable for existing frequent and occasional riders, and will help build the system’s usefulness in order to attract new and more frequent riders long into the future. 

4. EXPANDING THE SIDEWALK AND PROTECTED BIKE LANE NETWORKS
Everyone in Nashville benefits from a more complete sidewalk network, and protected bike lanes are necessary to make biking and new options like scooters accessible and safe for Nashvillians of all ages and comfort levels.

5. REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CARS DOWNTOWN
Downtown Nashville is a key artery—and a major bottleneck—for all of Metro’s transportation options. Moving more people into and through a rapidly growing Downtown Nashville will require giving on-street priority to more space-efficient transportation options like walking, biking, and public transit, and giving people and their employers new incentives to choose those space-efficient options. 

6. DEDICATED FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION  
Many of this Platform’s actions can be implemented with no additional funding—but even the most vocal opponents of May 2018’s failed transit referendum agreed that Nashville’s transportation system needs new investment to match the region’s continued growth. 

 

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  1. DEDICATED FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION
  2. EXPANDING THE SIDEWALK AND PROTECTED BIKE LANE NETWORKS 
  3.  IMPLEMENTING SAFE STREETS/VISION ZERO
  4. REDUCING THE NUMBER OF CARS DOWNTOWN
  5. NASHVILLE-WIDE BUS IMPROVEMENTS
  6. COMMUNITY-DRIVEN PLANNING

I think all of this is moot if you don't have any money for it. These would be my priorities.

I'm all for community-driven planning but if you asked everyone right now they would just want more lanes, that is not productive. Go into the meetings with the plans done and ready to go. Then let the community have their input... "Nobody turns there. It's busy at this turn during rush hour. That tree would block this street angle. etc etc."

 

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That's because most northern cities were built pre WWII and most southern cities have been built post WWII.  Even in the south the neighborhoods built pre WWII typically have sidewalks.  I'm willing to bet Pontiac or Troy don't have the sidewalk infrastructure Detroit does.  At least that's my observation; I could be wrong.

Edited by L'burgnative
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40 minutes ago, Vrtigo said:

Agreed, @smeagolsfree. Sidewalks would go a long way toward reducing the "second class" status of bus riding here in Nashville.

Especially for someone like myself; I would happily ride the bus every day if I was headed downtown and the schedule made sense, since the last-mile walk is properly equipped for pedestrians. Unfortunately, anything outside of the core results in walking a half mile or more along a soggy ditch adjacent to a four lane highway. Nobody with any other option is going to willingly choose that.

Very well said. I have always thought Nashville needs better pedestrian infrastructure. Since I am not a Nashville resident, I am glad to hear this from someone who lives in Davidson Co.

Imagine if Davidson County had the same sidewalk quality as the hardly-used ones in Cool Springs. 

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Scooters are, according to Channel 5, are just now becoming a problem...

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/despite-new-laws-wheelchair-users-say-scooters-are-still-a-problem

I don't understand how these companies are making money. I remember reading not long ago that they on average lose money per each scooter, because the money generated by each unit is often less than the cost of the unit before it requires refurbishment or replacement. Hopefully the legislation will keep up and start slamming companies and riders with fines for their irresponsible behavior.

 

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Yea, its not just the users that are doing this either. I was in the Gulch last week walking and there were 8 parked on a wheel chair ramp, all the same company, all in a nice little straight line and probably all out there by the same idiot hired to recharge them over night.

I can't tell you haw many times I have moved them off the sidewalk onto the grass strip or onto private property when walking because I have tripped on the blasted things more than once and people coming up behind me going 15 miles and hour scaring the hell out of me while I am walking on the sidewalk and they think they have the right of way.

The laws are not working because Metro does not enforce them and never will  because they dont know how.

Again, you guys know where I stand on these and we should go the route of NYC, and that is a total ban on these companies as they are a hazard. 

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On 4/21/2019 at 5:23 AM, Nathan_in_the_UK said:

Scooters are, according to Channel 5, are just now becoming a problem...

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/despite-new-laws-wheelchair-users-say-scooters-are-still-a-problem

I don't understand how these companies are making money. I remember reading not long ago that they on average lose money per each scooter, because the money generated by each unit is often less than the cost of the unit before it requires refurbishment or replacement. Hopefully the legislation will keep up and start slamming companies and riders with fines for their irresponsible behavior.

 

Every time your stop riding one of these things your have to take a photo. Either METRO or the scooter company themselves should be able to issue fines based on the photo taken by the user. If the photo does not prove that the scooter is in a safe spot (not blocking any right of ways), a warning will prompt to move the scooter or an additional fee will be added to the end users account. 

Wasnt data sharing a part of the ordinance that allows the scooters to be in the city? I would think METRO would be able to monitor how the companies are implementing best practices for their units and if they are failing to improve how people are using them, METRO should fine the companies. If there is no punishment for how the companies are operating, the companies are not going to punish the riders who are irresponsible with the scooters.

Lastly, they aren't making money. Uber itself had $11.3 billion in revenue in 2018 alone, yet still posted an overall loss of $1.3 billion. Granted as market share has increased that number has fallen as well, a couple years ago that total loss was around $4 billion with less revenue. Uber is heading for their IPO later this year or early next year and they are estimating that the IPO valuation could still be over $100 billion dollars for a company that has not been able to turn a profit and showed that they can slowly minimize the losses. Oh and they are also on their 3rd or 4th CEO??? Lyft has already gone public and investors are already beginning to be hesitate (the money has slowed since the public offering) due to concerns of the company being able to make money. Its only a matter of time before the subsidizing of these costs end and the ride-sharing apps spike their prices across the board.

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3 minutes ago, Bos2Nash said:

Lastly, they aren't making money. Uber itself had $11.3 billion in revenue in 2018 alone, yet still posted an overall loss of $1.3 billion. Granted as market share has increased that number has fallen as well, a couple years ago that total loss was around $4 billion with less revenue. Uber is heading for their IPO later this year or early next year and they are estimating that the IPO valuation could still be over $100 billion dollars for a company that has not been able to turn a profit and showed that they can slowly minimize the losses. Oh and they are also on their 3rd or 4th CEO??? Lyft has already gone public and investors are already beginning to be hesitate (the money has slowed since the public offering) due to concerns of the company being able to make money. Its only a matter of time before the subsidizing of these costs end and the ride-sharing apps spike their prices across the board.

It's just like all of the music streaming services.  They lose money...yet the people up top make $$$$...while the songwriters make next to nothing (I know this from personal experience).  So many of these "services" are built on something so flimsy that I wonder how long until the house of cards implodes.

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On 3/27/2019 at 5:46 PM, downtownresident said:

Metro is getting ready to implement a Downtown Bikeway project starting with 3rd and Commerce. 

Here’s a link to the proposed network:

https://www.nashville.gov/Portals/0/SiteContent/Planning/docs/Transportation/Bikeways/Downtown Bikeway Projects - 2019.pdf

More details can be found below:

https://www.nashville.gov/Planning-Department/Transportation/Bikeways/Downtown.aspx

I emailed the mayor's office a couple of weeks ago to support the new/proposed downtown bikeway project and they finally got back: "It has become clear that there are operational and right-of-way challenges that necessitate further engagement prior to implementing a demonstration project. Therefore, the May delivery time frame will be pushed back to ensure this period of due diligence occurs to address mobility goals, as well as operational and safety issues."

They're asking people to fill out this survey and/or email feedback to [email protected].

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South Corridor Transportation Study will be hosting public input meetings for residents in Williamson, Maury and Davidson County. 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/04/04/greater-nashville-regional-council-wego-public-transport-tdot-south-corridor-public-transit/3360680002/

Davidson County Meeting:  Monday, May 6, Adventure Science Center, 800 Fort Negley Blvd., Nashville 5:30pm to 8:00pm

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25 minutes ago, AronG said:

I emailed the mayor's office a couple of weeks ago to support the new/proposed downtown bikeway project and they finally got back: "It has become clear that there are operational and right-of-way challenges that necessitate further engagement prior to implementing a demonstration project. Therefore, the May delivery time frame will be pushed back to ensure this period of due diligence occurs to address mobility goals, as well as operational and safety issues."

They're asking people to fill out this survey and/or email feedback to [email protected].

The main issues that I keep thinking about is where to put loading traffic. 3rd is pretty narrow south of Broadway and there aren’t alleyways to move those uses. 

The loss of the turning lane, construction on the Centric, and continued illegal parking/loading south of Demonbreun has also made 3rd a mess. 

I support the project, and have emailed the city in support, but there are some issues to be worked through. 

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24 minutes ago, downtownresident said:

The main issues that I keep thinking about is where to put loading traffic. 3rd is pretty narrow south of Broadway and there aren’t alleyways to move those uses. 

The loss of the turning lane, construction on the Centric, and continued illegal parking/loading south of Demonbreun has also made 3rd a mess. 

I support the project, and have emailed the city in support, but there are some issues to be worked through. 

Does loading traffic just mean the way they use the street parking to unload trucks for restaurants etc.? Like, yeah, I assume 3rd is going to continue to be a mess at Molloy while they build the Centric, straighten Molloy etc.,, but it doesn't seem like there are that many buildings that don't have some kind of place they could park a box truck for a half-hour and cart their stuff inside.

The truth is any restaurant or shop along 3rd should be ecstatic about this. Every example from other cities shows that it's a lot easier to monetize a stream of bike lane traffic going by your front door because they don't have to find a parking garage before they walk in. If the mayor will get this over the hump the businesses will love it within a year. Of course, the same thing would be true about widening the sidewalks on Broadway and so far that's proceeding at an incredibly glacial pace.

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23 hours ago, Bos2Nash said:

Its only a matter of time before the subsidizing of these costs end and the ride-sharing apps spike their prices across the board.

No manager or CEO would endorse a plan to spike prices across the board.  Every day, they are looking for select times and places to raise prices.  As ridership increases, it will take less of a price increase to reach profitability.  However, I am not making a statement regarding the purchase of their securities, only on the process of how price increases may be used to reach positive cash flow and profitability.

Given the fact that my wife and I are now a one-car family (I just sold my car with no plans to replace it), I am thrilled that Lyft is available when I need them!

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