The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[PaulChinetti]

1 hour ago, Craiger said:

 

 

We have the data why hasn’t the city fined any of these companies. I have to assume it’s sitting in some database somewhere because someone forgot the password to get in. 

Fine the bad actors don’t screw it up for everyone Briley! 

[BnaBreaker]

I understand the frustrations folks have with the scooters, and I completely agree that significant steps need to be taken in order to reign them in and control their usage.  However, we cannot deny that the reason these scooters are so popular in the first place is because there is a severe shortage of viable alternative transportation options in this city, so I feel like we can't blame the scooter companies entirely, as in the end they are merely filling a need.  And unfortunately, it seems the problem is only going to get worse in the short term with the proposed MTA budget cuts and the cancellation of the free downtown circulator.  Sometimes people need to have a way to get from point A to point B that doesn't require an automobile.  This city is not providing them with that, so they look elsewhere.  Simple as that.

[downtownresident]

2 minutes ago, BnaBreaker said:

I understand the frustrations folks have with the scooters, and I completely agree that significant steps need to be taken in order to reign them in and control their usage.  However, we cannot deny that the reason these scooters are so popular in the first place is because there is a severe shortage of viable alternative transportation options in this city, so I feel like we can't blame the scooter companies entirely, as in the end they are merely filling a need.  And unfortunately, it seems the problem is only going to get worse in the short term with the proposed MTA budget cuts and the cancellation of the free downtown circulator.  Sometimes people need to have a way to get from point A to point B that doesn't require an automobile.  This city is not providing them with that, so they look elsewhere.  Simple as that.

I’ve gone to driving once or twice a week thanks to the scooters and the Nashville Bcycles(thankfully have a drop off at home and work), and really feel that a lot within the 440 loop could do the same if the city would build out the infrastructure(bike lanes and a parking solution). 

[nashwatcher]

Not impressed with Briley's lack of effort to figure out how to fix the current problems associated with scooters and allow us as a city to utilize the potential of this form of transit. Instead, we're just banning them. Seems so so so short sighted. 

Get rid of on the street parking in favor of bike/scooter lanes where people can get around without an automobile.  More and more cars downtown as the years pass is NOT the solution. If NYC can make bike lanes work so well, we can do something as well. The need is clearly there.

[markhollin]

Mayor Briley wants transit on Dickerson Pike, even if that means Metro has to pay to figure out how to do it. He has proposed spending $2 million on a study to evaluate how to build transit and improve pedestrian access along Dickerson Pike, according to Metro's recently released capital improvements budget. That budget is essentially a wish list of infrastructure projects that are then funneled into the capital spending plan, which Metro Council votes on each fall.

These funds would essentially replace the federal dollars Metro lost out on in December. Briley's administration had applied to receive a $1.5 million BUILD Transportation grant to fund a similar study.

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/05/23/no-feds-no-problem-briley-pushes.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

[smeagolsfree]

You think we have a lot of scooters here.... Austin has 10 companies and 14k scooters. They jut put more rules in place. I will bet by this time next year they will be talking a ban.

https://www.kut.org/post/austin-now-has-rules-dockless-scooter-riders

 

[PaulChinetti]

5 million rides. Has anyone seen anything about how many rides and/or miles that Nashville riders have used?

[Jamie Hall]

14 hours ago, nashwatcher said:

Not impressed with Briley's lack of effort to figure out how to fix the current problems associated with scooters and allow us as a city to utilize the potential of this form of transit. Instead, we're just banning them. Seems so so so short sighted. 

Get rid of on the street parking in favor of bike/scooter lanes where people can get around without an automobile.  More and more cars downtown as the years pass is NOT the solution. If NYC can make bike lanes work so well, we can do something as well. The need is clearly there.

Exactly. I don't recall Metro going to bicycle manufacturers looking for them to regulate use of bicycles around town. No, instead the city spent a giant wad of money to install extensive bike lanes, expand existing lanes, push pedestrian/vehicle/cycling education and procedures, and install signage -- all of which has seen (in my opinion) very limited use. I'm baffled that Briley and Metro can't seem to figure out how to accommodate scooters in the same way they accommodated bicycles. 

But if Metro really is dead-set on putting the burden on scooter companies, then just require them to help pay for proper signage and markings to indicate proper bike/scooter lanes and designated scooter drop-off/parking areas. Or put on an extra 5-cent tax per use that will go toward that.

I voted for Briley, but he and this council need to stop acting like their hair is on fire and just fix the problem. If this city can't address an issue like scooters, there's no way we'll ever address the ones that matter, like our mediocre schools, infrastructure, and housing.

 

Edited May 24, 2019 by Jamie Hall

[MLBrumby]

This is actually a MAYORAL CAMPAIGN ISSUE?! As if Nashville doesn't have other far more urgent problems. I personally think the scooters should have more control from both entities (gov & companies), but it looks like the weasely mayor is trying to nip this issue in the bud. One of the recently declared candidates (Adam Dread) actually made this his whole platform. Of course, that guy is a colossal joke. I was at Vandy when he was still there. I think he entered school there about 10 years before me. 

[smeagolsfree]

I dont really think it is an issue as all four candidates are against scooters.

[MontanaGuy]

16 hours ago, nashwatcher said:

Not impressed with Briley's lack of effort to figure out how to fix the current problems associated with scooters and allow us as a city to utilize the potential of this form of transit. Instead, we're just banning them. Seems so so so short sighted. 

Get rid of on the street parking in favor of bike/scooter lanes where people can get around without an automobile.  More and more cars downtown as the years pass is NOT the solution. If NYC can make bike lanes work so well, we can do something as well. The need is clearly there.

I disagree with the idea of just banning scooters for the obvious reason that it allows people to covers a wide area around downtown which they could never do on foot while taking up little space as they're doing it.  Sensible regulations could be put into place once we're more aware of where the accidents are likely to occur and what causes them.

However, I strongly disagree with the idea of simply banning on street parking.  I'm 70 years old and would not be able to use them and there's a lot of other people who are just in their 40's and older who wouldn't feel comfortable riding one of them either.  I sometimes drive downtown, usually on a weekend, and park my car on the street and walk around to sightsee just like everybody else.  So while I don't want to see young people punished by banning the scooters when I'm sure there's got to be some common sense ways to make that safe I also don't want to be punished as a senior citizen by eliminating on street parking.  But having said that I think we all need to be flexible in the best interests of the general public and maybe a ban on just a few congested streets of on street parking would benefit everyone, as long as it wasn't too large of an area.  I've watched many young people on those scooters and they seem to be having a good time and are enjoying themselves and to be honest those pedal powered vehicles that take up more room than a pickup truck while creeping along at a snails pace clog up the traffic much worse than the scooters do!

[markhollin]

Gantry cranes with a lifting capacity of 100 tons are now being utilized as part of the I-440 reconstruction.

More at the Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/2019/05/24/i-440-construction-nashville-giant-red-cranes/1222997001/

[Dale]

What “lack of viable transit options” has led to scooterpalooza ? Lack of a tram that will take me all of four blocks that I could walk in ten minutes tops ?

[downtownresident]

1 minute ago, Dale said:

What “lack of viable transit options” has led to scooterpalooza ? Lack of a tram that will take me all of four blocks that I could walk in ten minutes tops ?

Scooters aren’t used to go four blocks. I typically use them to go places that would be a 30-45 min walk. For short to medium distances, scooters are faster and more convenient than either busses or walking.  

[nashwatcher]

19 minutes ago, Dale said:

What “lack of viable transit options” has led to scooterpalooza ? Lack of a tram that will take me all of four blocks that I could walk in ten minutes tops ?

4 blocks? That’s not what they’re used for.  They’re used for more like 30 minute walks. In the future because they’re no longer available i’ll need to get an Uber.  Which means more cars causing more congestion downtown.  Sad our government leaders have decided to throw the baby out with the bath water. No effort to work hard and figure out how to fix the issues.

[smeagolsfree]

If they are banned you can blame all the idiots that do not know how to use them. I would suggest to go out and just buy one.

[e-dub]

ITT: anger.

[PaulChinetti]

1 hour ago, markhollin said:

 

I was wondering what those where, I could see them from the 8th Ave Kroger and I was puzzled. 

100 tons!! 

Edited May 24, 2019 by PaulChinetti

[thenorthchannel]

Dont have a picture but the gantry have flag hung from them now for Memorial Day Weekend

[Dale]

2 hours ago, nashwatcher said:

4 blocks? That’s not what they’re used for.  They’re used for more like 30 minute walks. In the future because they’re no longer available i’ll need to get an Uber.  Which means more cars causing more congestion downtown.  Sad our government leaders have decided to throw the baby out with the bath water. No effort to work hard and figure out how to fix the issues.

Everybody knows somebody who needs to ride a scooter 2 miles I guess.

[ruraljuror]

2 hours ago, Dale said:

Everybody knows somebody who needs to ride a scooter 2 miles I guess.

Everybody knows somebody who needs to drive a car 2 miles, too, but I'm not sure what your point is.   Are you just saying that you personally would prefer to walk those two miles than ride a scooter or drive?  If so, congrats on your healthy lifestyle choice and thanks for sharing I guess, but if that's not your point then I'm missing it.

[nashwatcher]

What if Amazon helped fund bike/scooter lanes throughout downtown? They could even test out their autonomous delivery bots in the lanes in the years to come. 

[deletethisaccount]

On 5/25/2019 at 3:33 AM, nashwatcher said:

What if Amazon helped fund bike/scooter lanes throughout downtown? They could even test out their autonomous delivery bots in the lanes in the years to come. 

I fully expect last mile delivery hardware to flood our streets in the same capacity that the scooters have done overnight: 

 

[AronG]

On 5/24/2019 at 8:27 AM, PaulChinetti said:

5 million rides. Has anyone seen anything about how many rides and/or miles that Nashville riders have used?

CM Elrod mentioned a million and a half rides in his facebook post: 

And he should know because the scooter companies are required to report detailed info to metro. That's an insane amount of usage in less than a year on a brand new form of transportation. They've had less than a year of service right? I tried to look it up. Bird showed up last spring, then everybody was banned for a few months until they passed the regulations.

Really seems like a bad idea to shut this down and dump all that traffic back into cars. For those that aren't shaking their fists at the new-fangled gizmos, you have to wonder how high this could go if we actually provided any infrastructure for it. Like, right now you have to choose between riding on the sidewalk and feeling like a jerk, or riding on the street and taking your life in your hand with distracted and/or angry drivers. But despite this we're running somewhere pretty far north of 4,000 trips a day? How many people would use them if we had a few protected bike lanes downtown? How many people would use them if we had a single safe bike lane to get into the inner loop? 10,000 a day? 20,000 a day? When is it enough to admit that it's real and useful and much less expensive to support?

[bigeasy]

I know it might make it more inconvenient when it comes to accessing scooters, but couldn't they use parking lots/garages to park them? Force the scooter companies to rent out a few spaces and tell the riders they have to be parked there. You could probably fit 10 or so in one spot, if not more. Or it wouldn't have to be a parking spot but set up an area similar to a bike rack but for scooters. Then have a geofence for those spots and if the scooter isn't returned in that area then the rider could be charged a fee.

I know they wouldn't be able to ride directly from point A to B, but that would at least remove them from being scattered along the sidewalk. The only way you are going to solve an issue like parking is to start charging people, and the only way to prevent riders from riding on the sidewalk is to have police enforce it. It is a colossal waste of our law enforcements time, but maybe have them do a heavy push for one or two weeks, publicize it on the news so that riders are aware, and then before a rider can start a ride make them accept an agreement that says to not ride on the sidewalk.