The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[markhollin]

Governor Lee is continuing to gather ideas for helping metro Nashville's transportation issues"

“Texas has a model that uses regional authorities that's interesting to me because it allows local transportation authorities to make decisions about their own communities,” he said. “It's not a state-mandated program. It's the state working with a locally driven transportation authority. I like that structure.”

Since a multi-billion-dollar transit initiative failed at the ballot box in Nashville in 2018, local leaders have been trying to regroup. In October, Lee met with Middle Tennessee officials to discuss the issue at an event convened by the Greater Nashville Regional Council. The gathering was the first in a 9 month community engagement process to develop a new plan for transportation and transit in the Nashville area.

Though Lee wants local authorities to lead the way, Franklin Mayor Ken Moore said in October that Lee’s role was vital.

Lee has described the transit issue as an economic one. Traffic congestion costs businesses but addressing it “isn’t easy to do because the city’s growing so fast that it’s very difficult to stay ahead of it.”

“Kicking it down the road is not a good strategy, doing nothing is not a good strategy, hope is not a good strategy, so we’re trying to develop one,” he said.
 

More behind the Nashville Post paywall here:

https://www.nashvillepost.com/politics/state-government/article/21108010/lee-talks-regional-transit

[Bos2Nash]

^^He's saying the right things. Let's just hope he can act the right way.

[grilled_cheese]

Narrator:  He won't.

[Dale]

13 hours ago, grilled_cheese said:

Narrator:  He won't.

That’s the spirit!

[AronG]

On 1/3/2020 at 9:24 AM, Bos2Nash said:

^^He's saying the right things. Let's just hope he can act the right way.

Is he? I hope so, but I can't shake the feeling that all this "regional" talk is just going to lead to some giant interstate project (like the $2.6 billion beauty in Louisville), maybe with a few sidewalks and walking trails thrown in to make it "multi-modal".

[PaulChinetti]

27 minutes ago, AronG said:

Is he? I hope so, but I can't shake the feeling that all this "regional" talk is just going to lead to some giant interstate project (like the $2.6 billion beauty in Louisville), maybe with a few sidewalks and walking trails thrown in to make it "multi-modal".

Good lord, that interchange, WHHHHHYYYYY!

I hope the same, I can see the whole "double decker" interchange coming back into the conversation or something similarly not helpful.

[downtownresident]

21 minutes ago, AronG said:

Is he? I hope so, but I can't shake the feeling that all this "regional" talk is just going to lead to some giant interstate project (like the $2.6 billion beauty in Louisville), maybe with a few sidewalks and walking trails thrown in to make it "multi-modal".

Thankfully Nashville will have new high rises and apartments lining the west loop of the interstate, and along River North, so we are unlikely to have that happen downtown. We are more likely to see something like this for the 40/440/24 junction, or the Ellington parkway interchange on the east. 
 

TDOT has been pretty clear that adding lanes isn’t an option. I’d imagine we might get dedicated ROW express busses along the interstate corridors, with a prayer of getting Commuter rail.
 

If we could get dedicated ROW BRT, an expansion of the sidewalk network, and a light rail line to the airport down Murfreesboro Pike in Davidson Co. along with dedicated ROW transit along the interstate corridor, I feel like that would be a good starting point for a regional system. This of course is predicated on the local jurisdictions providing some form of transit that connects to the last mile. 

[MLBrumby]

Wow! Nashville needs so much in this area. We've discussed how the I-24/I-65 interchange just north of dt looks exactly the same as in 1978. The "Fern Squeeze" used to annoy me that they kept that bridge on that stony ridge, even when they revamped the freeways 20 years ago. Now I just suppress a smile and shake my head on the rare occasions when I pass through it. But Nashville needs a comprehensive mass transit plan... and I've said my piece on this forum before: they'll need to dedicate lanes (whether it be bus/LRT/etc.) on secondary streets that currently are broken off by the freeway. Streets like Hayes/Grundy with a bridge over I-40/I-65.... and 3rd Avenue North over I-65 to MetroCenter... etc. Also, one of the Germantown streets that run E-W over the river to River North and beyond to East Nashville. That way the ROW costs will not be nearly as much as if they cut completely new paths. 

Edited January 6, 2020 by MLBrumby

[Nash_12South]

There are a lot of plans that have been proposed, it's getting funding for anything that's the issue. The state legislature doesn't like the big cities. Perhaps out new republican governor and our somewhat republican new mayor can work out something. I among the doubtful for now. Everyone talks a good game but can't do much in first administrations.

[downtownresident]

5 minutes ago, Nash_12South said:

There are a lot of plans that have been proposed, it's getting funding for anything that's the issue. The state legislature doesn't like the big cities. Perhaps out new republican governor and our somewhat republican new mayor can work out something. I among the doubtful for now. Everyone talks a good game but can't do much in first administrations.

Governor Lee seems to be interested, given that transit access is becoming more important to companies looking to expand/relocate. 

[nashvylle]

2 hours ago, Nash_12South said:

There are a lot of plans that have been proposed, it's getting funding for anything that's the issue. The state legislature doesn't like the big cities. Perhaps out new republican governor and our somewhat republican new mayor can work out something. I among the doubtful for now. Everyone talks a good game but can't do much in first administrations.

When has a governor, regardless of party, openly admitted that transit is an issue that needs to be addressed? 

[markhollin]

An interview with new Transportation Chief for theMayor's office, Faye DiMassimo, has in interview before who sets out on 11 part tour of Davidson Country to hear directly from residents about a new transportation plan.

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2020/01/09/mayor-coopers-transportation-chief-on-how-upcoming.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

[PaulChinetti]

How much are they paying this person, I'll do the job in perpetuity since it seems that it happens every couple of years. Run through the 11 counties then just start over, rinse and repeat. Like the team that paints the Golden Gate Bridge. 

I wish Nashville would just pick one thing, say pedestrian infrastructure and go hard on it, just START SOMETHING, ANYTHING!

How have the traffic lights not been re-timed already? How much does that take? It would be nice if there was a camera at each intersection, and if there is a back up a central office could take over the light and get traffic moving.

[BnaBreaker]

23 minutes ago, PaulChinetti said:

How much are they paying this person, I'll do the job in perpetuity since it seems that it happens every couple of years. Run through the 11 counties then just start over, rinse and repeat. Like the team that paints the Golden Gate Bridge. 

I wish Nashville would just pick one thing, say pedestrian infrastructure and go hard on it, just START SOMETHING, ANYTHING!

How have the traffic lights not been re-timed already? How much does that take? It would be nice if there was a camera at each intersection, and if there is a back up a central office could take over the light and get traffic moving.

I totally agree... I also wish they'd stop having SO many 'community meetings' throughout the planning process.  I mean,  I agree that receiving input and opinions from the residents these projects would effect is important to a degree.  At the same time though, the vast majority of these folks are not transportation engineers and, truthfully, have no idea what they're talking about.  So there's only so much weight we should be putting into this community input.  Like you said, I wish they'd just pick a place to start, go all out on it, do it the right way, and then move onto the next step.  We've been talking about doing something for decades now.  Time to actually DO something.

[grilled_cheese]

It's all for show.  They ain't gonna do crap.

[Nashvillain]

2 hours ago, BnaBreaker said:

I totally agree... I also wish they'd stop having SO many 'community meetings' throughout the planning process.  I mean,  I agree that receiving input and opinions from the residents these projects would effect is important to a degree.  At the same time though, the vast majority of these folks are not transportation engineers and, truthfully, have no idea what they're talking about.  So there's only so much weight we should be putting into this community input.  Like you said, I wish they'd just pick a place to start, go all out on it, do it the right way, and then move onto the next step.  We've been talking about doing something for decades now.  Time to actually DO something.

With no due respect to transportation engineers, they don't have any idea what they're talking about either. See Nashville transportation for evidence. 

[PruneTracy]

19 hours ago, Nashvillain said:

With no due respect to transportation engineers, they don't have any idea what they're talking about either. See Nashville transportation for evidence. 

[nashvylle]

not sure where this “proposal” came from or how real it is, but it’s on Twitter, so I have to share. 

[downtownresident]

Is CSX gonna let them use existing tracks, or would they have to build new(or maybe a combo of both)? 

[nashvylle]

2 minutes ago, downtownresident said:

Is CSX gonna let them use existing tracks, or would they have to build new(or maybe a combo of both)? 

I don't know, but I would bet we would have to build new tracks. 

[downtownresident]

5 minutes ago, nashvylle said:

I don't know, but I would bet we would have to build new tracks. 

If they build new, it'd sure be nice to use the Murfreesboro->Nashville tracks for some commuter rail. 

[smeagolsfree]

16 hours ago, nashvylle said:

not sure where this “proposal” came from or how real it is, but it’s on Twitter, so I have to share. 

Probably right here.

 

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2020/01/15/amtrak-nashville-tennessee-train-service-state-legislators/4470256002/

[markhollin]

Indeed, Amtrak Senior Dir. of Government Affairs Ray Lang presented a plan for new Tennessee lines to Atlanta and Chicago at the Statehouse yesterday. Two of those proposed lines would connect Memphis to Chicago and Nashville to Atlanta with stops in Murfreesboro, Tullahoma and Chattanooga. 

The company operates at a loss, so states that have inter-city service cover those losses to have the long-distance passenger trains. Lang estimated that Tennessee could be on the hook for several million dollars a year if the plan comes to fruition. 

Federal law allows Amtrak access to freight rail lines, but the costs for access are also high. 

CSX Transportation operates most of the track needed for Amtrak's plans in Tennessee. A study is needed to understand the full cost of new infrastructure and planning to add new capacity. 

Introducing passenger trains to heavily used freight lines will be a complex, costly process, said CSX State Government and Community Affairs Vice President Jane Covington. The change could result in costly delays for the industries that rely on the tracks if the transition isn't managed well.

"I understand that Amtrak is here today simply to gauge the state's interest. This is the first we're seeing of this," Covington told the committee. "And I understand that you guys are hearing from your constituents about the crowded roads, and you're obviously looking for solutions to that. But we want to make sure you do it in a way to make sure it doesn't backfire and divert freight off the rails and onto the highways."

More at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2020/01/15/amtrak-nashville-tennessee-train-service-state-legislators/4470256002/

[nashvylle]

Doesn’t sound too promising, and appears to be dependent upon making a deal with CSX. 

Edited January 15, 2020 by nashvylle

[PaulChinetti]

34 minutes ago, markhollin said:

Introducing passenger trains to heavily used freight lines will be a complex, costly process, said CSX State Government and Community Affairs Vice President Jane Covington. The change could result in costly delays for the industries that rely on the tracks if the transition isn't managed well.

Eye roll. CSX would actually have to manage their rail. Instead of whatever the hell they do now. Because it surely doesn't care about delays as trains sit across roads for hours on end blocking them.