The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[PaulChinetti]

Pretty cool. 

 

[Neigeville2]

5 hours ago, Sean blackdog said:

For example. 
path for pedestrian parking 

 

So pedestrian paths to parking.  Paths for pedestrian parking would make sense only if pedestrians were going to stand in that path all day. 

[grilled_cheese]

1 hour ago, PaulChinetti said:

Pretty cool. 

 

Very cool.  Look at Williamson County and how it's just Franklin and Leipers fork.  Wonder who and why someone raped it.   Guess Nashville wasn't good enough?

[PaulChinetti]

New Zealand getting rid of parking requirements and other steps. 
 

https://www.mfe.govt.nz/sites/default/files/media/Towns and cities/AA Gazetted - NPSUD 17.07.2020 pdf.pdf

[PillowTalk4]

So, every time I see a photo of the days in Nashville when there was a street car/trolley system, I always wonder why did Nashville get rid of it in the first place?  And, if it went outside of downtown just how far out from downtown did it go?  Does anyone know the answers to these two questions?

This photo of the original Maxwell House Hotel in 1915 was posted by MarkHollin in the Project Thread/New Construction/Photo du jour/Const. CAMs topic.

[markhollin]

Here's a map from the early 1900s of the streetcar grid in Nashville.

Full history here:

https://nashvillehistory.blogspot.com/2015/03/street-railways-in-nashville.html#:~:text=The first streetcar company was the South Nashville,Railway and Cumberland Electric Light %26 Power Company.

[PaulChinetti]

If we could just plop that down right now, oh my. 

[Auntie Yock]

7 hours ago, PillowTalk4 said:

So, every time I see a photo of the days in Nashville when there was a street car/trolley system, I always wonder why did Nashville get rid of it in the first place?

For the same reason virtually every other American city did. It was an impediment to ever-increasing auto traffic, the costs to operate, and buses were seen as more efficient and not requiring set tracks. The biggest enemies of the streetcar, however, were the auto manufacturers. They were more than happy to help cities in removing them, which would then encourage more folks to buy their product.

[MidTenn1]

TDOT has their "Smart Corridor" project underway on I 24 between Murfreesboro and Nashville. It is a $45 million project conceived and budgeted by some TDOT ITS Engineer before he retired. It will coordinate traffic for the entire corridor which includes 41A. If traffic is awful on 24, signs will advise a crossover to 41A where traffic lights will be synchronized and timed to accommodate rush hour traffic. It will help traffic flow significantly.

You're welcome!

 

Some of the structures going up;

An overview of the concept;

 

[LA_TN]

They have been attaching the overhead signs during the past week+

It will be interesting to see if the crossover works. Current congestion on Murfreesboro Pike at LaVergne can currently be a 45 minute delay; thus it will interesting to see Murfreesboro Pike switch gears to accommodate a different traffic flow

One area of concern is there are now several schools with 15mph zones that did not exist when this plan was created (and more on the way). Thank you Metro and Metro schools for the wonderful foresight of placing schools directly on major corridors

[Tennessine]

1 hour ago, PHofKS said:

TDOT has their "Smart Corridor" project underway on I 24 between Murfreesboro and Nashville. It is a $45 million project conceived and budgeted by some TDOT ITS Engineer before he retired. It will coordinate traffic for the entire corridor which includes 41A. If traffic is awful on 24, signs will advise a crossover to 41A where traffic lights will be synchronized and timed to accommodate rush hour traffic. It will help traffic flow significantly.

You're welcome!

 

Some of the structures going up;

An overview of the concept;

 

Thank you so much for your service, sir! This is a state-of-the-art traffic system you and your colleagues at TDOT have developed. 

I'm on the opposite side of town (close to where you are, actually) but I may check this out once completed. 

[PruneTracy]

On 8/6/2020 at 8:49 PM, PHofKS said:

I like the project but I can't believe TDOT allowed butterfly gantries after I've been told on a half-dozen ITS/roadway projects I can't use them.

[MLBrumby]

Still skeptical of this one. But willing to see it in action. I usually time my trips to Nashville around peak traffic. 

[Tennessine]

I'm reading Amtrak is looking to break even this decade for the first time ever. (Thanks, NE corridor)

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.foxbusiness.com/money/amtrak-break-even-profitability.amp

Obviously that won't happen this year thanks to the pandemic, or possibly the next few, but we can see the trend:

 

 

Will this increase our chances of getting a Nashville-Atlanta and/or Memphis-Smokies Amtrak route? Tennessee is more under serviced by commuter rail than any other state.

[markhollin]

Highlights of Mayor Cooper's $1.5 billion transit plan basic proposals:

- New bus rapid transit lines would begin with a $418 million, 13-mile route from downtown to Hickory Holllow at Bell Road along Murfreesboro Pike, crossing the airport.  New bus stations and fast, frequent service would come with traffic management technologies and sidewalk improvements for pedestrians.  Eleven new transit centers are envisioned altogether, including one anchoring bus rapid transit on Clarksville Pike connecting North Nashville with West End and East Nashville via Trinity Lane. That would bring roughly $94 million in capital costs.  A Green Hills/Hillsboro center is also prioritized.

- A $400 million investment in new sidewalks, bridges and street repairs is anticipated throughout the county. 

- $75 million investment would be made to improve safety at high-traffic areas, and $35 million could fund about seven miles of new bikeways a year for five years. Another $15 million would be spent to improve traffic flow with signal sensors. 

- $175 million for long-anticipated Jefferson St. connector between the east and west sections of North Nashville separated by the interstate is also planned.

More at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2020/08/16/nashville-mayor-john-coopers-1-5-billion-transportation-plan-advances/5583447002/?for-guid=1eea646d-632b-4c47-87eb-062bb676cd8f&utm_source=tennessean-Daily Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero

[smeagolsfree]

There is still a considerable outlay of capital funds even with the grants, in a time where Nashville is raising taxes and cutting cost. To say that the residents of Nashville will not be coming after him with torches and pitchforks may be an under statement.

[CenterHill]

Remind me what/where the Jefferson St. connector is.   

[markhollin]

1 hour ago, CenterHill said:

Remind me what/where the Jefferson St. connector is.   

If the land bridge is still what was originally pondered 5+ years ago, it will run from about 11th Ave. North on the east to around 14th Ave. North on the west.  Will considerably widen Jefferson Street Bridge over the interstate creating more of a park/boulevard vibe (lots of trees and greenery) to create better flow of traffic, commerce, and connectivity between the neighborhoods that were split in the early 70s by the freeway.

[rookzie]

20 hours ago, markhollin said:

If the land bridge is still what was originally pondered 5+ years ago, it will run from about 11th Ave. North on the east to around 14th Ave. North on the west.  Will considerably widen Jefferson Street Bridge over the interstate creating more of a park/boulevard vibe (lots of trees and greenery) to create better flow of traffic, commerce, and connectivity between the neighborhoods that were split in the early 70s by the freeway.

 

The land bridge to which markhollin has referred was  formally proposed in 2016 by Metro, as a component of the  Gateway to Heritage Walking Improvements initiative.   This particular land bridge would be in addition to another land bridge at 16th/17th Ave. (also within the 2016 proposal), which is based on a concession once offered by the state during the interstate construction.

Although the rationale is to restore a small portion of lost street connectivity, my honest opinion is that the land bridge(s) alone constitute mere piecemeal "pet projects, a practice typical of what Metro has undertaken to this point in time.  They really should be incorporated into a much more practical proposal for continuity and revitalization of Jefferson Street by incorporating land bridges as a transit corridor proposal and planning, in order to make any significant and meaningful improvements and transformations of mid- and upperJefferson Street.

 

[PaulChinetti]

Yes please to those.

COVER all the interstates!

[LA_TN]

That will give Nashville a resemblance of "popping out of the tunnel in Pittsburgh" feel. And that would be awesome

[Sean blackdog]

Today this morning from Facebook Sky5. 
Mt. Juliet

Edited August 25, 2020 by Sean blackdog

[markhollin]

Mayor Cooper's new $1.5 billion transit plan drawing more questions than answers.

The primary concern: Where's the money?

Nashville is projecting a $200 million hit to its budget this fiscal year from the COVID-19 business shutdowns, and calls to reverse the recent 34% property tax increase are only growing louder. Meanwhile, Nashville's public transit system is hemorrhaging millions of dollars from reduced ridership. 

"I have no idea how they’re going to implement a single thing from that plan for the remainder of this term," said downtown Council Member Freddie O'Connell, who has worked to enact prior transit expansions. "Right now I can’t get $75,000 for the Third Avenue North bike lane project and we've already cleared all the plans and designs."

Cooper wants to focus on enhancing existing bus routes and stations, modernizing traffic signals and infrastructure, expanding sidewalks, and repairing potholes and damaged streets. 

The funding will come from specialized new grants, creative budgeting and private contributions, Cooper's representatives said. 

A final plan with specifics will be presented for support to the full Metro Council sometime before the end of the year, said Faye DiMassimo, the mayor's senior advisor for transportation and infrastructure.

"I view it as them saying they're going to be opportunistic as funding sources become available," said At-large Council Member Bob Mendes. "As a direction, I think more focus on neighborhood infrastructure sounds great. But, without being tied to funding, I don't know what that would be but a statement of present intentions."

The proposal allocates $35 million for new bikeways over the next five years and $400 million for new sidewalks, bridges and street repairs.

But O'Connell said there are few options when it comes to producing new transportation funds. 

"I don't know any other dedicated funding source that allows you to build a transit system other than sales tax," O'Connell said. "I'm in the fifth year of waiting for delivery of 900 linear feet of sidewalk on Herman Street. 

"People are walking more and want more access to open space, so this is the best possible time to do low-cost, high-impact infrastructure. And we can't even do that. I hope that changes over the next three years, but I can't say I'm optimistic."

More behind The Tennessean paywall here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2020/08/31/nashvilles-new-transit-plan-draws-questions-funding/5633054002/

[MLBrumby]

O'Connell's profile has been rising of late. Do folks here think he'll make a run for mayor next time?  I predicted back when Cooper won that there would be a power play started by a/some member(s) of the Metro Council very early in his term. Politicians can smell blood. Cooper has inflicted a lot of those cuts on himself. 

[PaulChinetti]

I don't know, he's quoted a lot because he's the council person for downtown but I don't know if he has any appeal to all the voters in the outer districts.