MultiModal Money

[goodbye]

I'm not sure if this is what they mean, but it sounds like the seperate Upstate lines would be LRT (Light Rail Transit) in addition to the regional high-speed mass transit. If so, I like the idea of each city having its own stop and connecting to the main hub at GSP. A person traveling out of the Upstate could just hop onto the LRT in their city, get off at the main hub at GSP, and then jump onto the high-speed mass transit line going to Charlotte or Atlanta. Awesome!

[mallguy]

There was talk- and plans were even drawn up- back in the 1970s to make then then-Southern Railway station into a multimodal hub. That didn't happen.

[jarvismj]

Providence, RI is doing something that I really think would work better for the upstate. They just broke ground on a station near TF Green Airport, that sits on the NEC, and the line goes all the way to Providence's downtown station, then to Boston, or south all the way to Washington DC. That to me would be the way to do it, have a station near GSP, with a commuter type service that utilizes the tracks locally, and have Interstate Service also. I believe EWR and BWI already have something like that set up, with a shuttle to the airport.

[goodbye]

Yes, that sounds like the plan I could see working best in the Upstate.

• Main line running through,

• smaller local lines connecting to the local cities,

• and all transit connecting in the main hub at GSP.

[mallguy]

Both EWR and JFK have rail systems to the airport- the airport-to-rail-station link for EWR is a monorail.

[RestedTraveler]

Doesn't the light rail system in Baltimore connect down to BWI, too? It's been so long since I've been up there that I don't recall exactly.

It would make sense logistically for any multi-modal hub to be located at GSP International; however, if there is a main rail line (high speed rail, or whatever) running through between Charlotte and Atlanta, I fear it would draw airline passengers away to the airports at those other cities. Likewise, it could also draw passengers from those other cities to GSP for flights, I suppose. The end result may be that it makes airfare more competitive here?

[NYTransplant]

Back when O'Hare had lockers in the terminal, I would plan for a long layover, rent a locker, throw all my stuff in it and take the Blue Line downtown for a bite to eat and get back in time for my connection.

Thanks to 9/11, those days are gone.

[gs3]

Providence, RI is doing something that I really think would work better for the upstate. They just broke ground on a station near TF Green Airport, that sits on the NEC, and the line goes all the way to Providence's downtown station, then to Boston, or south all the way to Washington DC. That to me would be the way to do it, have a station near GSP, with a commuter type service that utilizes the tracks locally, and have Interstate Service also. I believe EWR and BWI already have something like that set up, with a shuttle to the airport.

I've always thought of Providence as a "Northern Greenville". Not the biggest city by far, but man, what a quality downtown. It's downtown rebirth and renaissance mirrors Greenville's closely. Providence seems to really have some smart leadership (much like Greenville). I haven't flown into TF Green in more than a year, this is great to hear about the rail link! Greenville should check them out.

[g-man430]

Time to bring this issue back up again. Something could be in the works beginning this year. The Federal Transit Administration is giving money to this project in 2007, 2008, and 2009. Check out page 11, 22, and 25 for more info: http://www.greenvilleplanning.com/transpor.../2007%20TIP.pdf

[g-man430]

Jacob:

If I have not already responded to you, I apologize. I think this

e-mail got lost in a pile, and I just found it.

Anyway, in answer to your question, the City of Greenville received a

$1 million Congressional earmark in the FY06 appropriations budget for

use in transportation funding. The City intends to use this money to

help fund a bigger project that would center around a multi-modal

transportation center, most likely around the Carolina First Center

(formerly known as Palmetto Expo Center), that would serve as the center

for a multi-modal system that would operate from downtown Greenville to

Carolina First Center and the downtown airport out to

Woodruff/Verdae/Laurens Roads and all the developments occurring. This

is a long-term plan, and the $1 million is a starting point.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me. Again, I want

to apologize for not getting back with you sooner. It was not my

intention to ignore your question.

Thanks.

Julie J. Horton, APR

Director of Public Affairs

City of Greenville

864/467-5717 (Office)

864/313-8018 (Cell)

[email protected]

[email protected]

[gs3]

Jacob:

If I have not already responded to you, I apologize. I think this

e-mail got lost in a pile, and I just found it.

Anyway, in answer to your question, the City of Greenville received a

$1 million Congressional earmark in the FY06 appropriations budget for

use in transportation funding. The City intends to use this money to

help fund a bigger project that would center around a multi-modal

transportation center, most likely around the Carolina First Center

(formerly known as Palmetto Expo Center), that would serve as the center

for a multi-modal system that would operate from downtown Greenville to

Carolina First Center and the downtown airport out to

Woodruff/Verdae/Laurens Roads and all the developments occurring. This

is a long-term plan, and the $1 million is a starting point.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call me. Again, I want

to apologize for not getting back with you sooner. It was not my

intention to ignore your question.

Thanks.

Julie J. Horton, APR

Director of Public Affairs

City of Greenville

864/467-5717 (Office)

864/313-8018 (Cell)

[email protected]

[email protected]

[goodbye]

Her response is somewhat general as she states "multi-modal SYSTEM".......does this include light rail?

[Greenville]

^ I agree that it will include light rail. Who knows how long it will take to implement, but I assume city leaders are counting on these high-traffic stations to be successful. And hopefully the public will embrace light rail and more stations can gradually be added...

[gs3]

I know it's long term, but will be so glad to see the day we have light rail.

I still get this happy feeling about the possible future of light rail everytime I drive on Woodruff (near Laurens Road where it's being widened). The old train trestle from the abandoned rail line was torn down and the abutments moved back, then new supports for a new bridge were put in place. In this day and age of budgets, an expenditure like this simply isn't done unless there is a future plan in place. I'd really like to find out who in government I could ask about these new supports and abutments, because I can only logically come to one option.....future use of the abandoned line.

Maybe one of the reporters on here could do some investigative work.

[g-man430]

^^^John Boyanski, that's your cue. I sent here another email asking her when the multi-modal center along with the hotel(s), shops, restaurants, and offices might be built at theCarolina First Center.

[g-man430]

...and she just sent me a response:

Jacob:

I don't know that I can answer that question right now. Most

assuredly, it won't be decades, but it will occur as funding becomes

available -- from local, state and federal funds. However, Greenville

is known to move quickly on projects that are as important as this one.

And given Greenville's rapid growth, there must be a transportation

infrastructure developed that will support the influx of people,

businesses, and all that comes with it.

As for the Carolina First Center (formerly known as the Palmetto Expo

Center), work to update and upgrade the facility continues. As that

work is completed and other plans to bring a multimodal center to the

area and other plans to make use of the Center as a bridge between

downtown and all the growth along I-85, it makes it easier to lure a

convention center-type premier hotel and restaurants to the area.

"Build it, and they will come."

Please feel free to call me if you need to talk about any of this.

Thanks.

[GvilleSC]

Wow, there is an interesting ARTICLE IN TODAY'S GREENVILLE NEWS about the City receiving $1 million as part of a federal transportation bill that just passed in Congress. This money is intended to be used to build a multimodal in downtown, but it appears that City officials had put the idea on the backburner. I think the subject will become a much more prominent buzz in the near future. The bus station will be moved into that multimodal (probably somewhere on West Washington Street) and that large chunk of the Washington/McBee/Richardson block will become the most prime piece of land for development in the CBD.

[GvilleSC]

I just saw this for Houston's Intermodal transit place:

I like the roof. Perhaps when time comes for some real renderings and not simply "ideas", as we have seen so far, maybe we'll see something more inspiring...

[gs3]

I just saw this for Houston's Intermodal transit place:

I like the roof. Perhaps when time comes for some real renderings and not simply "ideas", as we have seen so far, maybe we'll see something more inspiring...