Jump to content

Memphis LRT


sleepy

Recommended Posts

Since I don't live in Memphis, I don't have a clue on the progress of Memphis' LRT proposal. Last I heard, a line to the airport from downtown using the Madison Avenue streetcar route was in the works. I know Memphis has some budget problems, yet the city still spends like King Farouk. Anyone in Memphis have any info?

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 15
  • Created
  • Last Reply

It's still in the planning phase. I checked the website and it looks like there's a Steering Committee meeting in a couple of weeks.

I think the big debate is whether to run the line through Midtown/Overton Square/Cooper-Young to the airport, or to go down a pretty scary part of Crump and/or Lamar. I think everyone wants it to go through Midtown and Cooper-Young, except those who live, work and own shops there. The extension to the Medical Center left a bad taste in everyone's mouth because of the disruption it caused.

For more information, including maps, you can go to http://www.matatransit.com/pr_regrail.html.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since I don't live in Memphis, I don't have a clue on the progress of Memphis' LRT proposal. Last I heard, a line to the airport from downtown using the Madison Avenue streetcar route was in the works. I know Memphis has some budget problems, yet the city still spends like King Farouk. Anyone in Memphis have any info?

This article was in today's commercial appeal....

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_...4271055,00.html

The article states that the LRT system will ease traffic, etc., etc., etc. AND help revitalize neglected neighborhoods. I still say that the ONLY purpose for public transportation is to move people in an efficient manner. MATA just doesn't seem to understand that if a line is built through the Lamar/Airways corridor, no one will ride those trains. I would rather spend and arm and a leg on gas than to possibly be robbed among other things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's still in the planning phase. I checked the website and it looks like there's a Steering Committee meeting in a couple of weeks.

I think the big debate is whether to run the line through Midtown/Overton Square/Cooper-Young to the airport, or to go down a pretty scary part of Crump and/or Lamar. I think everyone wants it to go through Midtown and Cooper-Young, except those who live, work and own shops there. The extension to the Medical Center left a bad taste in everyone's mouth because of the disruption it caused.

For more information, including maps, you can go to http://www.matatransit.com/pr_regrail.html.

Yea this is the last i herd from this project also. I get my info from http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/ligh...ansitinmemphis/

but it goes through times w/o posts for a while prob cause they're going really carefully w/ this line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This article was in today's commercial appeal....

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_...4271055,00.html

The article states that the LRT system will ease traffic, etc., etc., etc. AND help revitalize neglected neighborhoods. I still say that the ONLY purpose for public transportation is to move people in an efficient manner. MATA just doesn't seem to understand that if a line is built through the Lamar/Airways corridor, no one will ride those trains. I would rather spend and arm and a leg on gas than to possibly be robbed among other things.

I would think that in a poorer neighborhood, transit ridership would be higher. In other words, it would be more likely to be used for the purpose of moving people.

The whole problem with this thing is that they should build the first route out to Collierville along Poplar, then at Laurelwood it should take the RR track ROW along Southern past Univ. of Memphis to Parkway, up Parkway to Central, then Cooper, then Madison, then downtown. Once they get the rich folks in Germantown and Collierville to accept LRT as a viable system--build nice stations, etc.--other routes could follow.

This airport route just doesn't make much sense to me, although I'm sure there are a number of people in the Lamar corridor who work around the airport or downtown. But just think of all the jobs in the Poplar corridor and downtown that employ suburbanites. Plus, many students could take it to the U of M if it did that route.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would think that in a poorer neighborhood, transit ridership would be higher. In other words, it would be more likely to be used for the purpose of moving people.

The whole problem with this thing is that they should build the first route out to Collierville along Poplar, then at Laurelwood it should take the RR track ROW along Southern past Univ. of Memphis to Parkway, up Parkway to Central, then Cooper, then Madison, then downtown. Once they get the rich folks in Germantown and Collierville to accept LRT as a viable system--build nice stations, etc.--other routes could follow.

This airport route just doesn't make much sense to me, although I'm sure there are a number of people in the Lamar corridor who work around the airport or downtown. But just think of all the jobs in the Poplar corridor and downtown that employ suburbanites. Plus, many students could take it to the U of M if it did that route.

I agree that there would be more riders in poorer neighborhoods, but I think public transportation should be for everyone (rich or poor). I know that if the first line runs through a ghetto though, that the project will go downhill because first impressions are the most important. The first news story about someone getting robbed or killed at (or near) an LRT station is going to send a strong message to middle and upper class residents that would like to cut back on gas consumption, minus risking their safety of course.

An east-west line along Poplar and a north-south line along East Parkway to the airport would especially work with all of the talk about turning the fairgrounds into a transportation hub for light rail and buses.

Off the subject... If the Coliseum is razed and the area is transformed into a transportation hub, I think Libertyland would probably do better. To bad we'll never find out since they're not opening back up next year. :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know what ever happened with the donated CSX line? maybe if that would get built with a park and ride station, it'll give people a better impression of Cordova and help sell some of thoses homes. IMO people still want to live in the suburbs but with gas prices today, wish they had a reliable, and classy (meaning not the bus :P ), form of public transport. Ofcourse then we would have to find a way to get people from Cordova to Poplar, but that line will be way in the future.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in Germantown and would ride the train into East Memphis if we had it. I agree 100% with the comment that as soon as someone were mugged, beaten, shot or killed on a train that went through a blighted neighborhood that Memphians would abandon the system completely. Just look at our track record with malls. A soon as the demographics shift and mischief starts - Memphians run for cover. Not an opinion, just fact. Yes there are some people that would ride it regardlessly no matter what. The city just needs to build the system extremely CAREFULLY in order to maximize its potential. Including a UofM stop would be VERY smart because YOUTH = vitality and energy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in Germantown and would ride the train into East Memphis if we had it. I agree 100% with the comment that as soon as someone were mugged, beaten, shot or killed on a train that went through a blighted neighborhood that Memphians would abandon the system completely. Just look at our track record with malls. A soon as the demographics shift and mischief starts - Memphians run for cover. Not an opinion, just fact. Yes there are some people that would ride it regardlessly no matter what. The city just needs to build the system extremely CAREFULLY in order to maximize its potential. Including a UofM stop would be VERY smart because YOUTH = vitality and energy.

definitly to the universities. a lot of those students dont have cars yet, and that'll be an easy and accesible way around the city.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does anyone know what ever happened with the donated CSX line? maybe if that would get built with a park and ride station, it'll give people a better impression of Cordova and help sell some of thoses homes. IMO people still want to live in the suburbs but with gas prices today, wish they had a reliable, and classy (meaning not the bus :P ), form of public transport. Ofcourse then we would have to find a way to get people from Cordova to Poplar, but that line will be way in the future.

There was an article in the paper a while back about the CSX line that I posted on an earlier thread about Memphis' future light rail system. I guess the online article expired because it won't let me pull it up. But CSX leased the line to the city for $1 a year for about 20 years and the city turned it over to a local foundation that is turning the area into a greenbelt nature trail through the city. There still are plans for the tracks to be converted to light rail too. I don't know how a nature trail and modern trains can coexist, but what do I know? LOL. Oxymoron? :whistling:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in Germantown, and I'd be up for light rail! It'd mean that I wouldn't have to drive to the airport to pick up my brother when he has a layover...what a relief! But yeah, the safety factor would be my only concern...I wouldn't (nor would a lot of my fellow Germantownies) be up for a light rail going down Winchester or Lamar...blah.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I live in Germantown, and I'd be up for light rail! It'd mean that I wouldn't have to drive to the airport to pick up my brother when he has a layover...what a relief! But yeah, the safety factor would be my only concern...I wouldn't (nor would a lot of my fellow Germantownies) be up for a light rail going down Winchester or Lamar...blah.

Someone really needs to enlighten Will Hudson and the rest of the MATA execs. They just don't seem to get it. I'm very familiar with the Orange Mound area because my grandparents still reside there. Running LRT through that area would eventually be good for ridership because the area is so densely populated, but the first line needs to be a trend setting line. I think if suburbanites like yourself started off riding, the rest of the city would follow suit. There was an editorial in the paper today about it and it suggests that the suburbs should contribute to the costs of it. I agree. I don't think that Memphis should foot the bill for something that the entire area will use. I think its gonna be a tough sell though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its possible a tragic event such as a mugging or shooting can happen on a tram. Has it ever happened on a MATA bus? If it does happen, it would most likely be at a trolley stop, which might cause people to be more reluctant to get off the tram (for a quick stop at a convenient store or something) at the "dangerous" stations. I think if the line is convenient, people won't stop passing through. I also agree with the idea of a line to the UofM because college students and some professors will ride as long as the cost is low. Ofcourse all of this is just my speculation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Airport-to-Downtown should not be the primary light rail focus; it should only be a part of the puzzle. And for that matter, Memphis should not be driving this but should be a participant along with Shelby, Tipton, Fayette, DeSoto, and Crittenden counties.

Supposing an agreement could come to fruition that would allow "Metrorail" (geeky name for the sake of this post) to use existing rail right-of-ways, Memphis would have a tremendous rail layout.

Existing lines stretch from Gallaway through Arlington, Lakeland, and Bartlett and meet up with an IL-Central line extending from southern Tipton Co. into Midtown. Another old line extends from northern Cordova through East Memphis, meets the IC line in Midtown, meets the Norfolk-Southern line near Elmwood and continues across the river into West Memphis and Marion. The Norfolk-Southern line runs from Collierville through Germantown and East Memphis and merges with the aforementioned line near Elmwood. Off Elmwood, another line runs past the airport (convenient for a spur to the terminal) to Olive Branch. Finally, another IC line runs from Horn Lake through Downtown and meets with an IC spur just south of Millington.

There are many different lines which connect well here. Yes, it's pretty pie in the sky now, but great cities do dream big and there appears to be a lack of big-dreaming vision in the Mid-South right now. Cooperation between the railroads, the three states involved, and the cities and counties linked can make this happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Airport-to-Downtown should not be the primary light rail focus; it should only be a part of the puzzle. And for that matter, Memphis should not be driving this but should be a participant along with Shelby, Tipton, Fayette, DeSoto, and Crittenden counties.

Supposing an agreement could come to fruition that would allow "Metrorail" (geeky name for the sake of this post) to use existing rail right-of-ways, Memphis would have a tremendous rail layout.

Existing lines stretch from Gallaway through Arlington, Lakeland, and Bartlett and meet up with an IL-Central line extending from southern Tipton Co. into Midtown. Another old line extends from northern Cordova through East Memphis, meets the IC line in Midtown, meets the Norfolk-Southern line near Elmwood and continues across the river into West Memphis and Marion. The Norfolk-Southern line runs from Collierville through Germantown and East Memphis and merges with the aforementioned line near Elmwood. Off Elmwood, another line runs past the airport (convenient for a spur to the terminal) to Olive Branch. Finally, another IC line runs from Horn Lake through Downtown and meets with an IC spur just south of Millington.

There are many different lines which connect well here. Yes, it's pretty pie in the sky now, but great cities do dream big and there appears to be a lack of big-dreaming vision in the Mid-South right now. Cooperation between the railroads, the three states involved, and the cities and counties linked can make this happen.

The main thing is the financing. I would suggest that they find the $400 million in the same place that they found the $300 million to build the Forum and go ahead and get started on the thing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In many ways, I think that Memphis got it wrong on how they are going progressing on mass transit. I think that Nashville is following a better track. The most cost effective way, IMHO, would have been for Memphis to use the Southern RR line from Collierville to Downtown. This is one of the most highly populated areas, it goes past the university and several major business areas. These are also areas that have some of the worst traffic in Memphis. It would have been far cheaper to put in place because the most expensive parts are alreay in place. There would have to be some agreements to manage use for both freight and passenger traffic, but this is far less than in the Northeast corridor of the US and they have done it there for years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.