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Transit Updates for Greater Grand Rapids


GRDadof3

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Some things about this seems great, but how will this effect other bus routes. For instance, the #1 Division bus runs to the 54th st Miejer but not the silver line. From 36th st to downtown the #1 bus runs a good portion of the day every 15 minutes. So how will this work? Less frequent service (20-30 minutes) and a hard time reaching the department stores on 54th st. I don't know. Also the limited stops increase walking by up to two thirds from what it is now. Is this servive going to be better for the average user or worse and how will connections to other bus routes be met concerning transfers? Cutlerville could have the biggest benifet to a degree but even with this, will they still be able to get to K mart on 68th st or Craigs Cruisers? I guess a lot of my concerns rest with the fate of route 1 and connecting cross town routes like Burton, 28th and 44th. I guess we shall see.

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Yes the McConnel station is just one block from the Downtown Market. Also note that Route 2 will have a stop at the Market.

The Silver Line system will not effect Route 1. They will be running together. They are separate routes.

 

huh, I just feel like it wouldve been wise to put a stop directly at the market...

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It has a stop at Louis and Monroe, an easy walk to Van Andel Arena (a lot of people make that trek to the arena from ramps anyway). For GRCC, it has a stop at Fulton and Ransom, and Ransom and Crescent, both close to GRCC.

 

From Division and McConnell you can probably throw a rock and hit the new downtown market (don't do that though).

 

You can't put a stop everywhere, it would never get to its destination.

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I like the interactive map too.  I guess I hadn't thought about this, but it seems like Station 33 (60th Street) is not so much a terminus as it is one stop in a loop.  I wonder where the Park-n-Ride spots are going to go?  And I wonder how the buses are going to turn around from southbound to northbound?  Are they going to loop around a side street?  Very minor detail, I know, but... Just curious.

Edited by RegalTDP
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I would think that if it was the last stop, and it had a park n ride lot, they would have just put a single station inside that lot.  And the bus would just turn around inside the park n ride lot.  But that is not what they are showing.

 

If they ever wanted to expand it South though, they'd be stuck with a major station in a parking lot and not on the route. These stations are going to be nothing like we've seen in GR before. They're almost exactly like light rail stations.

 

I did also hear that feasibility studies have begun to turn the Laker Line into BRT. Very early stages.

 

I see a big giant lot there:

 

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=208200133670711035030.0004d8851c93ad0571221&msa=0&ll=42.855178,-85.66323&spn=0.001571,0.002411

 

Another cool aspect I heard about is the top columns of the stations will glow or blink green a few minutes before the bus arrives.

 

8600059469_78b87a6b72_c.jpg

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I hadn't heard about the bus arriving soon visual warning. That is a cool idea that will be a benefit for people going to the station.
I wonder if bus drivers will wait as riders are getting their prepaid bus pass.
I'm getting excited about the Silver Line like I was when they were building Central Station.
It is nice living in a city that is on the cutting edge.
These sure are exciting times for Grand Rapids with the Medical Mile, the Downtown Market, Zip the Grand and the Silver Line.

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For some reason I thought they had two stations planned for 60th street.   But the map just shows the one in detail.

8579516497_2b2c7e69e3_b.jpg

 

 

I think it will end up looking something like this. To expand the route south (or east or west on 60th) just add a station on the other side of the street.

 

60th.jpg

Edited by Gorath
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I wonder if bus drivers will wait as riders are getting their prepaid bus pass.

I doubt it - that would take away a big advantage of the whole system.

I share your excitement, especially since I'm so close to the line.

Does anyone know how the stops will work? Will the buses stop at every stop, or will they have the normal pull-chains? Given the limited number of stops and its similarity to light rail, I'd assume the former.

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I think it will end up looking something like this. To expand the route south (or east or west on 60th) just add a station on the other side of the street.

 

60th.jpg

 

So I take it that lot doesn't belong to anybody (sure don't look like it in these images).  I guess there's no other place the Park-n-Ride area would actually go.  I expect they'll want to spruce up the lot a bit, delineate the bus entrance/exit from the commuter parking entrance, and keep the parking area from the "bus turnaround" lanes clearly separated.  They should include those plans in the map too.

 

On an unrelated note, does anyone remember what used to be there?  I can't.

Edited by RegalTDP
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The iMap application on the Kent county website says that that lot belongs to the "Roberts Minnie Trust".  But there isn't any other land in the general area that is owned by the Rapid, county or Kentwood that would indicate where the Park n Ride lot would be.  Other then the Kentwood Public Schools property on the SE corner. But I don't see how a park n ride lot would work there.

 

The only thing I can surmise is that the park n ride will be somewhere on the east side of Division.  That is based on the station plan that was provided for 60th street.  The north arrow indicates that the station is going to be on the east side of the street.  Logic says that the park n ride is somewhere on the east side as well.

Edited by Gorath
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o I take it that lot doesn't belong to anybody (sure don't look like it in these images).  I guess there's no other place the Park-n-Ride area would actually go.  I expect they'll want to spruce up the lot a bit, delineate the bus entrance/exit from the commuter parking entrance, and keep the parking area from the "bus turnaround" lanes clearly separated.  They should include those plans in the map too.

 

On an unrelated note, does anyone remember what used to be there?  I can't.

 

Before the current lot, it was actually just a field with tall grass, with an owner that was none too thrilled with people walking through it.

 

I used to go to elementary school across the street in the early 80s, and on the occasions where me and my sister missed the bus, we would have to walk and cut across that space. There weren't any, and still aren't any sidewalks.

 

I could have sworn there was some wetlands there too.

Edited by GR_Urbanist
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