Columbia Transit

[Spartan]

Thats excellent news. Where did you hear about this?

[803metlife]

Thats excellent news. Where did you hear about this?

the state paper

[sonofaque86]

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/16569482.htm

[krazeeboi]

More good news!!! A regional government group is looking at ways to redevelop about 50 abandoned industrial sites in the Midlands as future commuter rail stations. The Central Midlands Council of Governments has identified 22 possible rail station sites that could serve three future commuter rail and high-speed transit lines: Columbia to Newberry, Columbia to Camden and Columbia to Batesburg-Leesville. Look as if there are very much on the ball for a commuter rail. Also what I found to be amazing . Its recent commuter rail study estimated a 43 percent population jump between 2000 and 2035

[Captain Worley]

That is indeed great news.

In the future, I wonder how feasible additional lines to Sumter and St. Matthews would be?

You know, I've always thought a bus route Sumter-Columbia might be viable, seeing how much traffic there is coming from Sumter every morning. I don't think a city bus wuld work well in that route, maybe something more like a tour bus. i think you'd need the added amenities to attract riders.

[Spartan]

Youd probably want a "charter bus" that gets better gas milage. City busses get horrible milage when they get to high speed areas.

[803metlife]

That is indeed great news.

In the future, I wonder how feasible additional lines to Sumter and St. Matthews would be?

I agree.. I think Sumter should be taken unconsideration. Especially how close and how many people commute here every day.

[Spartan]

I agree. Sumter would be a good location. It would probably be a huge boost to Sumter since people could live there and take a train to work and not have to deal with driving.

[Captain Worley]

I like trains and all, but I think tour type buses wiould be much more economically feasible. Right of ways for the rail line would be pretty expensive and you can forget the cargo trains sharing their track. Plus, I really don't think you'd get a whole lot of folks out of their cars.

[Spartan]

It depends on where they are going in Columbia. If downtown is their destination, an express bus service might be possible. I don't really know what the trends in Sumter are though.... but if Charleston's express bus service looks successful you could see more cities using it.

[Spartan]

Cayce, West Columbia, and Springdale still want in on transit, according to The State. They should petition to have the law changed to allow them to pay into CMRTA to recieve services for it. They shouldn't suffer because of Lexington County's poor judgement. More importantly, if they are willing to pay into it, they should be able to recieve services.

[Captain Worley]

Personally, I think that there needs to be a probe into how Columbia took over the bus system from SCANA. I think that Colatown should force it back on them. I still wish I knew how they pulled this off without SCANA giving up the power monopoly.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

[waccamatt]

Personally, I think that there needs to be a probe into how Columbia took over the bus system from SCANA. I think that Colatown should force it back on them. I still wish I knew how they pulled this off without SCANA giving up the power monopoly.

Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Columbia and Scana had an agreement that CMRTA would take over the bus system with seed money and facilities from Scana. The reason the city, etc. took it over from Scana was that the service was less than desirable. I'd be perfectly fine with a car tax fee or gas fee to pay for public transportation as it is a necessity for part of the population. I think they should start doing the round trip buses to Carolina football games and charge $10 rountrip. At one time probably 10,000-20,000 people took the bus to Williams-Brice Stadium. $10 X 10,000 = $100,000 at every home game. With 7 home games a season that equates to $700,000 in nearly free money for CMRTA. There could be pickup points in the Vista, Five Points and downtown at one of the city parking garages. This would be a cash cow for CMRTA.

[Captain Worley]

^ That's a good plan, waccamatt.

BTW, I'm pretty sure (almost 100%) that SCANA was Constitutionally obligated to provide the bus service in exchange for a monopoly on electricity. This goes waaaaaay back to the days of the streetcars. AFAIK, the Constitution was never ammended, and SCANA still has a monopoly, so how could Columbia take it over? That's the question I wasnt answered.

[waccamatt]

It's a legitimate question, captain. Scana gives away the bus service and now deserts downtown. I would be perfectly happy to now desert Scana since they have no shred of civic duty.

[Spartan]

Its a good idea, but nobody will pay $10 a person to ride to the stadium when you can drive there and park 1 car (4 people) for a lower rate.

What they need to do it use it as an excuse for free service. Give free rides on gamedays system wide. Getting local people on the busses will get them more comfortable with public transit without them realizing it. Plus it does a service to the city by taking some cars off the street, and getting visitors to use it as well. It wouldn't be a stretch to offer service from the Vista/Five Points to the stadium.

Clemson did a test program using the CAT buses during football games this year. I heard it went well, but I'm not sure to what degree.

[waccamatt]

Its a good idea, but nobody will pay $10 a person to ride to the stadium when you can drive there and park 1 car (4 people) for a lower rate.

What they need to do it use it as an excuse for free service. Give free rides on gamedays system wide. Getting local people on the busses will get them more comfortable with public transit without them realizing it. Plus it does a service to the city by taking some cars off the street, and getting visitors to use it as well. It wouldn't be a stretch to offer service from the Vista/Five Points to the stadium.

Clemson did a test program using the CAT buses during football games this year. I heard it went well, but I'm not sure to what degree.

Spartan, back in the 80's when I was in school, thousands of people rode the bus and paid $5 round trip. I figured $10 was the equivalent today.

[Spartan]

People don't pay $1.25 to ride the bus now, so I'm not convinced that they'd pay $10 to ride, even if the stadium was the destination.

[BrasilnSC]

Ground has been broken for CRTA's new bus barn off of Lucius Rd. the Free-Times reports this week. Grading of the site has already begun. The prefabricated structure is set to arrive by March 1st and assembly will begin soon after. The cost of the new facility is approx. 16 million, with the feds covering 80% of the cost. The move into the new barn is projected to occur in January 2008.

This will open up 9 acres of land, owned by the city, for redevelopment. SCE&G is responsible for clean up of the site, which once contained an underground coal processing facility. The city plans to sell the property as soon as it comes available. Jim Gambrell, city economic development director, is quoted as saying "the decision to sell the property will be based on the best use of the land for the people and the city of Columbia."

[Captain Worley]

SCE&G is responsible for clean up of the site, which once contained an underground coal processing facility.

Wow, I didn't know that! Anyone have any more info/pictures on this facility? I'm assuming it is abandonded.

[krazeeboi]

Columbia should really look into building a multimodal facility.

I don't think any type of redevelopment at the old site will be immediate. If anything, it may be integrated into Innovista.

[g-man430]

^^^Very true. Greenville is going to start building a multi-modal center later this year at the Carolina First Center (formally the Palmetto Expo Center) and Spartanburg recently built a new bus facility. I think something like a multi-modal center in all of our major cities would be cool.

[803metlife]

Ground has been broken for CRTA's new bus barn off of Lucius Rd. the Free-Times reports this week. Grading of the site has already begun. The prefabricated structure is set to arrive by March 1st and assembly will begin soon after. The cost of the new facility is approx. 16 million, with the feds covering 80% of the cost. The move into the new barn is projected to occur in January 2008.

This will open up 9 acres of land, owned by the city, for redevelopment. SCE&G is responsible for clean up of the site, which once contained an underground coal processing facility. The city plans to sell the property as soon as it comes available. Jim Gambrell, city economic development director, is quoted as saying "the decision to sell the property will be based on the best use of the land for the people and the city of Columbia."

This is good news. The old bus barn is definetly prime property and I hope the land is developed properly. Where actually is Lucius Rd. I've heard of the name but can't remeber the location?

[BrasilnSC]

It is north of Elmwood Cemetery, south of River Dr.

Yahoo Maps

[Spartan]

Isn't the bus transfer center at Sumter & Taylor pretty new? Is that not a multimodal center?