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Where would you put Light Rail lines?


franktown

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Ok, so I was dreaming of in a theoretical world where Nashville approved Light Rail, and then I was thinking, where would we put the first few lines? I tried to find a map that we could all use, but I couldn't find a good one, but I really just wanted to see where you all would put the first few LR Lines. I thought this would be a fun little thing, and if somebody could help me along by providing a map we could all use and then post where we would put the lines, that would be nice.

Since I don't have a map, I'll just describe where I would put the first couple of lines

Blue Line: Starts at southern end of Rolling Mill Hill, then goes North past the ballpark, near the Music City Star station, past riverfront park, up 2nd, and then to the public square, and then left along Union and terminating at the State Capitol to pick up all those workers.

Red Line: Starting near the CMHOF, down Demonbreun, past the Frist, down into the gulch, up Division, through the Roundbout (that would be some trick), and then going down Music Row

This is of, obviously just a dream, and I wanted to see where you all would put your LR lines.

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train A: start MetroCenter, Germantown, Bicentennial Mall, downtown, Lafayette, Gulch, Ft. Negley/Adventure Science Center, Waverly/Belmont, stop near 440 or continue somehow to Berry Hill [all stops along 8th Avenue]

train B: riverfront, Broadway/5th, Frist Center, West End Summit, Vanderbilt @ 21st Ave, 2525 Building/Centennial Park, West End Park at 31st Ave, Elmington Park, BGA/Aquinas, St Thomas, White Bridge Road [all stops along Broadway/West End

train C: downtown [maybe the new bus station or Courthouse Square], Main Street @ 5th Street, Five Points/Civic Square, continue down Gallatin Road to Inglewood or Briley Parkway or Madison. [most stops along Main/Gallatin Rd]

train D:riverfront, Rolling Mill Hill/Sobro, Lafayette, Chesnut Street, Fairgrounds, Phonoluxe area, Thompson Ln, continue further maybe a couple miles. [all stops along 4th Avenue South/Nolensville Rd]

train E: riverfront/sounds stadium, Schermerhorn/CMHoF/GEC, Music City Center, Frist Center/Cummins Station, Gulch, Roundabout, Music Row, Belmont University, Hillsboro Village [stops along Demonbreun, 17th Avenue, and end at Magnolia Blvd/21st Ave]

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train A: start MetroCenter, Germantown, Bicentennial Mall, downtown, Lafayette, Gulch, Ft. Negley/Adventure Science Center, Waverly/Belmont, stop near 440 or continue somehow to Berry Hill [all stops along 8th Avenue]

train B: riverfront, Broadway/5th, Frist Center, West End Summit, Vanderbilt @ 21st Ave, 2525 Building/Centennial Park, West End Park at 31st Ave, Elmington Park, BGA/Aquinas, St Thomas, White Bridge Road [all stops along Broadway/West End

train C: downtown [maybe the new bus station or Courthouse Square], Main Street @ 5th Street, Five Points/Civic Square, continue down Gallatin Road to Inglewood or Briley Parkway or Madison. [most stops along Main/Gallatin Rd]

train D:riverfront, Rolling Mill Hill/Sobro, Lafayette, Chesnut Street, Fairgrounds, Phonoluxe area, Thompson Ln, continue further maybe a couple miles. [all stops along 4th Avenue South/Nolensville Rd]

train E: riverfront/sounds stadium, Schermerhorn/CMHoF/GEC, Music City Center, Frist Center/Cummins Station, Gulch, Roundabout, Music Row, Belmont University, Hillsboro Village [stops along Demonbreun, 17th Avenue, and end at Magnolia Blvd/21st Ave]

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^

train A: start MetroCenter, Germantown, Bicentennial Mall, downtown, Lafayette, Gulch, Ft. Negley/Adventure Science Center, Waverly/Belmont, stop near 440 or continue somehow to Berry Hill [all stops along 8th Avenue]

train B: riverfront, Broadway/5th, Frist Center, West End Summit, Vanderbilt @ 21st Ave, 2525 Building/Centennial Park, West End Park at 31st Ave, Elmington Park, BGA/Aquinas, St Thomas, White Bridge Road [all stops along Broadway/West End

train C: downtown [maybe the new bus station or Courthouse Square], Main Street @ 5th Street, Five Points/Civic Square, continue down Gallatin Road to Inglewood or Briley Parkway or Madison. [most stops along Main/Gallatin Rd]

train D:riverfront, Rolling Mill Hill/Sobro, Lafayette, Chesnut Street, Fairgrounds, Phonoluxe area, Thompson Ln, continue further maybe a couple miles. [all stops along 4th Avenue South/Nolensville Rd]

train E: riverfront/sounds stadium, Schermerhorn/CMHoF/GEC, Music City Center, Frist Center/Cummins Station, Gulch, Roundabout, Music Row, Belmont University, Hillsboro Village [stops along Demonbreun, 17th Avenue, and end at Magnolia Blvd/21st Ave]

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How about the "brain train"... starting at lipscomb, going up Granny white/12th Ave (and whatever else it's called along the way, lol) then turning at wedgewood to hit belmont and the backside of vanderbilt, a transfer point at west end avenue to go on a downtown route and continuing to TSU (someone help me on how to get it there, lol).

I think that hits the biggest 4 colleges in Nashville (I realise i missed Trevecca) linking them for...get togethers, cross-listed courses, and entertainment options. As a college student, I know we love to ride public transit (usually trains though!!)

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I haven't thought about this (in general) too much. Not just in regards to Nashville but to other cities putting in/planning light rail, I tend to think the lines should go through secondary roads (i.e. Church Street as opposed to Broadway/West End). Aside from the general fluster-cuck of traffic (already) on the major thoroughfares, they tend to be very wide streets and make for pedestrian unfriendly areas surrounding them. Plus, those areas will tend to pull development from the secondary roads nearby. Plus, they already have tons of commercial, and IMO putting rail along the other roads will help spur residential. We've finally seen that happen along the Marta routes. One route I'd be intrigued by for Nashville would be something along the Church-to-21st-to-Grand-to-17th/16th-to-Demonbreun-to-Gulch-to-Gateway... like I said: I haven't thought about it in detail.

One more thing... I think for the most part that rail lines are ugly. But they can be an opportunity to clean up the streetscape when they're put in. And of course, they are a better sight than streets clogged with cars.

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Hey people! I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I would post this. I have created a map of the rail lines, with stations that is fully functional inside Google Earth. Yes, you must have Google Earth to view this. I made it with GE, so you are able to zoom out and in and see where I would put each station.

I have included a bonus, the Music City Star Lebanon Line with stations.

http://www.nautf.com/places/US/TN/Nashvill...lle_Transit.zip

fantasy.jpg

Just download, open, and enjoy

Here is a quick overview, so incase you don't want to download it.

It would include 5 lines labled by color for easy riding.

Orange Line : Indian Lake Village/Hendersonville to Nashville International Airport

Yellow Line : Metro Center to Brentwood

Bluw Line : Riverfront Station to Green Hills

Red Line : Riverfront Station to 440 Parkway

Purple Line : L.P. Field to Bellvue Center

Explination of the routes taken by each line

Orange :

Would start in Hendersonville at Indian Lake Village

Would then follow Vietnam Veterans Blvd to Glenbrook Shopping Center in Hendersonville

Would the follow Vietnam Veterans Blvd to just past Center Point Rd, then follow Gallatin Rd to Rivergate Mall

Would follow Gallatin Rd through 5 Points into Main Street

Then cross over 65/24 to 2nd St going past L.P. Field

Then cross the Cumberland via the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge

Going in front of the symphony hall it would hang a left again and go around Hall of Fame Park

It would then, at the 8th/Lafayette split, follow Lafayette/Murfreesboro to right before the highway interchange, where it would cross over 40/24 to Spence Lane

It would then follow 40 to the airport, where the line would meet its terminus

Blue :

Would start at Riverfront Station

Then Follow Broadway to 8th, then go left

Then right at Demonbreun

Would then follow Demumbreun to Roundabout Plaza

Would follow Division to 21st

Would then follow 21stHillsboro Pike to Green Hills

Yellow Line :

Would start at Metro Center

Would then follow 8th to the 8th/Lafayette split, the go towards 7th

Would follow 7th for just a couple of blocks, then follow the rail tracks to and past Greer stadium following 65

Would then go past Wedgewood to Thompson Lane, then going down and following Powell Ave

Going past 100 Oaks to Sidco Dr, then moving back to the existing rail line riding beside it following 65 S

Following that all the way to its terminus in Brentwood

Red :

A rather simple line, which I thought would always make a great starter system for Nashville

Would start at Riverfront Station

Would follow Broadway to the West End split

Would follow West End to 440 Parkway

Purple :

Would start at L.P. Field

Would then go down 2nd St towards James Roberston Parkway

Would then use existing bridge over the Cumberland River following James Robertson Parkway

Would follow to Charlotte Pike

Would then follow Charlotte Pike to Old Hickory exit on 40 West

Then would use existing right of way next to 40 all the way to Bellvue Center

Well, thats my fantasy LRT system for Nashville

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urbanbna, thanks alot for the map. Thats pretty cool!

My only argument would be that the southern portion of the orange line follow Murfreesboro Rd. instead of I-65. it could connect with BNA, Dell and continue on to points south. Light rail would make more sense on a arterial rd, as opposed to the interstate.

Regardless, great work!

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The reason why most LRT's travel along the highway, is to show the people that travel them that there is another option besides the highway, which in turn gets people on, and cuts conjestion by a margin.

There are many cities that have LRT lines that run along the highways, two very prominent ones are Dallas, where I am from, It travels up Central Expressway, and Portland, which I am studying right now, the Interstate MAX Line

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Wow, that's an AWESOME one! I especially like the blue, yellow, and red lines, and I think you could extend the Red line on to White Bridge Rd/ Harding Place to get it all the way to St. Thomas and DT Belle Meade (if such a thing exists). It's too bad the blue AND yellow lines miss Belmont and David Libscomb, because those are two decent sized populations of possible rail riders. The orange and purple lines are so long, it seems to me like they verge on commuter rail lines, but they go to places that they probaly should go. I think a good loop rail would be useful (like a 440 of rail lines) to go between them just to keep people from having to go all the way into town. Thanks for spending all the time on the google earth map, because that was great, and I think that that's a great long-term plan for transportation in Nashvegas.

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