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Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line


dubone

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1 hour ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

I’m fine with politicians getting the inaugural ride. Also makes for good photo op.

Yeah, a lot of people worked really hard, over many years, to get this project approved, planned, funded, and built. Efficient or no, at this point I am proud of the city for for getting it done, and will be happy to make it part of my transportation patchwork. 

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3 hours ago, southslider said:

Must also be fine then with not connecting bus routes with the BLE until March 19th with the newly opened stations, because hey, "who cares"

So you suggest not opening the ble until there is bus hookup? That seems to penalize everyone else just in order to synchronize the opening. Or do you mean they could get the busses done by then and on what grounds?

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28 minutes ago, southslider said:

^Says the non bus rider

 

 

Today I took Arrowood bus to Arrowood station, to Lynx to CTC. Got on N. Tryon bus to UNCC. 

Later I took the South Park bus from UNCC to South Park. Went to the Apple store. Then took Cross town to the scarley bark station to meet a friend. We rode to 485 to his car and then went to get food. 

 

I generally ride M-T and typically the light rail & #11 but it does deviate based on my activities. 

 

I have a car. A nice car. But I chose not to pay parking this semester at UNCC because light rail will open.

 

Or does this not fit a false victimization narrative?  Are you trying to make read-between-the-line statements that basically the busses won’t be opening up to BLE because we don’t want the blacks on the shiny new light rail? If so, that’s sad. I hope I’m wrong. And I am a white bus rider and I like to ride (if it didn’t add hours to my trips)

Edited by AirNostrumMAD
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26 minutes ago, southslider said:

^Says the priveleged bus rider

 

That’s actually pretty discriminative and offensive. How am I any different from the other bus riders?  And should I refer to “the others” as “unprivileged bus riders?”  

 

#11, which will serve the same area as the BLE, pretty much has no meaningful connections along the route.  It’s not like it’s a route with plenty of transfers where the “unprivileged” will be transferring along #11  while the privileged will be speeding by waiving out the window. In fact, BLE should open up new routes to serve the unprivileged people much better as they will tie into BLE.

 

Vi Lyles also doesn’t strike me as one who looks down on black, I mean “unprivileged,” bus riders (I assume this is a topic of race but we are going to use code words like “privelged” bus riders, etc instead of actually saying black and white. I don’t like coded racism from the left or right)

 

As I said. It’s absolutely reasonable to have the new bus routes that will enhance service for bus riders in the north open a few days later. I trust transit officials to deal with those logistics over a social warrior. 

 

I look forward to the inaugural trip of politicians and dignitaries who worked hard on this project. This is very exciting and there’s literally zero to be upset over 

Edited by AirNostrumMAD
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For those needing to commute across Charlotte, travel time matters. BLE will save workers huge amounts of time, since it will operate through Uptown, not force transfers at CTC like current buses.

Not allowing bus customers away from North Tryon in Derita, University and East Charlotte areas to better connect to their South Charlotte jobs is indeed discrimination. It is just temporary discrimination for three days.

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There is a working new fare machine at 7th street.  It feels -much- faster than the old ones and it’s possible to buy a ‘quick’ standard one way ticket with one button push. (Other purchases appear to require two button pushes — no more ‘cash or credit’ button to push — you just insert whatever payment you prefer).

I didn’t get a sense of ticket printing speed (which was unbearably slow on the old machines) since I used the app (which is only OK, it could use a bit more tweaking for better efficiency I think).

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On 1/10/2018 at 12:02 AM, Nick2 said:

This topic is about the blue line, not privilege.

Access is pertinent to transit. Blue Line is transit.  Transit provides access to economic opportunity, especially those with limited means of travel.

I already shared how existing rail riders (including existing bus riders using the existing Blue Line) will have delayed access to the fully extended BLE for a couple hours (politicians first).  I then shared how bus riders will have delayed access for a few days (inexplicable).  Well,  it should also be noted that pedestrians will have delayed access by weeks to months, thanks to a lot of construction still happening well after the start of revenue service.  One such example is an area urbanophiles may be familiar with-- 36th St Station.

36th Street opens months after the station. As such, it appears there will only be pedestrian access to the station from the Noda side, but not the Tryon side. The communities near 36th and Tryon are disproportionately low-income.  Granted, this particular delay makes sense, given railroad construction challenges in that area.  But it just adds to the harsh reality of a system not quite opening to everyone at once on March 16.

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^ I agree that the discussion is appropriate, but I don't see the decision as discriminatory.  I see this as  the transit system prioritizing optics over the immediate need for transit.  There is a huge potential for mass confusion if existing lines are rerouted on the same day a new line is put into service.  It is something that probably can be accomplished, but also something that could go wrong... bigly.

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21 minutes ago, kermit said:

It was a real treat to see a three unit train heading down N Tryon this morning.

I know! I got a little too excited when I first saw it.

The only sad part is this is temporary. The station expansion to handle 3 cars at all existing BL stations hit a brick wall called John Lewis (only 4 stations on the existing line can handle 3 car trains).

But John Lewis.............................

Quote

CATS planned to lengthen the stations a few at a time so it could operate three-car trains soon after the extension opens.

But in a Jan. 9 letter to the federal government, CATS chief executive John Lewis said “after a thoughtful review” with its financial consultant, Ernst and Young, it would have to withdraw from the federal program that helped pay for the station extensions.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article139256098.html

Edited by Scribe
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1 hour ago, archiham04 said:

^ I agree that the discussion is appropriate, but I don't see the decision as discriminatory.  I see this as  the transit system prioritizing optics over the immediate need for transit.  There is a huge potential for mass confusion if existing lines are rerouted on the same day a new line is put into service.  It is something that probably can be accomplished, but also something that could go wrong... bigly.

The same argument could be made for why mobile payment went live on rail way before bus. But while some see "optics," those who depend on bus (and often to access rail) see a perverse culture that continually treats rail customers much better than bus customers.

Bus ridership is dramatically down, while rail ridership is flat. And this, despite 50 net people moving here daily.

CATS needs better customer culture. And it could start by better respecting those customers who have few options.

 

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36 minutes ago, southslider said:

The same argument could be made for why mobile payment went live on rail way before bus.

I think you are oversimplifying this a little. I remember listening to a presentation from CATS (or was it the city) about how they were looking (or setting up a program) on ways to help people setup bank accounts. Specifically, that CATS and the city could not expect these folks to use mobile/electronic payments because those customers just did not have a bank account (before even getting into credit cards). I will see if I can find the meeting notes or agenda.

36 minutes ago, southslider said:

CATS needs better customer culture. And it could start by better respecting those customers who have few options.

That they most definitely need.

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from Twitter 

EXCLUSIVE: Serious Design Flaw On Lynx Blue Line Extension "Warning pavers" for the visually impaired were placed in the wrong location at dozens of brand new railway crossings. Gates could have closed directly onto blind pedestrians. Costly repairs underway. Full story at 6.   

this is from WSOC TV 

as someone who has a blind cousin this needs to be corrected asap before it opens. 

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