Triad Regional Transit

[cityboi]

PART's Spring newsletter is out today. PART has taken delivery of 7 new buses and the newsletter outlines the rail feasibility study. Read it here.

I see the proposed toll interstate highway between Greensboro and Winston is on the map (just above business 40) There will be THREE highways linking Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

BTW here is a link talking about that toll road study (airport connector) Folks if you thought there was a lot of highway construction in the Triad, you ain't seen nothing yet.

"Beltways are being developed around Winston-Salem to the west of the airport and Greensboro to the east. The proposed tollroad is an east west connector between these beltways with a spur or spurs coming north from I-40, making quite a complicated interchange!"

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/1160

Edited May 27, 2009 by cityboi

[JerseyBoy]

The Triad toll road is dead for the foreseeable future, in my opinion. A waste of tax dollars and resources that would be better spent finishing the Greensboro beltway and maintaining/upgrading our current infrastructure.

[sean]

^ that tollroad news thingy that is linked above is from 2005. thats about the last time i heard any talk of a toll road in the triad. is there that much pent up demand for more mindless motoring around here?

[cityboi]

Well I think those funds should be used for passenger rail instead of wasting money on a highway thats not needed.

[sax184]

If they build a toll road between Winston and GSO, there will never be a rail line.

[sean]

where's the demand for another road between winston and greensboro?

[cityboi]

where's the demand for another road between winston and greensboro?

I know right. and even if there were more demand I-40 between Greensboro and Winston should be widened before even thinking about a new highway. P.A.R.T. is pushing for this new highway which is ironic.

Edited May 28, 2009 by cityboi

[Beany]

I agree. If you are going to do anything just widen I-40 between W-S and Greensboro.

[JerseyBoy]

I agree. If you are going to do anything just widen I-40 between W-S and Greensboro.

It actually needs to be done now between 311 and the Bus. 40/I-40 split, in my opinion.

[sean]

the state is teetering on bankruptcy, our municipalities are dancing to avoid insolvency and we're talking about laying more asphalt? at what future cost for maintenance? might we ought to make an earnest plan to maintain what we have at a high standard? that alone will be expensive.

[beyonce245]

Greensboro will begin building 33 new miles of sidewalks in three weeks. Good news for all you fancy free and footloose types! Here's the link

The report by Fox is conflicting, because the text says all the projects will be done within 12 months. But the video report says two years.

[beyonce245]

The GTA Board has called a special meeting this Thursday to discuss awarding a contract for the grading of their new maintenance/headquarters facility on Meadowview.

Hopefully this is a sign that the new facility will soon be under construction. As it is now, GTA cannot expand (i.e. add more buses to their fleet) because the existing facility has no more room.

[cityboi]

The GTA Board has called a special meeting this Thursday to discuss awarding a contract for the grading of their new maintenance/headquarters facility on Meadowview.

Hopefully this is a sign that the new facility will soon be under construction. As it is now, GTA cannot expand (i.e. add more buses to their fleet) because the existing facility has no more room.

This is good news for downtown because thats where the current facility is located. Its should free up downtown real estate for development near the greenway.

Edited June 9, 2009 by cityboi

[beyonce245]

Article from the Biz Journal confirms the previously mentioned $5.4 million for GTA's new maintenance facility. The article also states that WSTA will be receiving $3.8 million for replacement buses and maintenance. PART will receive $2.14 million for expansion buses and Park-and-Ride lots. PART will also receive an additional $790,000 for Park-and-Ride lots in Yadkinville and Mount Airy, which I couldn't locate on a map even if I tried. Hi-Tran will receive $1.43 million for expansion vehicles, new bus shelters, and sidewalks adjacent to bus stops.

There are several other smaller grant amounts as well. Read it here.

[cityboi]

lights out on I-40 folks. Half of them were never on any way. DOT is a joke

http://www.digtriad.com/news/features/arti...3&catid=216

Edited June 11, 2009 by cityboi

[sean]

^ as per the article linked and my post up thread: we can't even afford to light the roads the we currently have and yet there is an ongoing effort to add more roads!? truth really is stranger than fiction.

[cityboi]

I have a question. I noticed they replace the signs on I-85 northbound before you get on the loop. I wonder why they removed Raleigh from the signs?

[beyonce245]

I'm assuming the GTA Board must have approved the contract award for grading work for the new GTA maintenance/operations facility because it now appears on the city council's upcoming agenda for final approval.

Glad to see the project finally moving forward.

[JerseyBoy]

I have a question. I noticed they replace the signs on I-85 northbound before you get on the loop. I wonder why they removed Raleigh from the signs?

My guess would be that I-40 is no longer on the loop, hence no need for a control city for a route that's not on that road anymore.

[sax184]

Somebody should moderate this thread so that it is about transit and not interstates. However, I will say that a transit thread veering into interstate discussion is indicative of the level of support for transit in the Triad, unfortunately.

[JerseyBoy]

Somebody should moderate this thread so that it is about transit and not interstates. However, I will say that a transit thread veering into interstate discussion is indicative of the level of support for transit in the Triad, unfortunately.

Besides the most recent posts about control cities, I believe the discussions about transit funding vs. interstate funding fit into this thread. Thank you.

[beyonce245]

Somebody should moderate this thread so that it is about transit and not interstates. However, I will say that a transit thread veering into interstate discussion is indicative of the level of support for transit in the Triad, unfortunately.

I have to agree with Jersey that discussion concerning interstates are important in this thread. That said, I feel that there is a lack of vigorous discussion concerning mass transit in the thread. You can probably chalk it up to the lack of interest expressed by most of the Triad's elected leaders and the press. I think the different transit agencies themselves don't do a good job promoting their own services.

But also, a lot of people on here seem more exited talking about commuter and light rail. I guess discussion about improving the transit systems we already have in place just isn't as sexy as light rail. But the Triad will never see rail transit until it begins making major investment in the bus systems we already have.

[Beany]

I am probably in the minority here but I just don't see light rail being feasible in the Triad for a long time. Rail just doesn't address how and where people live, work, and play here. Maybe in 20 - 30 years things will be different. In the meantime it seems much more practical and would serve more people better if any increased funding in mass transit went toward adding more buses, routes etc. to the existing systems. Buses may not be sexy but they can go anywhere and cost enormously less.

However I will say I would like to see high speed rail going across the country. There needs to be something better to compete with air travel.

Edited June 12, 2009 by Beany

[beyonce245]

I am probably in the minority here but I just don't see light rail being feasible in the Triad for a long time. Rail just doesn't address how and where people live, work, and play here. Maybe in 20 - 30 years things will be different. In the meantime it seems much more practical and would serve more people better if any increased funding in mass transit went toward adding more buses, routes etc. to the existing systems. Buses may not be sexy but they can go anywhere and cost enormously less.

However I will say I would like to see high speed rail going across the country. There needs to be something better to compete with air travel.

I think the area will see commuter rail between Greensboro and Winston-Salem before light rail, if light rail gets built at all. I have no misconceptions about any kind of rail transit in the Triad being at least 10 15 years away, at a minimum. In the interim, I would argue that all of the Triad's transit agencies aggressively expand service and marketing. In my opinion, I think it would be most optimal for GTA, WTS, Hi-Tran and PART to combine. As it is now, the main municipal systems differ too much in terms of hours of operation (Hi-Tran only operates hourly and both Hi-Tran and WSTA don't yet offer sunday service.

I guess if I were making the decision, I would propose at least a doubling of the Triad's collective bus fleet in order to expand service to 15 minute intervals. I'd also probably add in BRT at some point, perhaps in conjunction with HOV lands on I-40 between Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

This kind of goes back to my previous comment about being pissed about last year's transportation bond in Greensboro. Voters approved $130 million and GTA got hardly anything. Even if GTA had gotten 1 percent from the bond money, or $1.3 million, that would have been enough for the city to provide it's match to purchase 43 new buses.

What do you guys think?

I think a robust transit system is critically important to the Triad's future, both socially and economically. Gas prices have risen for the past 45 days and more than a dollar since their low last december. I fear the recession's temporary weakening of gas prices is officially over and they're likely to continue rising.

When gas prices hit record highs last August, GTA was crippled because buses were seeing double digit ridership increases. If the Triad cities don't start investing more now, it will only be worse in the coming months and years.

Lastly, our cities' leaders should be telling people to get on the bus, and spend the money they save in our local economy. They should tell them that if the Triad doesn't get its air pollution under control, the EPA will slap new restrictions on us, which could scare companies from relocating here, or worse, force already existing companies here to leave because their operations aren't allowed under the restrictions. Leaders should tell them that our communities will get back at least $3 for every $1 we spend on public transit.

It's the economy stupid. If leaders would stop treating transit systems like they're only for poor people and realize the economic and environmental benefits they could have for the Triad, I think a lot of residents would take notice.

Edited June 13, 2009 by beyonce245

[cityboi]

The problem is that Greensboro is killing the opportunity for a light rail line in the future from downtown to Northwest Greensboro along battleground Ave. They want to rip up the rails on the abandoned line (rail-to-trail) for a trail that no body is going to use. The line goes mainly though commercial establishments with very little residential nearby. 20 years from now the city will regret doing that because it will cost millions to put those tracks back for light rail after they discover nobody will hardly be using the trail.

Edited June 15, 2009 by cityboi