Rail on a Budget: Austin's MetroRail

[thelakelander]

in the case of jacksonville the proposed bus rapid transit system should be built with 100% BUSES ONLY BUS LANES!!!

At what cost?  $750 million?  $1 billion?...  Ripping up downtown and demolishing restored buildings in the process?  How about the route along I-95 that does not go where residents live and work?  Why invest in bus rapid transit that does not go where transit riders want to go when we already have city owned right-of-way in the same area that does just that? 

There's nothing wrong with the concept of BRT, but Jax's plan leaves a lot to be desired, route planning wise and cost wise.  BRT should NEVER cost more than rail.

can commuter/regional rail service really fit the needs of the jacksonville/duval metro region since it MUST SERVE all points of the jacksonville/duval metro region?!the same goes for the proposed bus rapid transit project.

No transit system MUST SERVE all points of a metropolitan region.  Even New York's does not do this and never will or should it.  Transit should serve in areas of highest congestion, major local destinations and areas of highest potential transit ridership.  We also should not believe that a system should consist of one form of transit.  Different corridors have different needs.  Some are better served by rail and some by bus.  The best transit system is one that realizes this and integrates the techologies instead of one that goes by the "one size fits all mentality."

[gatorback]

Thanks for the kind welcome back since I've been away. New job, new city, new living situation, but the hassles are still the same. I was in Austin for New Years and was disappointed that the Red Line still was not operating. This is a huge set back. It may have to do with the little mishap that occurred during the testing.

[CS Foltz]

in the case of jacksonville the proposed bus rapid transit system should be built with 100% BUSES ONLY BUS LANES!!!

At what cost?  $750 million?  $1 billion?...  Ripping up downtown and demolishing restored buildings in the process?  How about the route along I-95 that does not go where residents live and work?  Why invest in bus rapid transit that does not go where transit riders want to go when we already have city owned right-of-way in the same area that does just that? 

There's nothing wrong with the concept of BRT, but Jax's plan leaves a lot to be desired, route planning wise and cost wise.  BRT should NEVER cost more than rail. lake........I agree! JTA is concrete and road oriented period! BRT is not the answer but one small slice of the pie.........period. Dummy's just don't get it!

can commuter/regional rail service really fit the needs of the jacksonville/duval metro region since it MUST SERVE all points of the jacksonville/duval metro region?!the same goes for the proposed bus rapid transit project.

No transit system MUST SERVE all points of a metropolitan region.  Even New York's does not do this and never will or should it.  Transit should serve in areas of highest congestion, major local destinations and areas of highest potential transit ridership.  We also should not believe that a system should consist of one form of transit.  Different corridors have different needs.  Some are better served by rail and some by bus.  The best transit system is one that realizes this and integrates the techologies instead of one that goes by the "one size fits all mentality."

[thelakelander]

Good point CS. 

[gatorback]

Martinez said the FRA issued three new violation citations Friday regarding MetroRail contractor Veolia Transportation. The citations were prompted by a discovery from the FRA that some Veolia employees hadn't completed mandatory visual and hearing tests, he said.

The FRA and the Texas Department of Transportation also gave Capital Metro a notification last week, saying that the FRA would begin an investigation of rail contractor Veolia Transportation. According to a press release from Capital Metro, the investigation concerns two separate incidents on consecutive days in February in which operators “entered a section of track without prior authorization during system testing.”

That investigation led Capital Metro to announce the March 30 launch of the rail would be delayed, possibly for a few weeks. But a Capital Metro spokesman said that the authority planned to go forward with the MetroRail celebration on March 28, and would likely keep the demonstration to two trains running between several of the downtown stations.

So, now the most recent date given by the transportation company for the opening of the rail service from Leander to Austin is sometime in the first quarter of 2010.

[mtraininjax]

Can JTA PLEASE look at this?

Look, but do not touch, because you breakee - you payee. JTA cannot even get their transportation center built, how do you ever expect them to find money for light rail? Please cart, horse, pavement.....