Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Report on America's Crumbling Infrastructure...
Article on the situation with America's Infrastructure. Notice also that the pro-highway, anti-transit faction was able to remove Paul Weyrich's "The Case for Public Transportation" out of the report.
America's crumbling transportation system: Back channel political gamesmanship and the national security implications
America's crumbling transportation system: Back channel political gamesmanship and the national security implications
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
TRAX weekend interuptions
Project to interrupt some TRAX service
The last of the original bottlenecks in the TRAX system is slowly progressing on State Street. I think the Deseret News had a little boo boo in their article as it says 8600 S. State and I think they meant 7600 S. State.
The last of the original bottlenecks in the TRAX system is slowly progressing on State Street. I think the Deseret News had a little boo boo in their article as it says 8600 S. State and I think they meant 7600 S. State.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Nice Tram
Here is a Youtube Video showing an inauguration of Tram service in Nice, France.
What is interesting about the ice system is that while it has overhead wires over most of the route, there is three short sections in extreme historical areas where the trolleys run on a battery power. The reduces performance substantially but it is an interesting concept.
Here is another short Youtube Video showing the arrival of one of the Nice trams at the end of the line.
What is interesting about the ice system is that while it has overhead wires over most of the route, there is three short sections in extreme historical areas where the trolleys run on a battery power. The reduces performance substantially but it is an interesting concept.
Here is another short Youtube Video showing the arrival of one of the Nice trams at the end of the line.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
New Mayor of Salt Lake City
Well Ralph Becker made his first State of the City address and some of the things he address did sound good.
First he mentioned the need for a city circulatory streetcar. This could be the start of a true streetcar system for the city.
Second he mentioned the public market. I had a post a recently that mentioned the thought of a market and I would love to see it happen. It would allow a focus on local people not more chain stores.
I have also heard that he also questions the skywalk and being an urban planner he should know the consequences of building it.
By the way the picture is another of the tram in Strasbourg, France.
First he mentioned the need for a city circulatory streetcar. This could be the start of a true streetcar system for the city.
Second he mentioned the public market. I had a post a recently that mentioned the thought of a market and I would love to see it happen. It would allow a focus on local people not more chain stores.
I have also heard that he also questions the skywalk and being an urban planner he should know the consequences of building it.
By the way the picture is another of the tram in Strasbourg, France.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Ridership Up in Select Cities
UTA: Redesign reaches out to poor, minorities
According to UTA figures ridership is up in select areas after the redesign. Now that is good news, of course what really counts is what revenue is doing and totally new riders not moved riders. The other thing that is not explained is which routes are being covered. There seems to be some pretty blanket statements being made.
Lets look at the biggest increase and that is South South Lake. OK, what routes are we talking about here? There seems to be little specifics. How many are actually new riders or riders shifted from other areas do to cuts such as the service along 700 East? What constitutes service through South South Lake? Is the increase attributable to riders having to transfer were they had a one seat ride before?
There seems to be a serious lake of data to back up what the UTA is saying here. This is one problem with transit systems in general is that they love to brandish ridership numbers but they don't tell the story of what is really happening to the bus service.
According to UTA figures ridership is up in select areas after the redesign. Now that is good news, of course what really counts is what revenue is doing and totally new riders not moved riders. The other thing that is not explained is which routes are being covered. There seems to be some pretty blanket statements being made.
Lets look at the biggest increase and that is South South Lake. OK, what routes are we talking about here? There seems to be little specifics. How many are actually new riders or riders shifted from other areas do to cuts such as the service along 700 East? What constitutes service through South South Lake? Is the increase attributable to riders having to transfer were they had a one seat ride before?
There seems to be a serious lake of data to back up what the UTA is saying here. This is one problem with transit systems in general is that they love to brandish ridership numbers but they don't tell the story of what is really happening to the bus service.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Video about Seoul Bus Service
Here is a video about what the problems that Seoul, South Korea faced with its bus system and what they did to reorganize it.
There are some good ideas here, some UTA is already doing and a push for Bus Rapid Transit which is not the best of ideas. However, it is always good to see what has worked in other places in order to improve transit locally.
There are some good ideas here, some UTA is already doing and a push for Bus Rapid Transit which is not the best of ideas. However, it is always good to see what has worked in other places in order to improve transit locally.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Tram in Strasbourg
Here is a picture of a streetcar in the city of Strasbourg, France.
Notice the beautiful right of way with grass between the tracks, flowers along side the right of way and next to the tram station, and the trees creating a border between the Tram and auto traffic..
Now picture some of the proposals posted here in the past such as trams on 900 South and 400 West. You could have a nice green median trees along the right of way, and of course the flowers. Wouldn't this provide a much better image than the current one along 400 West or 900 South west of 200 East?
What would need to be worked out is who would be responsible for taking car of the right of way but buy using water wise plants, it would make things easier. Some may bulk at the grass due to our climate but there are grasses that use less water or you could even use more natural growth.
Either way, clearly treating the right of way like this on streetcar routes makes it fit more into the fabric of the community, makes the area more pleasant to walk around, and encourages a pedestrian friendly environment.
Notice the beautiful right of way with grass between the tracks, flowers along side the right of way and next to the tram station, and the trees creating a border between the Tram and auto traffic..
Now picture some of the proposals posted here in the past such as trams on 900 South and 400 West. You could have a nice green median trees along the right of way, and of course the flowers. Wouldn't this provide a much better image than the current one along 400 West or 900 South west of 200 East?
What would need to be worked out is who would be responsible for taking car of the right of way but buy using water wise plants, it would make things easier. Some may bulk at the grass due to our climate but there are grasses that use less water or you could even use more natural growth.
Either way, clearly treating the right of way like this on streetcar routes makes it fit more into the fabric of the community, makes the area more pleasant to walk around, and encourages a pedestrian friendly environment.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Jacksonville, Florida BRT plan
Here is a youtube video criticizing the proposal to put express bus lanes along a major street in Jacksonville in order to create a BRT line. While some of the people quoted would probably oppose a streetcar or lrt line also, it does do a good job of pointing toward some issues with BRT.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
James Howard Kunstler Video
Here is a video from James Howard Kunstler who is an author and civic gadfly talking about main street and regulations that allow for bad buildings. He also talks about how the US cannot sustain the its current car culture. Video and Audio quality is not great. Thank you to Transit Miami who first posted this to their excellent blog.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Attack on TRAX
Woman reports assault during ride on TRAX
I will agree that these incidents are rare, but they are the fodder the anti-transit types need to start spreading how unsafe light rail is. This is currently happing in Portland were because of incidents in Gresham the anti-transit types are declaring how unsafe light rail is. Of course it doesn't fit into their political agenda that Gresham has had gang problems since even before the light rail line came in 1986.
UTA does need to have a bigger security presence on TRAX. I noticed that security guards and actual officers are on almost all Denver light rail trains after dark. This gives a much better feeling of security.
Attacks can happen anywhere as incidents in the last week indicate so it is better to be prepared and ready than to be sorry.
I will agree that these incidents are rare, but they are the fodder the anti-transit types need to start spreading how unsafe light rail is. This is currently happing in Portland were because of incidents in Gresham the anti-transit types are declaring how unsafe light rail is. Of course it doesn't fit into their political agenda that Gresham has had gang problems since even before the light rail line came in 1986.
UTA does need to have a bigger security presence on TRAX. I noticed that security guards and actual officers are on almost all Denver light rail trains after dark. This gives a much better feeling of security.
Attacks can happen anywhere as incidents in the last week indicate so it is better to be prepared and ready than to be sorry.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Ski Bus service article
Snow boom packs UTA ski buses
Apparently the people riding the ski buses don't like the buses being packed although at 70,000 per month you are still only talking 2300 per day.
Their complaints about the service point to some of the reasons why the service is such a waste of resources. Since the ski buses have a large number of seats removed to have ski racks inside the bus (this is true of the old buses also), there is very limited seating inside the buses. So the buses may be cramped even though the load would only be a full seated load on a standard transit bus.
I have no problem with operating a ski bus service per say. However, when you have valuable pieces of capital resources sitting 8 months out of the year, you have an severe imbalance of human resource needs, added to the fact that you are not currently providing excellent bus service to the riders who ride with you 12 months out of the year, clearly something needs to be done.
Apparently the people riding the ski buses don't like the buses being packed although at 70,000 per month you are still only talking 2300 per day.
Their complaints about the service point to some of the reasons why the service is such a waste of resources. Since the ski buses have a large number of seats removed to have ski racks inside the bus (this is true of the old buses also), there is very limited seating inside the buses. So the buses may be cramped even though the load would only be a full seated load on a standard transit bus.
I have no problem with operating a ski bus service per say. However, when you have valuable pieces of capital resources sitting 8 months out of the year, you have an severe imbalance of human resource needs, added to the fact that you are not currently providing excellent bus service to the riders who ride with you 12 months out of the year, clearly something needs to be done.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Checking if On Time
Bus, TRAX on time? Check new Web site
This is nice for those who have these devices although they are becoming much more common. However, UTA still needs to provide better information at the stations especially when there is problems. It seems when something happens, the communication breaks down.
This is nice for those who have these devices although they are becoming much more common. However, UTA still needs to provide better information at the stations especially when there is problems. It seems when something happens, the communication breaks down.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
UTA and Motel Fire Alarm..
UTA helps out during motel fire alarm
Great job to UTA and the driver who helped out during a fire alarm at a Motel 6. While it is sad that some idiot caused the alarm in the first place, it is clear that UTA came through and took care of the situation.
Great job to UTA and the driver who helped out during a fire alarm at a Motel 6. While it is sad that some idiot caused the alarm in the first place, it is clear that UTA came through and took care of the situation.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Carbon Footprint
Someone I knew email me this carbon footprint thingy and I gave it a try.
Calculate Your Carbone Footprint
Personally I think this thing is a joke. My wife and I have only one car between us, we drive less than 10,000 miles in a year, we recycle, keep our heat down to 66 degrees in the winter and have a useless swamp cooler in the summer. However it showed me as having a bigger carbon footprint than the country as a whole.
Excuse me?
Considering how many people in this country drive SUV's and other gas guzzling vehicles and I we have a Focus because of the Gas Mileage, you would think that it would be the other way around.
Give it a try and see what you come up with.
Calculate Your Carbone Footprint
Personally I think this thing is a joke. My wife and I have only one car between us, we drive less than 10,000 miles in a year, we recycle, keep our heat down to 66 degrees in the winter and have a useless swamp cooler in the summer. However it showed me as having a bigger carbon footprint than the country as a whole.
Excuse me?
Considering how many people in this country drive SUV's and other gas guzzling vehicles and I we have a Focus because of the Gas Mileage, you would think that it would be the other way around.
Give it a try and see what you come up with.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Pike Place Market in Salt Lake?
Some people have mentioned that we need a Pike Place market here in Salt Lake City. We already have a farmers market at certain times but do we need something more?
While I love Pike Place Market and a trip to Seattle is not complete without it, the is a Seattle institution and we should not in any way try to duplicate it.
However, that does not say I do not want a place modeled after Pike Place. We can create our own public market place that but with a Utah character.
Look at what makes Pike Place successful: only locally owned businesses are allowed in it and it focuses on what Seattle is know for. There is other small retailers located in the marketplace but it's big focus is on seafood.
We could create a public marketplace that focuses on products grown and made here in Utah. Not only could it focus on the foods of the area but also the arts of the area. They could give local artist that often don't have a chance to make it into the galleries a place to present their wares all year long.
In addition you could have plenty of room for restaurants that would be locally owned and other retailers.
Another thing that makes Pike Place Market a success that it is very accessible, is pedestrian friendly and close to the heart of downtown. Many people venture over to Pike Place on their lunch hours.
If we tried to duplicate Pike Place it would not work because it is unique to Seattle. However, we can create a place that focuses on Utah owned and grown and make a go of it.
While I love Pike Place Market and a trip to Seattle is not complete without it, the is a Seattle institution and we should not in any way try to duplicate it.
However, that does not say I do not want a place modeled after Pike Place. We can create our own public market place that but with a Utah character.
Look at what makes Pike Place successful: only locally owned businesses are allowed in it and it focuses on what Seattle is know for. There is other small retailers located in the marketplace but it's big focus is on seafood.
We could create a public marketplace that focuses on products grown and made here in Utah. Not only could it focus on the foods of the area but also the arts of the area. They could give local artist that often don't have a chance to make it into the galleries a place to present their wares all year long.
In addition you could have plenty of room for restaurants that would be locally owned and other retailers.
Another thing that makes Pike Place Market a success that it is very accessible, is pedestrian friendly and close to the heart of downtown. Many people venture over to Pike Place on their lunch hours.
If we tried to duplicate Pike Place it would not work because it is unique to Seattle. However, we can create a place that focuses on Utah owned and grown and make a go of it.
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