Al:
Shovel ready means the ten years of bulls**t federaly mandated studies, community hearings, and paperwork are done and it's actually approved and ready to start construction. It's a term they are using to decide where they should spend emergency money to stimulate the economy.
LYNX, which was being built in an existing, operating Norfolk Southern right of way, was held up while they dug up, moved, and replanted some endangered weeds flowers they found in one of those studies.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Most agencies -- especially those dealing in infrastructure -- keep a "proposed" list of projects, and beyond that a "wish list" of possible future projects. Some even keep a "blue sky" list of projects that would be nice to have.
I'm hearing a new (to me, anyway) term for projects that can be gotten underway quickly: "shovel-ready."
I believe that CATS is looking into that. Matthewsaggie is a better person to address that question. He is an insider.
Phoeebe: Any chance that the multimode facility is a "shovel ready to go into the ground" or can be ready within 6 months? If so the stimulus package may come into play and it could be started asap. We have an airport project that the EIS is done and the FAA is willing for us to put it out for bid in Feb. and will fund it 100% instead of the usual 80 or 90&. That is a great infrastructure begging to be done there in Charlotte.
Far out!
I don't know if you got into it while you were in center city, but Charlotte has an overstreet mall that has an entrance at the Convention Center stop. You can walk all over city center without going outside. It connects many buildings together with enclosed bridges over the streets.
about a month before the light rail began operation they had an open house at the maint facility.
I have a few pictures.
There is bus service and taxicabs that meet the trains at the Amtrak station, but no light rail stop is planned there. Instead they are going to build a new multimodal facility at Trade and Graham Streets in City Center. That facility will be about a block from Bank of America Stadium where the Panthers play. That facility will house Amtrak, Lynx Purple Line (Commuter rail), CATS Trolley, CATS enhanced bus service to the airport, and Greyhound.
Well, I finally got to ride Charlotte's first light-rail line, LYNX, and loved it! The end-of-line parking deck is quite convenient to I-485, perhaps 1/4 mi. north of the Exit 65 interchange. Parking was free the day we went and there always seemed to be one train ready to depart and another ready to open up upon the first one's departure.
My guess is that the system is pretty close to Siemens turnkey, with some changes in the station layout to adapt to local taste and use. (If I am wrong on this, please say so!) The honor-system ticketing, where passengers buy tickets from a machine on-platform, served us well. This especially became apparent coming back, when we saw a train heading toward our station, and we were able to hoof it to the station platform--by using side stairs. No turnstiles or fare barriers.
LYNX showed its versatility well. Toward the southern end of the line, it clipped along like a proper commuter train, with speeds (I would guess) approaching 60 mph. Clearly an advantage over old streetcar technology, which was great at pulling away from a dead stop but tended to peak out in the low 40's of mph. Most of the line used bridges or berms and paralleled South Avenue. There is an especially scenic "leap" over I-277 as the train approaches downtown Charlotte from the south. Thereafter, the train stopped more often, and seemed to make use of the occasional side street or back street. There are numerous grade crossings but they didn't seem to pose any danger to us light-rail riders (carless motorists may be of another opinion!)
I was with cousins and children ages five to forty-five, and they loved it, especially the kids. I'm not sure they have ever had reason to ride a train, except possibly Tweetsie (small themed line) in Northwestern North Carolina. LYNX seemed like a revelation to them. What came as a revelation to me was how pedestrian-friendly downtown Charlotte has become, with numerous restaurants and bars and even (though I wasn't there) a branch of Belk, the popular regional dept.store. The way the line served both the convention center and the sports arena was very smart, I thought.
I was also impressed by the friendliness of the employees (who helped us work the ticket machine), an by the tip-top cleanliness of the stations, which have been in use for 13 months now. It seems to me that Charlotte's residents like it, too, because we saw a lot of people with Christmas presents purchased from the local Target and similar stores (this was 12-23-08).
When Amtrak and NC-DOT start a third daylight train ("heavy-rail") run from Raleigh to Charlotte this spring, getting into town will be that much more convenient. Perhaps next time I visit, we'll be able to ride the train part of the way and then use LYNX to get around. Pity that LYNX service does not extend to the Amtrak station! If this (Blue) LYNX line is extended, will it run by or near the Amtrak station? I believe it is in the 1200 (north) block of Tyron. - a.s.
PS: A special shout-out to Phoebe Vet for his accurate and friendly advice. Thanks!
Phoebe Vet wrote: Pineville didn't save a penny by opting out. It's paid for by a county wide (including Pineville) sales tax, and I bet if you ask the 6 new hotels in Pineville how they feel about being left out of the light rail line that goes right through the convention center, they would disagree with you. Then again, they probably didn't want any of those convention visitors, anyway.As far as SC wanting to participate or not, that is entirely up to you guys. NC does not gain anything by extending it there. It is all the people in Rock Hill and Fort Mill who work at the corner of Trade and Tryon who would be able to avoid that 5 MPH rush hour trip up I-77.
Pineville didn't save a penny by opting out. It's paid for by a county wide (including Pineville) sales tax, and I bet if you ask the 6 new hotels in Pineville how they feel about being left out of the light rail line that goes right through the convention center, they would disagree with you. Then again, they probably didn't want any of those convention visitors, anyway.
As far as SC wanting to participate or not, that is entirely up to you guys. NC does not gain anything by extending it there. It is all the people in Rock Hill and Fort Mill who work at the corner of Trade and Tryon who would be able to avoid that 5 MPH rush hour trip up I-77.
I tried the light rail trip to uptown. It took 15-20 more minutes than my usual commute. I will ask some of the hotels in Pineville, a few are clients of mine, how they feel about being left out of light rail. Haven't heard any complaints yet. I may be incorrect, but I believe Pineville was being asked to provide the land for the station and that is when they started to balk.
Phoebe Vet wrote: The reason the light rail stops where it does, is because the N.I.M.B.Y.s in Pineville fought hard to keep it out of their city. They claimed it would destroy the character of their ramshackle 2 block downtown area, and just past Pineville is the state line. South Carolina has talked about extending it to Rock Hill, SC, but so far it is just talk.The engineering studies are underway to extend it to the University area, which will more than double it's length. The money was just appropriated last week to begin the engineering studies for the line that will run up Lake Norman into Iredell County.Center City Parking varies by lot, but even the lots that only charge $5 a day, charge $20 for game parking. Parking at the light rail park and ride lots is free. I agree that the park and ride lots are too far from I-77, but the route was dictated by the Norfolk and Southern right of way on which they built it. If you drive I-77 during rush hour, surely you would consider the short diversion to the park and ride just off the beltway. I-77 stops completely for long periods of time. The buses around the city that feed the light rail stops run on the weekends as well, but I don't think the free trolley-busses through city center do.It is a work in progress. Lessons are being learned along the way.
The reason the light rail stops where it does, is because the N.I.M.B.Y.s in Pineville fought hard to keep it out of their city. They claimed it would destroy the character of their ramshackle 2 block downtown area, and just past Pineville is the state line. South Carolina has talked about extending it to Rock Hill, SC, but so far it is just talk.
The engineering studies are underway to extend it to the University area, which will more than double it's length. The money was just appropriated last week to begin the engineering studies for the line that will run up Lake Norman into Iredell County.
Center City Parking varies by lot, but even the lots that only charge $5 a day, charge $20 for game parking. Parking at the light rail park and ride lots is free. I agree that the park and ride lots are too far from I-77, but the route was dictated by the Norfolk and Southern right of way on which they built it. If you drive I-77 during rush hour, surely you would consider the short diversion to the park and ride just off the beltway. I-77 stops completely for long periods of time. The buses around the city that feed the light rail stops run on the weekends as well, but I don't think the free trolley-busses through city center do.
It is a work in progress. Lessons are being learned along the way.
How dare the officials in Pineville refuse to spend their tax dollars on something that they determined would not benefit the citizens of their community. As for extending the line to Rock Hill, I do hope my electd officials here in SC think hard before spending money on that, when our state has countless needs that are more important.
I rode the line a few days after Christmas.
It was smooth, clean, quiet and comfortable.
Not much standee room in the cars though. . . .I was actually surprised in a way that such large cars seemed to carry so few people. . . Maybe I'm just too used to riding the T in Boston.
(I still can't get used to the fact that all-day parking is still only $5 though. . . .You can't get Boston garage parking for $5/HOUR. Ahem. . .back on topic. . . .)
My uncle said that the biggest problem for him is that the light rail stops inside one of (the main?) beltways that goes around Charlotte. Because of that, he's got to drive through the heavy traffic to get to the light rail, and by the time he's done that, he may as well drive the rest of the way into work. He did say that he would look @ using the light rail to get into the city for sports events and to go to the convention center though.
It looks to me like they're still in the "getting used to it" phase. One of the complaints I hear from a number of riders is that there's no connecting bus service on weekends/sundays, meaning that the light rail doesn't do them any good because they have no way to go further once they get into the city.
LYNX has had their first grade level crossing accident.
A car drove around the lowered gate and was struck by the LRV. No injuries on the train, minor injuries in the vehicle.
The north line is still on track for engineering as far as Davidson. Iredell County Commissioners are the ones opposed, Mooresville is in favor. Mt. Mourne is un-incorporated Iredall county. A new problem is some of the new commissioners in Huntersville, who are opposed to any TIF funding plan.
That has been the plan all along. Even when the Feds refused to fund the North Line, they worked out a plan to build it without Federal Participation, but the Mooresville and Mount Mourne politicians are claiming they don't want it.
If they opt out, then that line won't happen.
That north line was scheduled to be the next expansion, but it looks like they are going to skip it and move on to the next one.
Phoebe Vet wrote: Actually, the recent federal money is only for the engineering studies for the extension of the blue line, which has always been planned as step 2. Actual construction has not yet been approved by the feds.CATS is negotiating with the Panthers (NFL) and the Bobcats (NBA) to bundle transit fare into their event tickets. They have already presold 20,000 advance transit tickets to ACC.
Actually, the recent federal money is only for the engineering studies for the extension of the blue line, which has always been planned as step 2. Actual construction has not yet been approved by the feds.
CATS is negotiating with the Panthers (NFL) and the Bobcats (NBA) to bundle transit fare into their event tickets. They have already presold 20,000 advance transit tickets to ACC.
cool
Phoebe Vet wrote: The planning estimates were for 9,000 rides a day to start, and 18,000 a day by 2020.So far, in the three weeks they have been running, they are averaging 13,000 rides a day.On days when the Carolina Panthers or the Charlotte Bobcats are playing at home, the trains are what the Charlotte Observer has called "Tokyo Crowded". That means they physically cannot cram any more people through the doors.
The planning estimates were for 9,000 rides a day to start, and 18,000 a day by 2020.
So far, in the three weeks they have been running, they are averaging 13,000 rides a day.
On days when the Carolina Panthers or the Charlotte Bobcats are playing at home, the trains are what the Charlotte Observer has called "Tokyo Crowded". That means they physically cannot cram any more people through the doors.
I also rode it on the opening weekend. I can walk to an express bus from my home so I have remained a bus commuter even after the start of the Lynx.
The best part of the sucess of the Lynx so far is that it is pooping in the faces of all the nay-sayers here in Charlotte who said it would always be broken down and the only people who whould ride would be lower-class individuals. Basically, there are two groups of people in Charlotte: Those who have lived here for more than two generations who are in love with their cars and those of us who relocated* here from places like Boston, New York, or in my case Chicago and are used to using mass transit.
*(Charlotte is the second largest finincial center in the US, the first being lower Manhattan)
Currently, Mecklenburg County has a 1/2 cent sales tax that goes to mass transit. Some idiots got a referendum put on the ballot to eliminate the tax in a feeble effort to put a stop to light rail expansion. The measure to remove the tax failed by over 70%. When it was all said and done fewer people voted in favor of the measure that signed the petition to get on the ballot in the first place.... yeee ha!
It seems that CATS (Charlotte Area Transit) is in the process of buying more cars for the Lynx from the manufacturer so they can double-up on some of the trains that had originally been single car only.
Also, the Federal Government recently gave a grant to help extend the current line beyond Uptown Charlotte to the north neighborhoods including the Univ. of North Carolina Charlotte.
http://www.charlotte.com/214/story/410116.html
The park and ride lots are large and free.
Every station is served by buses.
al-in-chgo wrote: Has anyone here ridden Charlotte's new light-rail system, LYNX, and how was it? I understand there are park-and-ride lots, one near the Interstate; how is that working? a. s.
Has anyone here ridden Charlotte's new light-rail system, LYNX, and how was it?
I understand there are park-and-ride lots, one near the Interstate; how is that working?
a. s.
I have.
On opening day in late November, they had 2 days of free rides and activities at 3 of the center city stops. Max capacity as it is currently configured on the one open line is 35,000 passenger trips a day. In the 2 day grand opening, 130,000 people rode the trains.
I rode it on opening day with my wife and granddaughters. It is clean, fast, smooth, quiet, comfortable. Trains run every 7 1/2 minutes in rush hour, and every 15 minutes the rest of the day.
They have had one pedestrian fatal accident, but it looks like it was actually a suicide.
They have lost 9 crossing gates. People in Charlotte often stop at red lights with their car completely past the stop line. They are learning slowly that when you do that at the RR crossing, the gate comes down on your car.
If you go to charlotte.com you can find several articles in the archives where riders have been interviewed. I think Jeff Elder is writing the series.
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