More Metro wasn't what I was getting at. I was getting at jobs and people being closer together, street grid, stop building new on the edges while already built places are abandoned, etc.
I don't think most transportation authorities wait until their current infrastructure is at capacity before they expand. For instance Denver, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh light rail systems aren't at capacity, but they're expanding. Cincy, Detroit, and KC buses aren't at capacity, but they're building streetcars. Perhaps the only example of mass transit infrastructure expansion because of capacity constraints is the 2nd Ave. Subway in Manhattan.dbInSouthCity wrote:Right now Metro is running nowhere near capacity, they need to re-think their current system for better utilization before any kind of system expansion talk can start.
Next City - How Will Departments of Transportation Evolve Over the Next 50 Years
http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/departm ... -decreases
http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/departm ... -decreases
Just about everything wrong with or transportation and land use is in here.
StlToday - In Valley Park, public housing means less crime but more transportation challenges
StlToday - In Valley Park, public housing means less crime but more transportation challenges
She lives at Valley Park Apartments, an isolated public housing complex nestled in a patch of woods on Cheryl Lane off Highway 141. A two-mile obstacle course of trails, river, a few delusional men and a six-lane highway stood between Williams and $7.50 an hour.
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metr ... 45385.htmlOne of the main law enforcement issues in Valley Park is accidents — along Williams’ route to work.
In 2013 alone, there were more than 220 crashes in Valley Park that occurred on Highway 141 or by an intersection where 141 was a cross street, according to Highway Patrol records. That’s three-fourths of all crashes in Valley Park during that time frame.
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So here is a thought. A gas tax hike was widely panned as politically perilous and generally disruptive in an era of $3.00+ per gallon gasoline. How does that equation change when gas is falling to $2.50 or less. Can a gas tax hike become plausible if the gas price continues to fall. Admittedly I am certain it will ONLY be used for roads and bridges. Bike pedestrians and transit riders will probably be boxed out.
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Very good chance of a gas tax hike in Missouri in 2015 (during the legistative session), it would be within the scope of the Hancock Amendment so nothing that would have to go to voteSTLEnginerd wrote:So here is a thought. A gas tax hike was widely panned as politically perilous and generally disruptive in an era of $3.00+ per gallon gasoline. How does that equation change when gas is falling to $2.50 or less. Can a gas tax hike become plausible if the gas price continues to fall. Admittedly I am certain it will ONLY be used for roads and bridges. Bike pedestrians and transit riders will probably be boxed out.
As for the use...i think transit riders would be the only ones left out, current gas tax is used for bike/ped all the time...by federal law modot has to improve ADA facilities on their projects.
Well here's metro's quarterly service changes: http://www.nextstopstl.org/13378/metro- ... ecember-1/
Almost all of the changes are service cuts, mainly to suburban bus routes. I mean I don't disbelieve that these routes have low ridership but how much does it really cost to keep a bus route running 40 minutes all day rather than 1 hour all day like they have changed a number of these routes to. To some degree I feel powerless to hold Metro accountable for these types of things, the fact that they are a multi-county bi-state entity makes it next to impossible to put normal political pressure on them. If I had the time I would start a group for Metro accountability, because they will simply not increase bus service on routes that need it and seem much more focused on cutting costs rather than increasing mobility. While I'm not living in the suburbs and won't be directly affected by these cuts, I know how hard it can be trying to travel out there and 40 minute headways vs. 60 (or 80!) minute ones doesn't seem like lavish spending.
Almost all of the changes are service cuts, mainly to suburban bus routes. I mean I don't disbelieve that these routes have low ridership but how much does it really cost to keep a bus route running 40 minutes all day rather than 1 hour all day like they have changed a number of these routes to. To some degree I feel powerless to hold Metro accountable for these types of things, the fact that they are a multi-county bi-state entity makes it next to impossible to put normal political pressure on them. If I had the time I would start a group for Metro accountability, because they will simply not increase bus service on routes that need it and seem much more focused on cutting costs rather than increasing mobility. While I'm not living in the suburbs and won't be directly affected by these cuts, I know how hard it can be trying to travel out there and 40 minute headways vs. 60 (or 80!) minute ones doesn't seem like lavish spending.
The number 2 needed to be broken up. Badly. And though I'm sad to see reduced frequency on the 56, it's normally pretty dead between Meramec and old Webster.
Dallas News - Possible high-speed rail quickens Dallas transit plans
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transpor ... -plans.ece
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transpor ... -plans.ece
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The horrible South County Connector project has been put on hold....
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... db34a.html
under $3.00 gas expected to stick around in 2015- i say perfect time to push for a gas tax increase.
under $3.00 gas expected to stick around in 2015- i say perfect time to push for a gas tax increase.
Streetsblog - Lesson From the States: Index Your Gas Tax to Something, Anything
http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/11/13/l ... -anything/
http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/11/13/l ... -anything/
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http://www.metro-magazine.com/news/stor ... newsletter
Jacksonville breaks ground on BRT system
Jacksonville breaks ground on BRT system
This seems much more reasonable then $1.5billion for 20 miles of light rail.JTA is seeking federal funds for the next two planned BRT segments — the 9.4-mile North corridor and the 11.1-mile Southeast corridor. Both projects are advancing through FTA’s Capital Investment Grant Program. JTA estimates that the entire BRT system will cover 55 miles and cost approximately $132.3 million.
I'd have to see their plan, but it could be more reasonable. It won't be as fast or as permanent and likely wouldn't spur the same degree of development. Still, I've never been opposed to a good BRT system.
But it needs to run on a similar route to the ones discussed for light rail, and it needs it's own ROW.
For whatever reason, something like that has never been put on the table (well, the very public table anyways) in St. Louis.
But it needs to run on a similar route to the ones discussed for light rail, and it needs it's own ROW.
For whatever reason, something like that has never been put on the table (well, the very public table anyways) in St. Louis.
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The idea of this legislative body passing a any kind of tax hike, much less a gas tax hike, makes me laugh hard.dbInSouthCity wrote:Very good chance of a gas tax hike in Missouri in 2015 (during the legistative session), it would be within the scope of the Hancock Amendment so nothing that would have to go to voteSTLEnginerd wrote:So here is a thought. A gas tax hike was widely panned as politically perilous and generally disruptive in an era of $3.00+ per gallon gasoline. How does that equation change when gas is falling to $2.50 or less. Can a gas tax hike become plausible if the gas price continues to fall. Admittedly I am certain it will ONLY be used for roads and bridges. Bike pedestrians and transit riders will probably be boxed out.
As for the use...i think transit riders would be the only ones left out, current gas tax is used for bike/ped all the time...by federal law modot has to improve ADA facilities on their projects.
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well they did vote to put A7 on the ballot, i think there will be a 2 cent hike this upcoming session- 2 cents = $60-70M a year.
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Michigan's Republican-controlled State Senate just approved a percentage-based (as opposed to cents per gallon) gas tax that will likely result in Michigan having the highest gas taxes in the country. It's not a done deal yet (still needs house and governor approval) and Michigan is not Missouri, but I think it shows that people on both sides of the aisle are willing to support higher taxes for infrastructure.Greatest St. Louis wrote: The idea of this legislative body passing a any kind of tax hike, much less a gas tax hike, makes me laugh hard.
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/m ... /19146393/
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Our state GOP has problems beyond those of other states, as the refusal of medicaid expansion has shown.
They did that so they would not be politically responsible for the outcome. Because why on earth would a Legislature legislate?dbInSouthCity wrote:well they did vote to put A7 on the ballot, i think there will be a 2 cent hike this upcoming session- 2 cents = $60-70M a year.
Maps showing how many jobs are within a 30 min walk or transit ride for 46 cities.
http://access.umn.edu/research/america/ ... index.html
St. Louis
https://a.tiles.mapbox.com/v4/ctswebreq ... 6/-90.2410
http://access.umn.edu/research/america/ ... index.html
St. Louis
https://a.tiles.mapbox.com/v4/ctswebreq ... 6/-90.2410
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^ it would be interesting to model how this would change if North-South Metrolink were added.
And along these lines, I believe I saw somewhere that North Saint Louis is one of the worst areas in urban America for transit access to jobs... anyone know what that specific reference was?
And along these lines, I believe I saw somewhere that North Saint Louis is one of the worst areas in urban America for transit access to jobs... anyone know what that specific reference was?
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^ wouldnt change much with NS metrolink, are there many jobs along the proposed corridor?(that aren't already covered by transit) Westport would probably improve the numbers more.
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^ look at how light the color is in high-density South City.... if you had quicker transit to downtown and Clayton that area should improve greatly. Someone living off of Jefferson or Grand should be able to take transit and get to the job centers already served well by transit quickly.... but getting Metrolink to Westport won't help that at all. Priority must be given to getting Metrolink to higher-density areas where people will use it.
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maybe im understanding "how many jobs are within a 30 min walk or transit ride" wrong...