Monday, June 15, 2009

Drinking from a Firehose

Here's a few tidbits from the last few days. I'm sorry for the outage but I was in Denver for CNU. The next few weeks should be a bit more stable.

Beijing wants to be a transit city...that means not waiting for more than 5 minutes for a bus. That would be awesome.
In peak hours, the minimum departure interval for subway trains will be shortened to 2 minutes; the waiting time at bus stops will be reduced to 3 to 5 minutes; public transport will account for 45 percent of the journeys in downtown areas.
~~~
Forclosure is hitting the Lindbergh MARTA development. The area is seen as a model, but apparently that doesn't help get or keep funding.
“We worked 10 years to get to this point and to make such inroads and transformed the entire neighborhood,” said Harold Dawson Jr., president of the Harold A. Dawson Co., the project’s developer. “And unfortunately these lenders can’t see the forest for the trees.”
~~~
Carrollton looks like the place to be in North Texas when it comes to TOD. The New York Times gave them a nod. Though what is even more interesting is that they are looking at getting Korean investors to build some of it.
Mink hopes to bring Korean developers to prospect for business around the city's three Dallas Area Rapid Transit rail stops. Those transit stations are scheduled to open in December 2010.
~~~
Winston Salem is looking to use energy grants to plan the streetcar. I thought that was rather innovative.
The city hopes to apply for a discretionary grant through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Energy as soon as funds are available. Winston-Salem would be in competition with other local governments for the money.
~~~
The Ragin Cajun is stumping for streetcars in New Orleans.
~~~
Salt Lake Mayor Becker hopes the US Conference of Mayors will be able to push harder for more streetcar money.
~~~
Looks like we have another I-10 situation in OK. I don't understand paving over rail ROW. It just doesn't make any sense in these times.
~~~
Why bar the car when you get the milk for... wait that's cow. Well why are people buying cars if they have the zipcar option.

4 comments:

Justin said...

If I need a car, I'd just go a rental agency and rent one. Renting a car doesn't take that long, and in Canada, most companies offer unlimited kilometers.

DSK said...

It should be noted that only one of the components of the whole Lindbergh TOD is being foreclosed upon (not that makes the news much better). Most of the area is still doing OK.

I know someone who lives in a condo at Lindbergh, but I can't remember if he's in the complex that is on the auction block...

Bob Davis said...

It may be somewhat of a stereotype, but I would say that we Americans are a rather impatient lot. We don't like waiting for anything, and we don't like to plan ahead. This is one of the reasons why most of us have cars, whether we use them a little or a lot. They're right there in our garages and driveways, ready to go at a moment's notice, 24/7. We look upon insurance, registration and repairs as part of normal living expenses. Those of us who live in places like New York, Boston and San Francisco can live the good life without a car. The rest of us find car-less living more trouble than it's worth. For example, I sometimes take the Gold Line light rail into downtown LA, but unless I want to walk almost a mile in an area with few sidewalks, then wait for a bus that runs every 30 minutes or so, I drive to the train terminal. Would it be cheaper to sell the car and just call a taxi? Possibly, but in suburban residential areas, there's usually quite a lag between calling for a ride and seeing the cab coming down the street. Convenience is a powerful selling point. Things will probably change in the next 10 or 15 years, but I think there are some who should have bumper stickers reading: "I Will Give Up My Car When They Pry My Cold Dead Hands From The Steering Wheel."

Matt Fisher said...

Me not understand paving over rail line in Oklahoma either. :)