Light Rail Systems And Routes In Other Cities

[DaveKCMO]

Tel Aviv light rail project may be stopped in its tracks

Although large sums of money have already been spent on preparing the ground for the light rail line in Tel Aviv, the Finance Ministry is considering freezing the project and diverting its budget to a light rail project in Beersheba instead, reports www.local.co.il. The move comes in the wake of continuing friction between the ministry and the city of Tel Aviv over the funding for the light rail line.

[K.C.Highrise]

I'm not saying I have all the answers, but I have studied the situation pretty extensively for the past several years and have come to one conclusion that I have shared time and time again on this board. The world is running out of cheap oil, and the sooner we come up with a workable transit plan the better. This is by far the most serious problem that this nation faces and the longer we say, "why are all the speculators driving up the price of oil?", "why are all the oil companies gouging us?", and "why don't we just drill in ANWAR?, that will solve all our problems", the worse off we will be. Oh, and if you think we need to have physical shortages of oil to have supply problems you clearly don't have a clue about economics or global trade. If oil goes up high enough/fast enough people will stop buying it,  physical shortage, or not. If you can't afford something you can't buy it, simple as that.

[DaveKCMO]

Airports fast-track rail projects

In at least a dozen cities including Dallas, Denver and Seattle, transit agencies are building or planning rail lines that would connect some of the nation's busiest airports to downtown areas up to 25 miles away. That could more than double the number of airports with rail service and make getting to an airport easier.

About 10 rail systems now take passengers from city centers to airport terminals, usually in older cities such as Boston, Chicago and Cleveland. In other cities such as Los Angeles and Baltimore, rail lines stop a few miles from an airport where passengers board a free shuttle bus to terminals.

Many regions now considering rail to airports are newer and seeing massive growth in the suburbs around an airport.

[DaveKCMO]

detroit's light rail story gets complicated:

Legislators, Gilbert, Penske will back light rail on Woodward

The Woodward Transit Catalyst Project would be a mass transit line on 3.4 miles of Woodward as a street-level loop would run between Hart Plaza and Grand Boulevard, and a dozen stops would be placed in high-traffic areas that include major businesses, theaters, ballparks, museums and hospitals.

Such a line aims to tie into a high-speed commuter rail link proposed between Ann Arbor and Detroit, and possible other lines that would stretch north and elsewhere into the city. The privately funded line is expected to spur action on those routes, which would need public money for construction and operation. The private Woodward line would require some type of public operating subsidy as well, according to the project plan viewed by Crain’s in February.

The proposal is separate from the Detroit Transit Options for Growth Study, a proposal by the Detroit Department of Transportation calling for a $371.5 million light rail line along eight miles of Woodward Avenue from downtown to the Michigan State Fairgrounds. That project, which remains in the planning stage, would be paid for by a combination of Federal Transit Administration New Starts Program along with state and local money.

[DaveKCMO]

interesting tidbits from charlotte:

Light-rail line rolls right along

CATS projected that Lynx would average 9,100 passenger weekday trips in its first year. CATS is averaging more than 13,000 weekday trips through April.

Operating Lynx is cheaper than buses, especially in the wake of a surge in fuel prices.

The average Lynx trip costs $2.70 in operating dollars, but that doesn't include the cost of building the line. Three-quarters of the train's $462.7 million cost came from federal and state grants. When CATS' portion of the train's capital cost is included, the per-passenger cost jumps to about $4.50.

Because light rail often operates at grade, with several street crossings, CATS worried there would be numerous collisions with cars. That happened when Houston's light-rail train opened in 2004.

That hasn't happened.

The prospect of crime on the train wasn't an issue during the transit tax campaign – and it hasn't been a problem since Lynx opened.

Through April 30, two cars have been reported stolen from park-and-ride lots, and nine cars have been broken into. There has been one armed robbery, according to CATS.

Since the train opened, the economy and the housing market have slumped. But almost all of the proposed developments along the Lynx are being built, or are on schedule, said CATS planner Tina Votaw. One reason, she said, is that many of the projects were planned as apartments, which are less impacted by the credit crunch than condominiums.

[BigBill33]

Denver: RTD eyes bus, light-rail cuts

Interesting news!  I will have to inquire about this when I'm in Denver next week.  I have an insider at DRCOG! 

[DaveKCMO]

Council backs Columbia River bridge with light rail, tolls

A divided Metro Council on Thursday endorsed building a new Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River that will extend light-rail transit into Vancouver from Portland, require tolls to cross and have room for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The 5-2 decision, after a six-hour public hearing, did not specify how many lanes the bridge should have. Rather, it established Metro's position on what may be the region's costliest public works project in a generation. Also, it rejected a proposal to back off from what critics called an unnecessary "mega-bridge" solution.

[Highlander]

I don't know if it was that low but all that I was forwarding was opinions of others that know more about the market than I.  At the same time the price rise may be more of market speculation than actual supply problems.  Afterall, I can still go to a gas station and get as much of gas as I desire whereas if there were supply problems there would be  gas lines and storage tanks running emply, as in the 70's.

Yes, at this time some forecast $200 and others less than $100.  Who is right?  Unless you have the crystal ball only time will tell.

All that has been reported at this time is that the polls say a KC starter line will not pass whereas a three-county proposal will.  Again, who is right come November?  Time will tell.  Of course, I doubt that both proposals will make the ballot in November so we will find out before then which will get the chance to succeed or fail.  No matter what all of the anti-Funksters out there will need to pull for him to succeed since neither will probably pass without his support and others on the council.  Afterall, they will have to vote to put the measure on the ballot in the first place.

Well, as a person who probably knows a little about the oil and gas markets, I will tell you that 136$/barrel is indeed probably too high.  I sincerely doubt if oil shoots up to 200$/barrel because that would destroy worldwide demand which creates a natural ceiling.  I think crude prices will fall in autumn to about 100$/barrel and perhaps a bit lower but maintain a dynamic but inexorable rise over time.  There is indeed a supply crunch and that is why small threats to oil production have had big impacts on the price of crude oil.  The excess production is just not available to make up for any significant curtailment to production.  US demand is slightly falling but that is easily made up for on a worldwide marketplace by increases in demand elsewhere.  One interesting thing to point out is that hyperinflated costs in the oil industry has severely impacted new exploration and production.  A 40 million dollar project 5 years ago is costing about 125 million plus today. 

Do not look for any long term break in oil prices.  We (the world) are using 30 billion barrels per year and finding much much less than that.  Increases in demand outpace increases in production so I do not see how the problem is going to ease anytime soon.  Most of the bigger companies cannot replace their production.  Smaller companies often can and do replace production but only because the bar is set that much lower and that really has little impact on supply and demand.  I do not see shortages impacting the US soon unless something tumultuous happens but shortages are certainly an eventuality......it's just a matter of when. 

Of course, all that is my just my somewhat informed opinion.  I do know most oil companies are using price forecasts that are not nearly as high as the current market but a lot of that is just a hedge to decrease financial risk on projects.  If I could predict the future accurately, I would make a lot of money. 

[GuyInLenexa]

Fort Worth"

Last month I went to a Town Hall Meeting for the district my home in Fort Worth.  The meeting addressed a recent bond package approval.  Light rail was one of the main topics.  Streetcars, ultra light rail (same difference), and electronic bus trolleys were discussed.

Last Tuesday the Fort Worth City Council approved a fifteen member committee to study and hopefully set up preliminary planning for a modern streetcar system for the city.

The Fort Worth Transit Authority (TheT) and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority (DART) jointly operate the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) commuter rail system that connects both downtown FW and Dallas.

The T should  will have another commuter rail route running from far southwest FW to the north end of DFW International Airport.  The 37 mile Southwest to Northeast  rail should be running by 2012 or 2013.  Another future route is planned to go to the Alliance Texas complex in far north FW in the future.  The streetcar system is being built to complement the existing and planned commuter rail routes.

The proposed streetcar system seems to have widespread support in the council, mayor, as well as the general populace.  FW is the fastest growing large city in the nation.  The current population is over 700,000 and growing at about 3.5% a year.  This unprecedented growth was not taken in consideration in the last study made several years ago.

Proposed streetcar route:

[DaveKCMO]

in case you missed it, here's a seven-part series reviewing the transit status in 35 MSAs:

Peer City Status, Part 1

Peer City Status, Part 2

Peer City Status, Part 3

Peer City Status, Part 4

Peer City Status, Part 5

Peer City Status, Part 6

Peer City Status, Part 7

[DaveKCMO]

phoenix light rail test video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvagOo_9Gts

[DaveKCMO]

seattle will vote on their first expansion this november before their starter line even begins operation.

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=74433

[rxlexi]

Insert Quote
seattle will vote on their first expansion this november before their starter line even begins operation.

could be a somewhat similar thing happening here with a regional expansion of some sort on the ballot next year.  I suppose it depends on whether it's simply commuter rail and BRT or if any form of actual LRT expansion is considered - either way should be voted on before the initial line begins operation, eh?

[DaveKCMO]

fascinating story about the light rail boom and phoenix's "starter line" (it's 20 miles):

Leaping into Light Rail

Phoenix, he notes excitedly, will boast — make that boasts already — the first light-rail stations anywhere with chilled water fountains. Simonetta figures that will be a necessity if he's going to persuade drivers to get out of their air-conditioned cars and stand in the heat waiting for trains. To that end, other touches at the stations include sweeping sail-shaped sun shades, tilted in a way that keeps at least 40 percent of the platform shaded at all times, and sand-colored concrete that deflects heat rather than absorbs it.

Austin and Norfolk will launch their own light-rail lines in the next couple of years, joining recently opened systems in places such as Charlotte, Denver, Houston and Salt Lake City. Add Phoenix to the list and you could argue that this pack of cities forms something of a graduating class. They're all moving beyond a car-bound past for a new future with light rail — and they're all making the change more or less simultaneously.

Downtown Phoenix is in the middle of a $6 billion building boom — fueled in part, Simonetta says, by the coming of light rail. Mixed-use residential developments are shooting up everywhere, including a $1 billion project on the site of a former parking lot. The city has just tripled the size of its downtown convention center. Two blocks away, there's a large new Sheraton hotel, built with city funds.

[DaveKCMO]

2009 NBA All Star Game in Phoenix to be big test for Light Rail

on a side note, i'll be in phoenix in january and will provide a full trip report that focuses on the new line.

[DaveKCMO]

for those who love to talk elevated, here's the modern price tag for a 20-mile line:

Council OKs rail vote bill

The typically divided City Council was unanimous in supporting a measure to allow Oahu residents to vote on the city's proposed $4 billion rail transit on the November ballot, though members remain split on the exact question to ask voters.

[DaveKCMO]

LA also gets to vote on transit in november, pending state approval...

Supes put sales tax on regular ballot but ...

from the metro's explanation of what the tax will cover:

The new sales tax would fund an aggressive attack on gridlock in the nation’s most traffic-choked region. It would finance such new transit projects as the Foothill Extension of the Metro Gold Line, a subway extension and Expo light rail line on the Westside, a rail connection to LAX, extending the Metro Green Line to the South Bay corridor, a downtown rail connector that would make transfers on the light rail lines seamless, an extension of the popular Metro Orange Line busway to Chatsworth and much more. Major highway projects such as adding capacity to the I-5 from the I-605 to the Orange County Line also would be funded.

In addition, the 88 cities and county unincorporated areas would receive 15 percent of sales tax revenue for local transit services, street resurfacing, left hand turn signals, bikeways, pedestrian improvements and other local transportation priorities.

Twenty percent of the monies would help subsidize countywide bus operations, which will help keep fares low for seniors, students and commuters. Another 5 percent will pay for Metrolink operations, maintenance and expansion and for purchasing Metro Rail train cars, rail yards and other system improvements.

[KCMax]

for those who love to talk elevated, here's the modern price tag for a 20-mile line:

Council OKs rail vote bill

WTF? Why do they need it raised in Honolulu?

[DaveKCMO]

WTF? Why do they need it raised in Honolulu?

lava?

[bahua]

Honolulu is far more dense than KC, and is hence far more suited to elevated rail than KC, but that's damn expensive.

Earle Partington, attorney for the group Stop Rail Now, filed a lawsuit yesterday with the deputy clerk of Circuit Court, Faith Otaki, to get the mass-transit vote on the general election ballet.

Wow! They have a ballet perform specially for election days!