Capital Area Friends of Transit

Tony
09/09 05:14 PM

“Light Rail (NOT TRAINS)” in “The Traingle” should be operating today!  This process is taking much to long.  When are we breaking ground ?  This has become a laughable joke!  The last 10 years have been wasted becasue noone can get on the same page (the new plan MUST include RDU - why are we even debating this topic?)!!!!!!! 

Again, when are we breaking ground for Light Rail (the expanded bus system will not resolve the growth issue in “The Triangle” - thus - get off the bus topic -  - get off your butts and focus on the Light Rail system that NEEDS to be buildt yesterday)

Jeff S
09/09 08:20 PM

I’m sorry, but the insistence in making this a REGIONAL rail is part of the reason nothing is happening. The lack of people in the rail corridor is, from what I understand, the main reason they failed to get the federal funding the first time.

Someone… anyone… start building the rail and worry about connecting to the other slacker cities when they get their acts together (probably never).

We keep holding out for this all-encompassing solution that just isn’t going to happen. Meanwhile, we just keep building the suburbs further and further out - creating that many more homeowners who are going to vote against the funding when the time ever comes.

I’m ashamed to live amongst people who can get more excited about paying for convention centers, “destination parks”, and subsidizing hotels than moving forward with a rail system. I guess when the time comes, we’ll all just move somewhere that’s actually planned for the future.

Brian
09/10 05:08 AM

The first stage of our light rail/train service using existing tracks was supposed to be instituted already. The TTA was all set with station designs and locations, areas around these stations were going up in real estate values, and we were going to be around the same level as Charlotte. It all went wrong around 3 years ago when the US government wouldn’t subsidize the system and we were actually criticized by the “beloved” Sen. Dole who roughly said that we weren’t big enough and didn’t deserve light rail and that she wouldn’t support the system. Therefore it died. I was just in Raleigh in August and saw the numbers that on TTA alone there were over 110,000 riders in July, a record (don’t know CATs ridership numbers). Needless to say, there is demand, and if the train system is built, people will ride it! I echo what others have said in this comment section, it needs to be built now not later and Raleigh is a deficient city for not having it. Recently news of the updated plan came out saying we’d have a system in place by 2020 or some nonsense like that—that will be too late. Why can’t it get done sooner rather than later?!

ddjango
09/10 04:01 PM

I absolutely MUST reiterate that the continued concentration on either trains or light rail at this point in potential transit development is self-defeating and unrealistic.

The bus system in Raleigh is inadequate and will not support a role as a feeder to any sort of regional transit scheme. Without that cornerstone, commuters will have to drive to LR or train stations. Once in their cars, they’ll stay there, hoping that success in the other parts of the region will allow them ess stressful and time consuming commutes.

In a city hyping it’s downtown growth in the 21st century, why it tolerates a bus system stuck in 1954 is simply beyond me. Raleigh should be ashamed. Maybe Liddy was right.

Finally, it is clear that “regional” politics is not going to get theb job done. Their is a growing sense, in fact, that there really isn’t a region here. For now, Raleigh needs to look hard at its own local transit deficiencies and fix those. Don’t get the cart before the horse, nor the train before the bus.

Ken Metzger
09/10 05:43 PM

The bus system really should be a priority, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t prepare a commuter system, as well.  I would imagine that at a municipal pace that the bus system could be overhauled in three years, but it will take fifteen years to get light rail or something comparable done.  That is why it is important to talk about rail options now.
On a time scale, I think bike lanes should be the first thing added to the city’s transit options.  The city made bike routes like fifteen years ago, but has done nothing to encourage their use.  This could be done at a low cost and might actually help people free themselves of any fossil fuel transportation.

Debbie
09/10 06:41 PM

Let’s start small.  One light rail track from RBC Arena to downtown.  Then, people could park at RBC and take the rail into downtown during the day (alleviating parking headaches), and those at sporting events and concerts would have a way to enjoy the restaurants, hotels, etc. in downtown. We have been much criticized for putting our big arena away from downtown, and when we hosted last year’s NCAA regionals we got all kinds of complaints because there was “nothing to do, eat, etc.”  near the arena -give everyone a convenient way to get back and forth, prove that the light rail will be used, and build from there.

Arthur
09/11 08:38 PM

I “Union Station” where the rail and buses come togther would be so usefull and help travelers get from one service to another and the centeralizations is a good idea. It would also need a large parking deck so people could park there then take the train/bus to RTP or North Raleigh or Durham.

Micah Hughes
09/11 09:04 PM

I agree with ddjango.  I live downtown and can easily walk to the previously proposed depots.  I will not, however, ride the train to Chapel Hill or Durham.  Once I get there I have no way to get around.  While I think the bus systems in both places are better than Raleigh, it simply takes too long, and I have to mind a schedule made by someone else.  Having to take a train, then transfer to a bus could take two hours, when driving would take half an hour.  No, thanks.

Sure, there is a “demand” for light rail, but not a realistic one.  While it is true that a lot of(maybe most?) regional light rail systems in other cities have never (and some weren’t designed to) supported themselves from fares alone and depend on government subsidies to operate, a rail system in the Triangle would be an extreme example of the same.

ChiefJoJo
09/12 10:09 PM

All I have to say is we need better bus service, paired with rapid transit and streetcar circulators, and we need to locate homes, shopping and jobs near these lines (& limit it in other places)... period, end of story.

You all do know Raleigh had streetcars right?  Way back in the early 1900s.  And we had awesome passenger rail service too.  These are all things we had but <a ref=“http://www.newraleigh.com/articles/archive/sierra-club-movie-series/”>let slip away</a>).  Oil is mostly imported, gas is $4+ and has a strangle hold on our mobility, and our population is almost 400k and sprawling more each day… it’s time to get on with it.

TheCatalyst
09/14 07:06 AM

We don’t have light rail yet because the plans were SOOOOO bad that they we laughed out of DC when asking for funds.

HelenTart
09/21 02:19 PM

Your chance to Try Trnsit—part of a nation-wide event:

Monday:
Triangle-wide Fare Free day. 
Buses will be free on the following systems:
Capital Area Transit
Cary Transit
Chapel Hill Transit (always free to the ublic)
Durham Area Transit Authority
NCSU Wolfline (always free to the public)
Triangle Transit

Tuesday:
Rider Appreciation Day
Free goodies at RTP Transfer Center during the afternoon rush hour
(4:00-6:30 PM)
FREE Ice Cream at Moore Square Transit Station
12:00-3:00 p.m. (first come, first serve)

Wednesday:
Stuff the Bus Food Drive
Free Chick-fil-A sandwich for 3 canned goods donated at Cary Town Center Mall (outside of Food Court entrance by Macy’s)
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Donations will be collected at the following participating Chick-fil-A locations in Raleigh:
-7:00-10:00 a.m.- Capital Crossing - 4621 Capital Blvd.- CAT Route 1
-11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.- Downtown Raleigh - 400 Fayettville St.- CAT Route 13 inbound- CAT Route 7 outbound
-4:00-8:00 p.m.- 4325 Glenwood Ave.- Townridge Square, next to Wal-Mart-Cat Route 6

Ride the CAT bus to the food drive, show a CAT volunteer your bus pass and get a FREE t-shirt, while supplies last!

Thursday:
Park and Ride Day
Free goodies at District Dr. park and ride during afternoon rush hour
(4:30 - 7:00 PM)

Friday:
Operations Appreciation Day
Say thank you to your bus operator

For More Information: Please visit: www.gotriangle.org or call the
GoTriangle Customer Service Information Line at 485-RIDE.