pdxstreetcar
Jan 19, 2004, 4:52 AM
As a strong supporter of mass transit and especially light rail, I am deeply concerned about many new light rail systems either under construction or in the planning stages. Many of these systems have a low projection of ridership, high construction costs and an overall slow route. I fear that projects like these will hurt other good light rail systems (like ones in dense areas) by giving bastards like Wendell Cox and the whole anti-rail community "ammunition" in shooting down transit projects by pointing to the less-than-perfect systems.
Some Projects that I have concerns about:
Southern New Jersey Light Rail (DMU)
Orange County Centerline
Seattle Central Link Phase I (I have much more faith in Phase II to Northgate as it is mostly grade seperated in tunnels)
Houston (I have heard that after the opening ridership is weak)
Oceanside-Escondido DMU
I wish that we could get some better projects planned and built that have higher ridership and faster speeds even if they are more expensive. They will get more people off the road, lessening the traffic levels and more supportive of transit projects.
After reading this editorial I decided to write this but I have had concerns for awhile:
___________________________________
Folly trolley keeps chugging along
In keeping with CenterLine tradition, OCTA route decision is full of flaws
By CHRIS NORBY
Orange County Supervisor
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Orange County needs transit alternatives that are visionary, efficient and rapid. The CenterLine project is none of these things.
Consider the CenterLine route approved Monday by the Orange County Tranportation Authority board, over my dissenting vote and county Supervisor Bill Campbell's. It would create a street trolley line through central Santa Ana. It would lumber down Bristol Avenue at 16 mph, stopping at major intersections and fighting cross traffic and pedestrians.
To be successful, new transit systems need the advantage of speed and safety. New transit systems are thus typically built underground, are elevated or utilize existing railroad right-of-ways. Subways speed beneath surface traffic. Elevated transit (like the BART system) speeds traffic. The at-grade Metrolink speeds across traffic with its own right-of-way, overpasses and signalized crossings.
But the 9.3-mile CenterLine route will be 60 percent at street level. It will occupy existing lanes of traffic on Civic Center Drive and Santa Ana Boulevard, creating additional bottlenecks. It passes at least 80 cross streets, most of which don't have signals. At intersections with signals (including Main, Broadway, McFadden and Edinger), it will stop for busy cross traffic.
The result: In operations and speed, CenterLine's function will be similar to a bus - a bus on rails. But we have buses already operating along the proposed route, so why commit $1 billion to duplicate an existing system?
The route also will require over 400 takings of property, forcing homeowners, renters and small businesses to relocate. Those who won't move voluntarily face eminent domain.
Compare this to the Pasadena Gold Line. Built on an existing railroad right-of-way, the 13.7-mile route required no property takings. It averages 23 mph, compared to CenterLine's 16 mph. It crosses only 27 streets - only one-third the number of CenterLine - and 20 of those are fully protected with safety gates.
The route chosen Monday will bypass South Coast Plaza, with the nearest stop a quarter-mile from the mall. Given that five bus lines already arrive at the mall, why would shoppers use CenterLine?
Turning east along Sunflower, the line narrows into a one-track tunnel under Avenue of the Arts. This single-track section creates a bottleneck since trains will be unable to pass. There is also strong opposition to the route among hotel and other business owners, who fear property takings will result and expect little practical benefit.
The proposed route ends at John Wayne Airport, but of what real value would the terminal be? Would baggage-laden passengers take a Metrolink to Santa Ana, then transfer onto CenterLine for the additional 40 minutes to the airport?
There is a proposed extension to Santa Ana College. But student commuters would have to transfer at Bristol and Santa Ana Boulevard if they wanted to continue south along Bristol or toward Costa Mesa. Students already take five OCTA bus routes extending from Santa Ana College for miles in each direction with no transfers needed.
Of course, there is currently no money budgeted for the Santa Ana College extension. But then funds for the entire line are increasingly in doubt. The federal government is being counted on for $500 million, yet this money has never been allocated by Congress. The other $500 million will be diverted from local sources, including Measure M sales tax and gas tax revenues. If the construction and operations are funded locally, other needed transportation projects will be shortchanged.
Where could the money be better spent? Aside from needed road projects, there are opportunities for modern rapid transit. Metrolink already has a 68-mile system connecting 12 Orange County cities, with more stations planned. This service could be improved.
OCTA already owns the abandoned Pacific Electric right-of-way, extending from Santa Ana to Cypress and into Los Angeles. Another little-used rail line extends from Whittier into La Habra and Brea. Improvements here would require no property takings. High-speed Maglev trains are also being considered for regional connections.
We need to look at these alternatives, and soon - before the CenterLine trolley becomes a money pit that consumes our transit resources for years to come.
____________________________________
Some Projects that I have concerns about:
Southern New Jersey Light Rail (DMU)
Orange County Centerline
Seattle Central Link Phase I (I have much more faith in Phase II to Northgate as it is mostly grade seperated in tunnels)
Houston (I have heard that after the opening ridership is weak)
Oceanside-Escondido DMU
I wish that we could get some better projects planned and built that have higher ridership and faster speeds even if they are more expensive. They will get more people off the road, lessening the traffic levels and more supportive of transit projects.
After reading this editorial I decided to write this but I have had concerns for awhile:
___________________________________
Folly trolley keeps chugging along
In keeping with CenterLine tradition, OCTA route decision is full of flaws
By CHRIS NORBY
Orange County Supervisor
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Orange County needs transit alternatives that are visionary, efficient and rapid. The CenterLine project is none of these things.
Consider the CenterLine route approved Monday by the Orange County Tranportation Authority board, over my dissenting vote and county Supervisor Bill Campbell's. It would create a street trolley line through central Santa Ana. It would lumber down Bristol Avenue at 16 mph, stopping at major intersections and fighting cross traffic and pedestrians.
To be successful, new transit systems need the advantage of speed and safety. New transit systems are thus typically built underground, are elevated or utilize existing railroad right-of-ways. Subways speed beneath surface traffic. Elevated transit (like the BART system) speeds traffic. The at-grade Metrolink speeds across traffic with its own right-of-way, overpasses and signalized crossings.
But the 9.3-mile CenterLine route will be 60 percent at street level. It will occupy existing lanes of traffic on Civic Center Drive and Santa Ana Boulevard, creating additional bottlenecks. It passes at least 80 cross streets, most of which don't have signals. At intersections with signals (including Main, Broadway, McFadden and Edinger), it will stop for busy cross traffic.
The result: In operations and speed, CenterLine's function will be similar to a bus - a bus on rails. But we have buses already operating along the proposed route, so why commit $1 billion to duplicate an existing system?
The route also will require over 400 takings of property, forcing homeowners, renters and small businesses to relocate. Those who won't move voluntarily face eminent domain.
Compare this to the Pasadena Gold Line. Built on an existing railroad right-of-way, the 13.7-mile route required no property takings. It averages 23 mph, compared to CenterLine's 16 mph. It crosses only 27 streets - only one-third the number of CenterLine - and 20 of those are fully protected with safety gates.
The route chosen Monday will bypass South Coast Plaza, with the nearest stop a quarter-mile from the mall. Given that five bus lines already arrive at the mall, why would shoppers use CenterLine?
Turning east along Sunflower, the line narrows into a one-track tunnel under Avenue of the Arts. This single-track section creates a bottleneck since trains will be unable to pass. There is also strong opposition to the route among hotel and other business owners, who fear property takings will result and expect little practical benefit.
The proposed route ends at John Wayne Airport, but of what real value would the terminal be? Would baggage-laden passengers take a Metrolink to Santa Ana, then transfer onto CenterLine for the additional 40 minutes to the airport?
There is a proposed extension to Santa Ana College. But student commuters would have to transfer at Bristol and Santa Ana Boulevard if they wanted to continue south along Bristol or toward Costa Mesa. Students already take five OCTA bus routes extending from Santa Ana College for miles in each direction with no transfers needed.
Of course, there is currently no money budgeted for the Santa Ana College extension. But then funds for the entire line are increasingly in doubt. The federal government is being counted on for $500 million, yet this money has never been allocated by Congress. The other $500 million will be diverted from local sources, including Measure M sales tax and gas tax revenues. If the construction and operations are funded locally, other needed transportation projects will be shortchanged.
Where could the money be better spent? Aside from needed road projects, there are opportunities for modern rapid transit. Metrolink already has a 68-mile system connecting 12 Orange County cities, with more stations planned. This service could be improved.
OCTA already owns the abandoned Pacific Electric right-of-way, extending from Santa Ana to Cypress and into Los Angeles. Another little-used rail line extends from Whittier into La Habra and Brea. Improvements here would require no property takings. High-speed Maglev trains are also being considered for regional connections.
We need to look at these alternatives, and soon - before the CenterLine trolley becomes a money pit that consumes our transit resources for years to come.
____________________________________