SAN ANTONIO | City and Metro Transportation Thread - Page 47

Fireoutofclay · #**921** Posted **Mar 4, 2016, 9:45 PM**

The Source: Mayor Taylor 'Cautiously Not Pessimistic' On Future Of Lone Star Rail
By Paul Flahive
Mar 1, 2016

http://tpr.org/post/source-mayor-tay...-rail#stream/0

Quote:

Monday Mayor Ivy Taylor responded to questions about the future of Lone Star Rail, the proposed commuter-rail line connecting San Antonio and Austin.

Or listen:
http://cpa.ds.npr.org/kstx/audio/201...urce-mayor.mp3

texboy · #**922** Posted **Mar 23, 2016, 1:23 PM**

Passenger Count up at SAT with Domestic up 5%

Total Passenger Count at SAT up 4.1% in January

Fireoutofclay · #**923** Posted **Mar 25, 2016, 9:33 PM**

Push to bring commuter trains to San Antonio
By Emily Baucum
News 4 San Antonio
Thursday, March 24th 2016

http://news4sanantonio.com/news/loca...to-san-antonio

Quote:

"I call it rail re-use," Bexar County Commissioner Kevin Wolff says.

He's interested in re-using a Union Pacific railroad track that runs parallel to I-10 from downtown all the way to The Rim.

"If there were going to be a rail project in Bexar County, this might be an affordable rail project that the citizens might support," Commissioner Wolff says.

Restless 1 · #**924** Posted **Mar 27, 2016, 5:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireoutofclay

Push to bring commuter trains to San Antonio
By Emily Baucum
News 4 San Antonio
Thursday, March 24th 2016

http://news4sanantonio.com/news/loca...to-san-antonio

While a streetcar system may not pass the public ire, rail lines to major points of interest from the center city certainly makes sense. Could even run South to the A&M campus. Has to be something that runs on time and regularly.

sirkingwilliam · #**925** Posted **Mar 31, 2016, 11:47 AM**

HOV LANES COMING TO SECTION OF I10 ON FAR NW SIDE

Quote:

As part of an expansion, Interstate 10 will get lanes reserved for transit and other high-occupancy vehicles, a design that planners hope to duplicate on other highways in San Antonio.

At its meeting Monday, the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization approved a plan to widen I-10 north of Loop 1604 by adding two lanes in each direction between La Cantera Parkway and Ralph Fair Road, likely by 2019. One lane will be for high-occupancy vehicles, such as buses and carpools, and the other for all vehicles to use.

The vote ended a somewhat contentious debate that started in December, when the Texas Department of Transportation introduced the HOV idea to replace a plan to add toll lanes and direct connectors on that part of I-10. The plan is similar to one to convert the part of U.S. 281 between Loop 1604 and Borgfeld Drive into a six-lane freeway with two HOV lanes, the first ones approved in the San Antonio area.

U.S. 281 and I-10 might pave the way for HOV lanes on other busy corridors. The MPO is studying the feasibility of adding them to highways now slated for tolled expansions, including Interstate 35 and Loop 1604.

I10 JUST BEFORE LOOP 1604

I10 JUST AFTER LOOP 1604

VIDEO OF I10 DRIVE FROM EAST SIDE TO FAR NW SIDE

• Video Link

Rynetwo · #**926** Posted **Apr 1, 2016, 2:08 PM**

^^^ I wish they would add toll lanes instead of HOV lanes.

Restless 1 · #**927** Posted **Apr 1, 2016, 2:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rynetwo

^^^ I wish they would add toll lanes instead of HOV lanes.

http://transportationblog.dallasnews...islation.html/

Lawmakers have filed more than 120 bills related to toll roads this session. Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst have both said they want to better fund the Texas Department of Transportation so it doesn’t keep adding tolling components to state highways.

Three Collin County lawmakers have filed a package of bills that would provide TxDOT more funding from existing revenue streams and limit the amount of time a road could be tolled, among other things. Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, said this morning that their push is based off a groundswell of toll opposition in a county inundated with toll roads.

Personally, not entirely opposed to toll roads, as long as they are new construction, and free lanes are also available.

Of course, decent public transportation would be much better.

BNF · #**928** Posted **Apr 3, 2016, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless 1

Personally, not entirely opposed to toll roads, as long as they are new construction, and free lanes are also available.

Of course, decent public transportation would be much better.

I wouldn't mind seeing all freeways tolled and all public transportation free. It would be interesting to see how flipping those would change our culture.

sakyle04 · #**929** Posted **Apr 4, 2016, 2:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BNF

I wouldn't mind seeing all freeways tolled and all public transportation free. It would be interesting to see how flipping those would change our culture.

All freeways are tolled already, but we call the tolls "taxes".

I get your point and agree, but would not love living in the dystopian authoritarian dictatorship that it would take to make it a reality.

texboy · #**930** Posted **Apr 14, 2016, 4:54 PM**

SAT Passenger Count up 5% YTD

February Passenger Count up 6% over February 2015; YTD count up 5%

Quote:

The February 2016 San Antonio International Airport (SAT) passenger count (595,286) increased 5.9% over
February 2015. The Year-to-Date (YTD) total passenger number (1,235,900) was 4.9% higher than the same
YTD period in 2015. The YTD domestic passenger total was up 5.6% over YTD February 2015, while the
international passenger count was down 6.7%.

Fireoutofclay · #**931** Posted **Apr 28, 2016, 8:06 PM**

Future of San Antonio-Austin passenger rail could hinge on local planning group
By Katherine Blunt, Staff Writer
San Antonio Express News
April 27, 2016 Updated: April 28, 2016 11:27am
http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...ld-7379356.php

Quote:

The Lone Star Rail District, a government-funded agency that represents six counties and many cities and agencies in the I-35 corridor, has been working for more than a decade on the train, a project many people agree is needed now more than ever to help address congestion, air quality problems and population growth.

But the $25 million spent on planning so far have yet to produce a definite route, and the most recent setback left many stakeholders questioning whether another agency ought to lead the project.

Tyrone Shoes · #**932** Posted **May 15, 2016, 2:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by texboy

Passenger Count up at SAT with Domestic up 5%

Total Passenger Count at SAT up 4.1% in January

I was driving out north and noticed a British Airways plane parked at the airport. What was it doing here and is that the start of new service? I am having problems getting the photo from my phone to load but I will keep trying....

Fireoutofclay · #**933** Posted **Jun 2, 2016, 2:10 PM**

High-speed passenger rail line could link San Antonio to Monterrey
By Robert Price
News 4 San Antonio
Wednesday, June 1st 2016
http://news4sanantonio.com/news/loca...o-to-monterrey

Quote:

"Economists around the world are saying the area between Monterrey/Saltillo and San Antonio/Austin is the biggest economic generator that will happen over the next 20 years in the world," said Ramiro Cavazos.

Fireoutofclay · #**934** Posted **Jun 2, 2016, 2:21 PM**

Legislature Could Kill Proposal For SA-Monterrey Rail
By Michael Marks
Current
May 27, 2015
http://www.sacurrent.com/sanantonio/...nt?oid=2440988

Quote:

House and Senate negotiators struck Schwertner's lanaguage out of the budget. But opposition to high-speed rail remains and, if it prevails, it would mean a major blow to the San Antonio-Monterrey line.

Rynetwo · #**935** Posted **Jun 22, 2016, 3:55 PM**

Toll Road on the way to Cibolo. (Maybe)

This new toll road looks interesting to say the least.

Quote:

The city of Cibolo is considering a $110 million, 7-mile toll road to help ease congestion in the area.

City Council members voted 7-0 Tuesday night to allow City Manager Robert Herrera to pursue a partnership with the Texas Turnpike Corp., a private toll road company that has legislative authority to build and operate toll roads in the state of Texas.

As presented, the four-lane road would stretch from FM 1103 at Wagon Wheel Way south to Interstate 10, a couple of miles east of Loop 1604.

http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...to-8221056.php

JACKinBeantown · #**936** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 12:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakyle04

All freeways are tolled already, but we call the tolls "taxes".

I get your point and agree, but would not love living in the dystopian authoritarian dictatorship that it would take to make it a reality.

That's pretty much how it is in New York City already.

The subway costs $2.75 (recently went up) and it takes you anywhere you want to go in the city. You could travel 300 miles for $2.75 if you wanted... from any borough to any other borough. To drive across a bridge costs $10.50 with Easy Pass and $15 with cash. Then you most likely have to pay to park. Taking the subway is much easier, usually faster, and more people do it.

San Antonio won't begin to do anything like that until it's too late (which it kinda is already).

Restless 1 · #**937** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 4:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

That's pretty much how it is in New York City already.

The subway costs $2.75 (recently went up) and it takes you anywhere you want to go in the city. You could travel 300 miles for $2.75 if you wanted... from any borough to any other borough. To drive across a bridge costs $10.50 with Easy Pass and $15 with cash. Then you most likely have to pay to park. Taking the subway is much easier, usually faster, and more people do it.

San Antonio won't begin to do anything like that until it's too late (which it kinda is already).

Definitely too late for subways. Even rail would be terribly difficult. The areas of commerce/employment/education and whatever else are too spread out. TAMUSA is far far southside, while UTSA is 25-30 miles north of that. Toyota, again far southside, Brooks City Base over on the East side. Fiesta Texas and Sea World far from both and each other, the various business centers in Westover Hills... you get my point. And that doesn't even consider the expanses between major athletic facilities, (try driving from the Alamodome to the ATT Center, then to Toyota Field, and then a nice jaunt over to the Wolff).

NYC is much more tightly packed, and SA has never seemed to really have a plan to grow up and not out.

Spoiler · #**938** Posted **Jun 23, 2016, 9:08 PM**

The fact is, implementing rail transit in SA would be a massive paradigm shift (if you're doing it right, at least) and should be accompanied by massive redevelopment of the commercial corridors to move away from car-centric infrastructure. Ideally, both would happen at the same time, in a coordinated way.

Restless 1 · #**939** Posted **Jun 24, 2016, 3:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoiler

The fact is, implementing rail transit in SA would be a massive paradigm shift (if you're doing it right, at least) and should be accompanied by massive redevelopment of the commercial corridors to move away from car-centric infrastructure. Ideally, both would happen at the same time, in a coordinated way.

Any ideas on how to get the genie back into bottle? It will take incredible incentive to persuade people to give up their personal transportation, especially as the city gets more spread out and not less.

Spoiler · #**940** Posted **Jun 24, 2016, 4:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Restless 1

Any ideas on how to get the genie back into bottle? It will take incredible incentive to persuade people to give up their personal transportation, especially as the city gets more spread out and not less.

I think the only realistic course is a gradual shift that starts around downtown and slowly radiates outward. Maybe urban development will start to appear around and within the Medical Center and UTSA before too long.

Unrealistically, I have plenty of ideas but they all cost massive amounts of money and political will.