AUSTIN | Transportation Updates

[drummer]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Whenever I see something like that my first thought is 'bicycle'.

Ha, you would think so, but many roads that look just the same but with bicycles. When dealing with 1.3 billion people (and growing), there just simply isn't enough room. That's why so many cities are investing in subway systems, etc., to help manage the load. The real issue, however, isn't bicycles but electric bikes and motorcycles. They ignore traffic laws more than vehicles...and then there's jaywalking clogging up roadways.

I have a car and drive often, but if I'm just going around (especially in downtown areas), I ride a bike. It's much faster than a car most of the time.

[KevinFromTexas]

If this passes, hopefully our region get a nice share of the funds.

Congress to Eliminate Billions in Wall Street Subsidies to Fund Repair of Nation’s Highways

[Slyfox]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

As for a "driver's ed" for bikes, some cyclists can be dumb when they ride, but I always like to remember that whatever they do it's in their best interest to not ride like an idiot since if they do do something stupid, it might mean their demise. Of course being courteous goes a long way. I'm sure I surprise drivers each time when I let them go first while I'm sitting at a stop sign. Anyway, I do see some really dumb ones sometimes that do need it. I actually saw a guy once riding on the wrong side of the street, talking on his cell phone with no lights on his bike. I was on my mine at the time on my way to the grocery store. Luckily I spotted him and steered clear of him. And then there the ones who run red lights. I've actually had a few of them come around me in the bike lane while I was waiting for the light so they could run it.

The same argument can be made for driver's education, anyone driving a vehicle should be careful for their own sake, as well as others. Bicycles do kill people, albeit at a lower rate than vehicular accidents, I recall last year in Central Park two pedestrians were hit and killed by bicyclists within a two months period. The first was hospitalized with brain damage for several days before dying. So mandatory bicycle education may not be that bad of an idea....

[KevinFromTexas]

The most important thing is not running red lights and stop signs. That and making sure your brakes are up to snuff. And of course not riding on the sidewalk. Really if you're in the habit of riding safe for your own safety, then you'll probably make it safer for other people as well. I would never ever want to hit someone. I love riding my bike and wouldn't want to turn something I love doing into something negative that ended up reminding me of that one bad decision. I even take a grocery list with me every time I go to the store just so I'm only focusing on riding and not thinking about what I need to get. I think a lot of people just make mistakes like everyone does, but I also think some people don't take it seriously or maybe only assume it's their safety that's on the line. And yes, I've heard of bicycle/pedestrian fatalities. I'd be horrified if that happened.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

If this passes, hopefully our region get a nice share of the funds.

Congress to Eliminate Billions in Wall Street Subsidies to Fund Repair of Nation’s Highways

Interesting. I like the repatriation idea.

[atxsnail]

How a Former Video Game Designer Created the Best Intersection For Bikes

Austin gets a mention in this article. I have seen something like this discussed on this site before but I do not know where it is (Mueller, maybe?).

The article has a nice video explaining how it works

[drummer]

^^ I like that a lot. I ride my bike in China traffic almost daily, so anything to protect cyclists is a must in my opinion. The speeds of cars are much, much higher in the U.S. than a lot of other countries, so I'd say all the more important to implement such safety features where they can be done. What I like about this also (since I drive a car also) is that it doesn't prevent the flow of auto traffic. Many "solutions" affect cyclists or drivers - rarely do they work well for both.

[Flatiron]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Bowie Street underpass.

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/...pass_PLANS.pdf

This looks exciting!

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/ne...ystem-can.html

Austin's futuristic rapid transit pod system: Can Garriott pull it off?
Oct 29, 2015, 2:54pm CDT Updated Oct 29, 2015, 3:48pm CDT

Richard Garriott wants to build a futuristic pod-based transit system in Austin. But first, he has to pitch it to the public and win them – as well as key policymakers – over.

“It’s working right now, in the world,” said Garriott, a pioneering video game developer, serial CEO and one-time space tourist, during his presentation. “But while there has been a lot of research going into it, very few have actually built the thing."

Austin Business Journal first revealed Garriott’s plans earlier this year, reporting that a five-year-old study on a PRT proposal centered on the University of Texas had been recently working its way through senior members of Austin’s economic development community. Garriott’s PRT system, like other similar systems, would use a fleet of automated podcars along a series of guideways to take passengers directly from point A to point B on demand.

[the Genral]

This pod system looks pretty cool. If it was extensively built as a way to get around campus and downtown, I would use it. One problem for me though, everywhere we look just about, power lines, I hate power lines. Now just imagine elevated tracks everywhere. Ok, maybe not everywhere, but I'm thinking looking up and seeing them stretch block after block is going to look shitty, especially when they start to weather.

[drummer]

I want to like the PRT idea, but I can't see how practical it would be for the entire CBD/Campus area. I could see it working at UT and West Campus - possibly with a circulator route in the neighborhoods just across 35 from campus where a lot of students live. However, I can't see this as a practical, mass-transit option for all of CBD. I understand that the Metro line (and any new ones coming sometime in the future) is specifically for commuters rather than transport within the CBD (hence the desire for streetcars or some other alternative than buses that get caught up in traffic). What I would personally love to see is a whole network of commuter lines (think DART, even) that bring folks to downtown, at which point they could transfer to another system. If they're in the core of the city, this system alone would suffice. PRT may be able to serve that function, but I'd have to see the route(s) and how they would solve the issue of on-demand direct routes with more circulator routes - would they have places where you could bypass other cars who are stopping or do you have to wait behind them, etc.? If you have to wait, then what is the point of saying "on-demand, direct" etc.? Why not just have a true circulator transport system? I just need more information, I guess. I'm having difficulty imagining this working on a larger scale like the Austin core.

[Tech House]

Originally Posted by the Genral

This pod system looks pretty cool. If it was extensively built as a way to get around campus and downtown, I would use it. One problem for me though, everywhere we look just about, power lines, I hate power lines. Now just imagine elevated tracks everywhere. Ok, maybe not everywhere, but I'm thinking looking up and seeing them stretch block after block is going to look shitty, especially when they start to weather.

You're probably right. In theory, it could be attractive and intriguing, adding something very special to the city. But in practice, making it attractive would be expensive and they'd probably try to minimize unnecessary costs. And yet, even a cheap version of it would be something new in the world, something that people would talk about everywhere. I'd love to see something futuristic and fantastic for public transit, and I'm definitely NOT thinking about it as an engineer, accountant, or transportation planner. I just like the idea of something different, new, weird, and highly visible, something that people would associate with Austin, which could contribute to the overall experience of the city.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by Tech House

I just like the idea of something different, new, weird, and highly visible, something that people would associate with Austin, which could contribute to the overall experience of the city.

Morgantown West Virginia has had an automatic people mover system in service for decades, and I don't see many people here discussing it. So I disagree, different, new, weird, and highly visible don't get everyone talking about it.

You can read about it at the following link.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan..._Rapid_Transit
Map of system.
http://www.jtbell.net/transit/images/Morgantown/Map.gif

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by electricron

Morgantown West Virginia has had an automatic people mover system in service for decades, and I don't see many people here discussing it. So I disagree, different, new, weird, and highly visible don't get everyone talking about it.

You can read about it at the following link.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan..._Rapid_Transit
Map of system.
http://www.jtbell.net/transit/images/Morgantown/Map.gif

But you have to go to West Virginia to use it. Ewww.

A good data point, but not necessarily a complete parallel. Austin is definitely both more visible and more easily reachable than Morgantown.

[Tech House]

The ABJ article about Garriot mentions that he has looked into ways to help the city purchase a tunnel boring machine! Dang, I love the way that guy's mind works. He's our Paul Allen, minus a few billion $. One of my friends visited the house that Garriot lived in (and maybe still does?) in the late 90s, and the master bedroom had a bed that was situated on a lift, with a ceiling that could open to the sky. With the flip of a switch, the bed could be elevated up through the roof. I have a very hard time picturing how that would work and I don't remember the details, so maybe I've got it slightly wrong.

Also, Garriot's house - AKA Brittania Manor, has traditionally offered an annual Halloween experience that had people lining up 24 hours in advance to be among the limited number who could get in. Here's an entertaining video about the craziness of the Manor: https://youtu.be/mM109_EbMcs

[electricron]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Austin is definitely both more visible and more easily reachable than Morgantown.

Really? Morgantown is just 378 miles away from New York City, and it's over 20 million MSA population. Additionally, the Philadelphia (5.7 million), and the Baltimore and D.C. combined MSA population (9.3 million), are closer than New York City to Morgantown.
Adding just these three metros, Morgantown is easily reachable to 35 million in population. Note I did not include Pittsburgh nor the entire state of Ohio which are even closer. The entire state of Texas population is just now approaching 27 million. And Morgantown is easily much closer to the East Coast population centers than Austin.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by electricron

Really? Morgantown is just 378 miles away from New York City, and it's over 20 million MSA population. Additionally, the Philadelphia (5.7 million), and the Baltimore and D.C. combined MSA population (9.3 million), are closer than New York City to Morgantown.
Adding just these three metros, Morgantown is easily reachable to 35 million in population. Note I did not include Pittsburgh nor the entire state of Ohio which are even closer. The entire state of Texas population is just now approaching 27 million. And Morgantown is easily much closer to the East Coast population centers than Austin.

But the closest major airport to Morgantown is in Pittsburg, 75 miles away, perhaps he meant Austin was easily reachable because of ABIA. That's how I understood it.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by the Genral

But the closest major airport to Morgantown is in Pittsburg, 75 miles away, perhaps he meant Austin was easily reachable because of ABIA. That's how I understood it.

That's also how I understood it. Morgantown is actually really difficult to get it for the vast majority of Americans, whereas Austin is actually really easy.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by electricron

Really? Morgantown is just 378 miles away from New York City, and it's over 20 million MSA population. Additionally, the Philadelphia (5.7 million), and the Baltimore and D.C. combined MSA population (9.3 million), are closer than New York City to Morgantown.
Adding just these three metros, Morgantown is easily reachable to 35 million in population. Note I did not include Pittsburgh nor the entire state of Ohio which are even closer. The entire state of Texas population is just now approaching 27 million. And Morgantown is easily much closer to the East Coast population centers than Austin.

Austin has a 25 gate airport (and expanding).

Morgantown has (I think) 1 gate. If that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morgan...icipal_Airport

[electricron]

Originally Posted by the Genral

But the closest major airport to Morgantown is in Pittsburg, 75 miles away, perhaps he meant Austin was easily reachable because of ABIA. That's how I understood it.

75 miles isn't that difficult to travel, considering almost everyone rents a car at airports anyways.
Never-the-less, people travel by other means than just by air. Did travelers have much difficult reaching Austin before ABIA opened? How much easier is it afterwards? 10%, 50%, 100%?