SAN ANTONIO | City and Metro Transportation Thread - Page 34

JACKinBeantown · #**661** Posted **Jul 21, 2014, 5:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean1187

Found this little gem. Thought y'all might enjoy.

Pic courtesy of Perkins Eastman

The Architect's Newspaper:
"Spurring Development"
http://archpaper.com/news/articles.a...3#.U81FFfldV8G

First of all, thanks for posting this.

Looking at the drawings on the link it seems that the buses don't pull up under the canopy... they stop on the street next to it. So it's essentially not a protective cover, merely decorative. And the benches which go nearly from end to end of the canopy impede people's ability to walk in the center to keep out of the rain. Is that really the best design?

whatdoyouwantandwhy · #**662** Posted **Jul 29, 2014, 2:46 AM**

Well it looks like the city and county are abandoning the streetcar program now that Castro is in Washington. I feared that once Castro would leave that the city would regress back to its backwards short-term mindset... As a college student I already had thought about moving out of SA for good upon graduation, and now I think I finally made my mind up; it is sad not because we won't be getting a new "urban toy" as some of the critics say, but because of the potential development that the city lost out on because of this. I'm sure SA's city center will still grow with or without it, but in my opinion this project would have gave that growth an extra push

oldmanshirt · #**663** Posted **Jul 29, 2014, 2:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatdoyouwantandwhy

Well it looks like the city and county are abandoning the streetcar program now that Castro is in Washington. I feared that once Castro would leave that the city would regress back to its backwards short-term mindset... As a college student I already had thought about moving out of SA for good upon graduation, and now I think I finally made my mind up; it is sad not because we won't be getting a new "urban toy" as some of the critics say, but because of the potential development that the city lost out on because of this. I'm sure SA's city center will still grow with or without it, but in my opinion this project would have gave that growth and extra push

I wouldn't say they're abandoning it, but the Council and Wolff are going to let it go to a vote along with Council and Mayoral elections next May. It's a disappointing, but not surprising, setback to what's always been a political issue.

whatdoyouwantandwhy · #**664** Posted **Jul 29, 2014, 3:41 PM**

Yeah true, I guess like you said it is just disappointing to see the city set itself back a few steps.

Boquillas · #**665** Posted **Aug 1, 2014, 5:12 AM**

So, no one has anything to say about the streetcar being dead?

sirkingwilliam · #**666** Posted **Aug 1, 2014, 5:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boquillas

So, no one has anything to say about the streetcar being dead?

It's not dead.

Latest news is VIA met Thursday night and will hold a press conference today at 11 am.

I think worst case is VIA continues without the city portion of funding and builds in phases.

I think best case is they re-access their current plan for a more comprehensive plan that features light rail. They then will put that to a city wide vote which I have no doubt will pass.

Whatever happens, rail will be built in the urban core.

JACKinBeantown · #**667** Posted **Aug 1, 2014, 7:45 PM**

Don't be surprised if the citizens vote against light rail. Most people in San Antonio aren't as progressive about development as people on this forum, and people in SA loooooooove their cars. Plus, in my experience living in SA for 12 years, people look at such issues with the mindset of, "Why should I vote to have my tax dollars go to help someone in another part of town? What will I get out of it?'' I hope I'm wrong.

sakyle04 · #**668** Posted **Aug 1, 2014, 7:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

It's not dead.

Latest news is VIA met Thursday night and will hold a press conference today at 11 am.

I think worst case is VIA continues without the city portion of funding and builds in phases.

I think best case is they re-access their current plan for a more comprehensive plan that features light rail. They then will put that to a city wide vote which I have no doubt will pass.

Whatever happens, rail will be built in the urban core.

OR...

VIA is using TXDOT money on "short-term" plans, leaving even the Express-News to say that they're all but abandoning rail in the near term.

No city money, no TXDOT money...

This is why we can't have nice things.

sirkingwilliam · #**669** Posted **Aug 1, 2014, 8:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

Don't be surprised if the citizens vote against light rail. Most people in San Antonio aren't as progressive about development as people on this forum, and people in SA loooooooove their cars. Plus, in my experience living in SA for 12 years, people look at such issues with the mindset of, "Why should I vote to have my tax dollars go to help someone in another part of town? What will I get out of it?'' I hope I'm wrong.

Considering a sales tax increase was passed for PreK4SA, with some of the most well funded opposition, says a lot of about how this city votes. If Prek4SA passed, a comprehensive transit plan would pass as well, imo.

sirkingwilliam · #**670** Posted **Aug 1, 2014, 8:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakyle04

OR...

VIA is using TXDOT money on "short-term" plans, leaving even the Express-News to say that they're all but abandoning rail in the near term.

No city money, no TXDOT money...

This is why we can't have nice things.

We'll see how things shape up now that the city attorney seems to be indicating he won't accept the petition signatures.

That is why Wolff and Taylor backed out. They were worried if it were on the ballot that it would bring out people who would vote against them as conservatives were more like to want to vote on the measure as democrats/liberals are appathetic about the measure.

aggie2008 · #**671** Posted **Aug 3, 2014, 7:27 PM**

My guess is the streetcar money will be spent putting in some of the other transit plans they already had in motion.

If I could chose, it seems like turning Primo into real BRT, as well as introducing true BRT more broadly across some of the high transit corridors would be a smart move. It would also start to push us in the direction of actually being able to support rail based transit in ridership number terms. They could then slowly turn the non-corrider lines into feeders much like other cities run their public transportation. Yes, this will increase transfers, but it will also allow them to increase frequency and use their very limited funds more wisely.

I went to a transit meet up a couple of weeks ago that VIA had hosted at Halcyon in Southtown, there are definitely some good ideas at the agency, I hope they can take the funding they were planning on using and put it towards some of those. Especially expanding BRT and making it more true to the actual definition.

Ultimately, at some point, San Antonio needs to start prioritizing transit (including ped, bike, bus, rail) by dedicating more space to non-car options outside the urban core. That's really the only way that any form of non-individual car transit. For buses specifically it will help it to become more reliable and somewhat comparable to the time it takes a car to make the same trip on a highway. It will never be on par and I don't expect it to, but traffic isn't even a good reason to take transit at this point because cars and buses use the same lanes. Also, what good is transit if you get off the bus and can't walk or bike anywhere? We all know that buses don't traditionally drop you off right outside of your ultimate destination.

adtobias · #**672** Posted **Aug 4, 2014, 4:16 AM**

SA needs a DART or light rail system.

sirkingwilliam · #**673** Posted **Aug 4, 2014, 8:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakyle04

OR...

VIA is using TXDOT money on "short-term" plans, leaving even the Express-News to say that they're all but abandoning rail in the near term.

No city money, no TXDOT money...

This is why we can't have nice things.

It seems the best case scenario I talked about is what's occurring.

Fireoutofclay · #**674** Posted **Aug 12, 2014, 4:31 PM**

By David DeKunder, Staff Writer
mysa.com
September 3, 2013

http://www.mysanantonio.com/communit...23-4784369.php

Quote:

The head of the Lone Star Rail District told Schertz Chamber of Commerce members Aug. 20 that a regional commuter rail service could be up and running within 10 years.

The article is a year old but it's pretty positive, figured it was worth sharing.

KevinFromTexas · #**675** Posted **Aug 13, 2014, 1:39 AM**

I would love that. I'd be visiting a lot more often.

electricron · #**676** Posted **Sep 9, 2014, 11:28 PM**

I believe for all practical purposes the downtown streetcar plan is dead with the city pulling its funding, and the state's funding being repurposed by VIA into more rapid bus routes, along with the intermodal bus centers most if it was going anyways.

The only rail project moving forward is the Lone Star Rail (commuter rail) connecting San Antonio with Austin, which could use one of the intermodal bus centers as a train station. Its official three year long EIS just commenced, and that study will have to be completed before additional funding is needed for it.

Which brings up why is the city holding the rail referendum this spring when the streetcar project has failed under its own momentum? Lone Star Rail is going to need some city funds to survive.

JACKinBeantown · #**677** Posted **Sep 10, 2014, 2:00 PM**

Does anyone have an update on the Wurzbach Parkway extension?

oldmanshirt · #**678** Posted **Sep 10, 2014, 4:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

Does anyone have an update on the Wurzbach Parkway extension?

http://txdotsanantonio.blogspot.com/...label/Wurzbach

From TXDoT's official blog

JACKinBeantown · #**679** Posted **Sep 11, 2014, 4:51 PM**

Thanks, oldmanshirt. Where the hell is Buckhorn Drive?

I guess they opened about 1,000 feet of new road. Not much but still progress.
I found this photo on Google Maps. The greenway looks nice. I'm so happy cities are adding these.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/93344947

Fireoutofclay · #**680** Posted **Sep 12, 2014, 8:43 PM**

By Ryan Loyd
Texas Public Radio
3:24 pm
Thu September 4, 2014

http://tpr.org/post/council-puts-fut...r-hands-voters

Quote:

When voters arrive to the ballot box next May, they will see Proposition 1, which will ask:

Shall the city charter be amended to provide that no grant of permission to alter or damage any public way of the city for the laying of streetcar or light rail tracks shall ever be valid, and no funds shall be appropriated and no bonds or notes shall be issued or sold for the purpose of streetcar or light rail systems, unless first approved by a majority of the qualified electors of the city voting at an election containing a proposition specifically identified for and limited to such purpose?

If a majority of voters say yes, then the people will have the right to vote on any future proposal for streetcar.

It took Houston's METRORail twenty years to get light rail off the ground, and at the time it had a larger population than we do now. Our light rail election, which I voted for, was back in 2000. We are a much different city now than we were back then. When I ride the bus now, over half of us are enjoying the extra time with our smartphones, which makes it much quieter than it used to be. More people are texting than talking on the phone.