The Tennessee Department of General Services is cutting the employee transit card program effective July 1st. They had decided to cut the program to “save” the state $750,000 but they are not considering the real cost. Now, those State employees will need to drive and park their cars downtown. Surely, the cost of providing parking lots is more than bus passes, not to mention the environmental costs, additional traffic, cost to the individual and, overall, it’s another huge step backwards for Transit in this state
Please add your comments and concerns about the effects of slashing this program.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Easy Ride Incentive
Easy Ride. Swipe N Ride. Whatever you want to call it, it's a good program that shouldn't be cut. I recently started taking the 34X into work from where I live and the bus is full of state employees worried about how they are going to afford the daily commute into work starting July 1st if this state program isn't saved. I understand that we need to make budget cuts across the board while we survive this recession, but this would be a monumental step backwards for a state that desperately needs more mass transit, especially when the national focus is beginning to shift towards mass transit (White House's new high-speed transit plan). See the gigantic hole where Tennessee sits?
One of the reasons we are not on the map is because we are sacrificing transit programs when people need them the most. That doesn't help. I'm sure that when the White House was putting together their plan, they wanted to start in locations where mass transit has a fighting chance. As of right now, we don't even have the appropriate mechanisms in place to come up with the funds to match the federal dollars to do economically viable transit projects.
But that was yesterday! Currently there is legislation in place that will give regions in Tennessee the power to create regional transit authorities with bonding power (HB1263 & SB1471). Now we can come up with the match to make mass transit work. I just hope it's not too late...again referencing the national high-speed transit plan. Nevertheless, this is a move in the right direction. So far, both bills have passed their respective subcommittees and are now at the finance committee level. They should pass, but then again you never know.
Why is this so important? It is because this is a pivotal year for land use and transportation in the United States. Every six years, Washington reviews the Transportation Efficiency Act (TEA) and sets the guidelines for how the Department of Transportation will give out the federal fuel tax monies to the states and how they can be spent. We are currently operating under SAFETEA-LU, the grandchild of ISTEA who was born in 1991 and was touted as the post-interstate set of guidelines. Yes, I said 1991. We believed that we had fulfilled our mission of developing an interstate super highway system linking all urban areas back in 1991! But we're still widening our roads and adding interchanges to new strip malls in 2009 when it has been proven that 85% of our population resides in urban areas. Remember...the more we drive, the more fuel we will buy, the more money goes in the kitty that is awarded to modes that feed the kitty. We have been rewarding sprawl since the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956! It's also because the current TEA doesn't have the TEATH in it to guide how transportation dollars are spent. So if we can get behind groups like Transportation for America and Smart Growth America, we can get these reforms in place. Otherwise, we'll have to wait another six years.
See, it's all about incentives. Remember the MTA bus 34X I take? It has a park n ride in Madison so if I drove my car and parked it at the PNR, I would only spend $50/yr on gas ($2.25/gal) compared to $450/yr if I drove to work M-F. That's great news, but the bus ticket price for the 34X is $2.10/trip which ends up costing me nearly $1,100/yr. Now hang on, if I drive to work, I have to park somewhere and that's costing me $1,800/yr right now (actually, it's not costing me anything because my employer is picking up the tab). So the bus is going to cost me $1,150 compared to the automobile at $2,200/yr.
With those numbers (and I'm not considering depreciation, maintenance or taxes), you would think that I would take the bus every day, but see I don't because my parking is provided and now it becomes a personal incentive that sways me... reliability and convenience. Our current mass transit system is neither reliable or convenient for me on a daily basis. I only take the bus on days when I absolutely know that I will only be going into the office and will not be leaving downtown. So if my parking were taken away from me (economic incentive), I would ride the bus as much as I could... and if the system became more reliable, more frequent and convenient, I might sell my car.
So how about those state employees who are about to get their bus passes canceled (I heard there were 40,000 trips taken in the past month) from a meager $750,000 budget cut? That's a drop in the bucket compared to other programs, but will have a major negative impact on downtown when these bus riders start driving downtown to gobble up all of the STATE FREE PARKING.
So which incentive should be cut? Parking or Transit? Hmmm??? I would even go further and suggest selling some of the parking to developers for millions of dollars that would easily balance out some of the budget shortfalls and keep Tennessee moving in a strategic direction towards smart growth.
-Dave
One of the reasons we are not on the map is because we are sacrificing transit programs when people need them the most. That doesn't help. I'm sure that when the White House was putting together their plan, they wanted to start in locations where mass transit has a fighting chance. As of right now, we don't even have the appropriate mechanisms in place to come up with the funds to match the federal dollars to do economically viable transit projects.
But that was yesterday! Currently there is legislation in place that will give regions in Tennessee the power to create regional transit authorities with bonding power (HB1263 & SB1471). Now we can come up with the match to make mass transit work. I just hope it's not too late...again referencing the national high-speed transit plan. Nevertheless, this is a move in the right direction. So far, both bills have passed their respective subcommittees and are now at the finance committee level. They should pass, but then again you never know.
Why is this so important? It is because this is a pivotal year for land use and transportation in the United States. Every six years, Washington reviews the Transportation Efficiency Act (TEA) and sets the guidelines for how the Department of Transportation will give out the federal fuel tax monies to the states and how they can be spent. We are currently operating under SAFETEA-LU, the grandchild of ISTEA who was born in 1991 and was touted as the post-interstate set of guidelines. Yes, I said 1991. We believed that we had fulfilled our mission of developing an interstate super highway system linking all urban areas back in 1991! But we're still widening our roads and adding interchanges to new strip malls in 2009 when it has been proven that 85% of our population resides in urban areas. Remember...the more we drive, the more fuel we will buy, the more money goes in the kitty that is awarded to modes that feed the kitty. We have been rewarding sprawl since the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956! It's also because the current TEA doesn't have the TEATH in it to guide how transportation dollars are spent. So if we can get behind groups like Transportation for America and Smart Growth America, we can get these reforms in place. Otherwise, we'll have to wait another six years.
See, it's all about incentives. Remember the MTA bus 34X I take? It has a park n ride in Madison so if I drove my car and parked it at the PNR, I would only spend $50/yr on gas ($2.25/gal) compared to $450/yr if I drove to work M-F. That's great news, but the bus ticket price for the 34X is $2.10/trip which ends up costing me nearly $1,100/yr. Now hang on, if I drive to work, I have to park somewhere and that's costing me $1,800/yr right now (actually, it's not costing me anything because my employer is picking up the tab). So the bus is going to cost me $1,150 compared to the automobile at $2,200/yr.
With those numbers (and I'm not considering depreciation, maintenance or taxes), you would think that I would take the bus every day, but see I don't because my parking is provided and now it becomes a personal incentive that sways me... reliability and convenience. Our current mass transit system is neither reliable or convenient for me on a daily basis. I only take the bus on days when I absolutely know that I will only be going into the office and will not be leaving downtown. So if my parking were taken away from me (economic incentive), I would ride the bus as much as I could... and if the system became more reliable, more frequent and convenient, I might sell my car.
So how about those state employees who are about to get their bus passes canceled (I heard there were 40,000 trips taken in the past month) from a meager $750,000 budget cut? That's a drop in the bucket compared to other programs, but will have a major negative impact on downtown when these bus riders start driving downtown to gobble up all of the STATE FREE PARKING.
So which incentive should be cut? Parking or Transit? Hmmm??? I would even go further and suggest selling some of the parking to developers for millions of dollars that would easily balance out some of the budget shortfalls and keep Tennessee moving in a strategic direction towards smart growth.
-Dave
Monday, April 27, 2009
Circulator Charrette: Table 3
Table 3 identified their assets to be served by a circulator in terms of neighborhoods or areas, identified by the large blue circles on the map. Mary gives a quick summary of Table 3's ideal and prioritized route proposals:
Our big vision, without budget constraints, focused on the idea that transit should loop like clover leaves or petals into the surrounding ring neighborhoods. The concept was to connect these neighborhoods on the plan, circled in blue, with transit noted with dashed black lines.
Our Downtown priority loop (shown with green tape) has a 7-day a week route with evening hours and 12 minute headways. The line serves 8th Avenue, to the Farmer’s Market, then 2nd Avenue and loops back on Demonbreun with another section of the Circulator that ties in the Gulch area. This Circulator is the largest of the three proposed scenarios in the Downtown core but we noted existing bus lines could be modified with the proposal and discussed the need for the light rail spine down Broadway to the Vandy area.
The green tape was an innovation that table 3 requested on the fly. It included shorter headways during lunch hours and the 12 minute headways at other times. We fit it into the charrette method by allowing it in increments of 7", compared to the 6" blue tape and the 8" red or yellow tape. See the original circulator charrette post below for the full, original method.
I hope you have enjoyed reading these summaries about the circulator charrette, and I hope to see you at future Transit Now Nashville events.
-Cliff
Friday, April 24, 2009
Circulator Charrette: Table 2
Dave gives us an update on Table 2's proposal from last week's Circulator Charrette:
Table 2 at the Circulator Charrette concentrated on assets centered around downtown, with linkages to the Gulch, SoBro and Metro Offices, over to the Farmers Market and Germantown, plus across the river to LP Field (with the assumption that the current Park N’Ride would be replaced with this circulator). Ideally, we would like to have a linkage from the Gulch on Division St. over to the Metro offices on 2nd Ave., but currently it’s cut off by the railroad tracks. This would allow for the circulator to flow through the Gulch over to Metro and back downtown along 2nd Ave. and into the central business district.
When we had to prioritize our route, the first thing we realized was that we needed to have some higher frequency buses with extended hours in the core. The Blue Route serves that purpose and allows employees to get around the core quickly and easily, but also serves the late-hour tourist market. Since LP Field hosts basic M-F business-hour commuters, the White Route would be limited to the base 10 minute headway, business-hour set up it currently uses. The Red route would be extended hours and weekends only that would allow movement between the core and the increasingly denser diversified market the Gulch represents. Now residents of the Gulch can travel downtown and tourists can visit the restaurants in the Gulch seven days a week and into the evening.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Circulator Charrette: Table 1 Proposal
Table 1 at the Circulator Charrette concentrated on assets Downtown and in the nearby East Nashville and Vandy areas, including employment centers, the Farmer's Market, LP Field, the Gulch, and Vanderbilt University (see red circles in photo). Their ideal, cost is no limit route (shown in green) served all of these assets, stretching from Five Points in the east to the edge of the University. When they had to prioritize the route, they decided to endorse a 7 day a week route with evening hours and 10 minute headways (indicated by the red tape). They served two loops, one in the core, one in Midtown by Vandy, joined by an axis along Broadway.
Tomorrow: Table 2.
-Cliff
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Downtown Circulator Charrette
One of the highlights of Transit Week was the Urban Design Forum hosted by Transit Now and the Nashville Civic Design Center to discuss the design of a downtown circulator. We were very pleased with the turnout, particularly the number of design professionals. We started the evening with a brief overview of previous studies, best practices, and peer cities, and then went into a three stage mapping exercise. The crowd was broken into three teams. During stage 1, each team identified the assets they thought should be served by a downtown circulator. During stage 2, they each designed a "money is no object" ideal route. During stage 3, they had to prioritize their routes' service features using a "taping" exercise developed by Transit Now. The tape exercise represented a simplified cost comparison based upon the relative operational costs as determined by vehicle frequency, hours served, and other factors. We used colored tape to represent four options:
White tape = basic service with 10 minute headways, M-F business day hours
Yellow tape = increased frequency with 5 minute headways
Red tape = increased hours with evening and weekend service
Blue tape = increased frequency and increased hours
Each table was given approximately “5.5 miles” of white tape. The map scale was 1 inch equals 400 feet, so they each got 72 inches of white tape (72” equaled 28,800 feet, or 5.45 miles). They could use all of this tape toward covering the ideal route they had already identified in the previous stage, or use some or all of it to buy enhanced miles. For simplicity’s sake, the tape was dispensed in standard lengths (white in 12” strips, yellow and red in 8” strips, and blue in 6” strips). The teams could trade one for one a longer white piece of tape for a shorter piece of tape of another color. So, for example, they could choose to make their entire route with increased frequency and enhanced hours and receive 36” of blue tape. They could choose to use a mix of tape colors, as long as the total didn't exceed an amount equal to 72” of white tape. For comparison, Chattanooga operates a 1.5 mile route with extended hours and 5 minute headways. The cost for their system in this exercise would be 20 inches of blue tape, equal to 40 inches (3 miles) of white tape.
Over the next couple of days, I will post pictures of each of the teams' maps and discuss their proposals. Over the next few weeks, the Transit Now crew will use the charrette material to develop a more in-depth document to submit to MTA. We also plan to make Google maps version of the routes for further input and collaboration.
-Cliff
White tape = basic service with 10 minute headways, M-F business day hours
Yellow tape = increased frequency with 5 minute headways
Red tape = increased hours with evening and weekend service
Blue tape = increased frequency and increased hours
Each table was given approximately “5.5 miles” of white tape. The map scale was 1 inch equals 400 feet, so they each got 72 inches of white tape (72” equaled 28,800 feet, or 5.45 miles). They could use all of this tape toward covering the ideal route they had already identified in the previous stage, or use some or all of it to buy enhanced miles. For simplicity’s sake, the tape was dispensed in standard lengths (white in 12” strips, yellow and red in 8” strips, and blue in 6” strips). The teams could trade one for one a longer white piece of tape for a shorter piece of tape of another color. So, for example, they could choose to make their entire route with increased frequency and enhanced hours and receive 36” of blue tape. They could choose to use a mix of tape colors, as long as the total didn't exceed an amount equal to 72” of white tape. For comparison, Chattanooga operates a 1.5 mile route with extended hours and 5 minute headways. The cost for their system in this exercise would be 20 inches of blue tape, equal to 40 inches (3 miles) of white tape.
Over the next couple of days, I will post pictures of each of the teams' maps and discuss their proposals. Over the next few weeks, the Transit Now crew will use the charrette material to develop a more in-depth document to submit to MTA. We also plan to make Google maps version of the routes for further input and collaboration.
-Cliff
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Transit Week Details!
Monday
Tuesday
Thursday
Come in strong numbers and our collective voices will be heard:
• Urban Design Forum
• Nashville Civic Design Center [138 2nd Ave N in Butler’s Run near intersection of Commerce and 2nd Ave]
• 5:30 - 7:00pm
• Admission: Free
• Refreshments provided. Bring anyone familiar with getting around downtown Nashville!
Saturday
Follow the link to take the pledge! Promise to ride the bus this week! Invite a friend. Show someone new to it the ropes!
Tuesday
If you have ever driven a car, been in a car or seen a car you must catch this movie!!
• Taken for a Ride By Jim Klein
• Nashville Civic Design Center [138 2nd Ave N in Butler’s Run near intersection of Commerce and 2nd Ave]
• 7:00pm
• Runtime: One hour
• Admission: Free
• Here’s the plot: "a startling expose of General Motors' role in dismantling street car transportation in the 1930's and in catapulting the automobile to the center of our national culture." See it to believe it… the case was tried in court and they were found guilty! Come, learn and get fired up to bring transit back!
• Please, bring a snack, a friend, neighbor or coworker. Okay, you can bring a few. We’ll make room!
• Nashville Civic Design Center [138 2nd Ave N in Butler’s Run near intersection of Commerce and 2nd Ave]
• 7:00pm
• Runtime: One hour
• Admission: Free
• Here’s the plot: "a startling expose of General Motors' role in dismantling street car transportation in the 1930's and in catapulting the automobile to the center of our national culture." See it to believe it… the case was tried in court and they were found guilty! Come, learn and get fired up to bring transit back!
• Please, bring a snack, a friend, neighbor or coworker. Okay, you can bring a few. We’ll make room!
Wednesday
Still not sure about what its like to ride the bus? Return to our website for the premiere of… Transit Videos! We will show you how it is done.
Thursday
Work, live or play downtown? What places do your frequent?
Please, fill us in! We want to collect this information and pass it along to contribute to the creation of a Downtown Nashville Circulator Route. This form of transit will make going from place to place downtown feasible without getting in the car. Listen to the possibilities, then tell us what would work for you.
Come in strong numbers and our collective voices will be heard:
• Urban Design Forum
• Nashville Civic Design Center [138 2nd Ave N in Butler’s Run near intersection of Commerce and 2nd Ave]
• 5:30 - 7:00pm
• Admission: Free
• Refreshments provided. Bring anyone familiar with getting around downtown Nashville!
Friday
If you ride the bus, you know the drivers are doing a great job to get you from one stop to the next. Take a few minutes to recognize the hard working men and women of the MTA.
Please submit your stories of great drivers to transitnownashville@me.com
The winning entry will receive a month bus pass courtesy of the MTA!
Saturday
Take the bus to the Earth Day celebration!
• Centennial Park
• 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
• Route 3 goes along West End
• 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
• Route 3 goes along West End
Sunday
Been dreaming of the urban lifestyle? Green roofs, pool decks and art galleries calling your name? How about access to all of Nashville’s transit? Check out the possibilities…
Monday, April 6, 2009
Transit Now to present at Green is the New Black
Transit Now Nashville has been invited to make a short presentation at Green is the New Black, a club house wine tasting sponsored by the Davidson County Young Democrats. The event is at Nashville's first pre-certified Green building, the Terrazo, in honor of Earth Day 2009. The event is on Monday, April 20th from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Admission is just $15 and you get to enjoy different varietals of organic wines, network with earth-conscious people, and learn more about how to live green. RSVP to president@dcyd.org. Let us know if you would like a Transit Now rep to speak at an event you are hosting.
-Cliff
-Cliff
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