City Life, Transportation

- February 20, 2008

Imagine if you could take a ride a train around the Triangle

There’s proof in Charlotte that light rail can work in North Carolina.

Don’t be fooled by the empty seats around Ginny from the Blog on Charlotte’s Lynx tonight (I’m in the Queen City for more training) , because ridership on this new light rail system is booming:

Ridership on the Lynx Blue Line has so far been better than CATS projected. Average weekday ridership in December was more than 12,000 boardings per day. It estimated first-year average weekday ridership would be 9,100 boardings.

So Triangle residents, I’m curious, would you pay increased sales taxes or increased fees on your vehicle registration if it would help bring the light rail here?

  1. 11 Responses to “Imagine if you could take a ride a train around the Triangle”

  2. Yes!!

    By Rab on Feb 20, 2008

  3. Absolutely.

    By absent.canadian on Feb 21, 2008

  4. I would absolutely pay. I would even start a blog dedicated to thing.

    By Leo on Feb 21, 2008

  5. No doubt, I would pay!

    By Matt on Feb 21, 2008

  6. Yes, especially if it went to the airport. I don’t understand why the TTA’s report indicated residents would not take a train to the airport (which was one of the major reasons why the original plan was shot down for federal funding - the ridership numbers were too low). It seems like this is an obvious benefit of having a train…

    By SB on Feb 21, 2008

  7. SB, I’m going to have to disagree with you on rail to the airport. If you send the train to RDU, then only the people that work there are going to use it a lot, which is way too few. Add in the small amount of people that travel 1-2 times a week and we are still at too few of a crowd to justify building it out there. Think about your train experience with multiple pieces of luggage for a long trip, no one will do it. It is simply easier to get a ride or park in the deck where spaces are a plenty.

    For now there should be bus circulators from an RTP or North Cary rail station to the airport. Maybe one day the triangle will be large enough to support rail at the airport, but I agree with the TTA’s position and think it should still be left out of our next plan.

    By Leo on Feb 21, 2008

  8. Absolutely.

    By Andrea on Feb 21, 2008

  9. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I would easily pay more in vehicle registration fees.

    And Leo, I’m going to have to agree with SB. Anyone flying in to RDU from somewhere else likely won’t be staying in Morrisville or Brier Creek. A train going from RDU to Raleigh and Durham’s downtown areas would do wonders to encourage business hospitality. With nonstop direct flights to London and many other big cities, it just makes sense. A traveler arriving here on business would benefit greatly from a train ride to his or her hotel. In fact, it is probably what they are used to if coming from abroad.
    It is very encouraging that virtually everyone with whom I’ve discussed the topic is enthusiastic and would support it. Let’s hope.

    By John on Feb 21, 2008

  10. Yes, absolutely, I’d pay more in fees or taxes to have access to a train. In fact, when we moved to downtown Raleigh more than six years ago (we’re in Boylan Heights), we were so excited there would be a train station within walking distance.

    Can’t tell you how disappointed we were when it all fell through.

    And, yes, the train should go connect the airport with our downtown areas. I grew up in Atlanta, where MARTA takes people through the airport every day. And as anyone who has traveled extensively for business can tell you, it is MUCH easier to travel to conferences, events, and meetings in a city like Chicago or Atlanta, where the train takes you right where you need to go—for cheap, too. Such an opportunity would do wonders for new business at Raleigh’s new convention center, for Duke and Duke Medical Center, for a revitalized downtown Durham.

    - Lea

    By Lea at Quick Serve Kids on Feb 22, 2008

  11. John,Lea,
    Your statements are correct. I guess I need to explain a little more. I am a fan of running a train through the NC railroad corridor, this already connects DT Durham to RTP to DT Cary to DT Raleigh. It is so nice to have this set up for us. This “backbone” is where the triangle should start.

    Unfortunately, RDU is not on this line. Look at a map and you can see how ridiculous it would be to “bend” the train line around to get it there, you would have to cross I-40 and do you think cutting trees down in Umstead Park will go over well? Anyway, all I’m saying is that I supported the TTA’s original plan, with a bus circulator to the airport.

    Perhaps in the future we will get more transit lines running and it will include a stop at RDU. The triangle still has some growing to do.

    By Leo on Feb 22, 2008

  12. Lea, I moved to Durham from Metro Atlanta. I miss having a good transportation (train) system to move me around everywhere. Light rail would definitely work here. I was thinking maybe have several lines in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill/Carrboro initially, then have a few lines connecting them all.

    Having something like that would defintely be smarta :-)

    By Allen on Apr 6, 2008

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