Build a trench or tunnel bridge with pedestrian/bike access on top. Problem solved. No dead bats.
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Whatever they do, don't put wind turbines on top of the bridge.
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Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel for inspiration: https://i.insider.com/59491e41e592ed...jpeg&auto=webp |
They should try shifting the bridge further east to hit the end of Rainey St but I don't know how they would get to the lake from the south side if they aren't using the existing easement they have. You would also have to contend with the boardwalk.
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Thats not what i was saying. I should have been more clear.
The bridge would have walls on both sides. The top would be open like a trench. Walking and biking paths would be cantilevered off the sides at the top of the walls. Or have the walking and biking path be over the top of the train and tracks. This would make the bridge a tunnel. The like the trench version so the the walking path and the biking path could be more clearly separated. I guess the tunnel version could also have separated walking and biking paths too. |
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I mean . . . can't you do the bridge with a canopy that goes up and overtop the trains? Bats will echolocate off of the structure and go up and over. Easy peasy.
Here's an example from Chicago: http://soulofamerica.com/soagallerie...on_JeremyA.jpg For bonus points make it out of clear plexiglass! |
Never said in it.
Walking and biking is on it top of the tunnel the train is in, or walking and biking is cantilevered up and to the side of the trench the train is in. |
I could def see a more narrow Pfluger-style ped bridge with greenery, atop a cylindrical shiney steel "tunnel" bridge. That could actually be really attractive with the right type of soft glowing lighting
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I think many posters replying to this thread need to make a trip to either Houston or Dallas and ride some real light rail trains running in the street environment. For Dallas, the Orange Line from either DFW or a short bus ride from Love Field will make a great choice. When in dedicated tracks above streets on a viaduct, or running in dedicated corridor on the surface, it reaches speeds as high as 65 mph. But when operating at grade within streets, max speeds maybe reach 30 mph. You can feel the difference without looking at a speedometer. I'm sure the street environment in Houston will reflect the same speeds. Guess what the maximum speeds of CapMetro's light rail trains within the street environment speeds will be? I'll bet it will be no faster than the posted speed limits for every other vehicle using the same street. Light rail routes approaching downtown: Riverside Drive: 35 mph from South First Street to Vargas Road, 40 mph east of Vargas Road. South Congress: 30 mph to Riverside, then 35 mph further south. Guadalupe: 30 mph to 30th, 35 mph to 45th, 40 mph further north. The light rail trains will not be going 50 or 60 mph as it crosses the river. If a bat can not avoid a huge train going 30 mph or less on the bridge, it does not deserve to live. ;) |
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Maybe the bats will move under the blue line bridge instead of congress. That would make for a better place for people to go see the bats assuming there is a pedestrian component.
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The only mitigation I could imagine is maybe limiting train speed in the evening if the trains do happen to start mowing over bats. There are also stations located on either side of the lake so this isn't going to be a high speed section of the blue line.
Mexican free-tailed bats are extremely adept at flying. They are also extremely adept at not running into things. These bats are evolved to fly out with millions of their companions in tight spaces and not run into each other. In fact the Mexican free-tailed bats are known to be the highest flying bats. They are also very fast when they want to be. If there was a race between the bat and our train the bat would win. The distance of the proposed bridge is over 1300 feet away. Over twice the distance of 1st street bridge which has no bat conflict that I've heard of. I know the bats prefer to exit towards the east to the area we are talking about but they need to get up 30 ft in elevation across a 1300 foot distance. That's relatively easy for a bat species known to travel 50 miles a night to feed. |
Better yet, just tunnel under the river and keep the space above open.
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I just wish this city has a gorgeous arched bridge that was attractive and stunning. We need something that pops when you're driving in from S35.
....OR an "underwater" tunnel |
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Some math follows Best case scenario using every foot for the grade placing the portal at Riverside's northern curb 50/950 x 100 = 5.25% grade. That is very steep, even for light rail trains. But doable because almost all light rail trains are allowed 6% grades. It is not the propulsion machinery capability to climb uphill that limits the grades, it is the braking capability of the brakes on the downhill that is more limiting. There are just so many brakes you can put on an axle. If they were to build a bridge over the river at the same location, then where the northern portal is place would be more important. But CapMetro would have the advantage of reducing the vertical elevation change to 25 feet or so, since they wouldn't have to go lower than the river anymore. It should be easy for them to do that. So not only should the bridge over the river be cheaper to build, it should be easier to operate trains on as well. A great example where construction photos are still present of light rail going underground to a station at Google Earth is the Rideau Station just east of the Rideau Canal in Ottawa to the southeast portal to its' south. 2000 feet to drop around 87 feet. Per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rideau_station It is 26.5 meters deep or 87 feet deep. 2000 feet in a direct line between portal and eastern edge of station construction visible using Google Earth tools. Math = 87/2000 x 100 = 3.95% grade. Far less than the 6% grade discussed earlier. |
Tolls....
So.... let me ask a dumbass question here. What is up with our toll roads? Will 130 & 45 always be a tolls? I am in RR/CP a lot these days and find it absolutely ridiculous how confusing life is if you choose to not use the tolls. Is the plan that it'll be like 1604 in SA?
Currently, it's a nightmare and I hate it. |
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1. Even if you got to that point, you still need money for upkeep, maintenance, renewal, and potentially expansion of that road. 2. The tolls don't go to just that one road, but to the entire system. Part of the tolls on the existing roads go to expanding the system and adding new roads. That's the current system, driven in part by the gas tax never being indexed to inflation and not increasing in 3 decades (and counting). Increased fuel efficiency and moving to electric vehicles (though generally a good thing) further decrease revenue. It's unlikely Texans would accept a more invasive replacement funding system of tracking their VMT at registration. Plus the downside to that approach would be failures to get revenues for travelers and interstate shipping that take advantage of Texas roads. Tolls are here to stay, unless TxDot and CTRMA get out of the business of building new highways. And even then, you still have (1) unless they start actively tearing them down. Quote:
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