SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: Transit/Transportation News - Page 72

pesto · #**1421** Posted **Mar 1, 2012, 10:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fflint

Caltrain Completes Major Renovations At Two South Bay Stations
February 29, 2012
KCBS

Caltrain’s ongoing efforts to modernize its system took another step forward on Wednesday with the completion of major renovations at....the Santa Clara and San Jose Diridon stations.

“Currently (at the Santa Clara Station), passengers need to walk over the tracks, which means that you can’t have two trains coning in at the same time,” said Caltrain Board Vice Chair Ken Yeager. “So we’ve constructed a tunnel so you can walk under the tracks to get to the train. At Diridon, we’ve added two new platforms, which means four new tracks. That will allow all the trains that come in to Diridon to move more quickly and safely.”

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed said that these improvements are just the beginning.

“Ultimately, all of the rail lines in the Bay Area are going to connect to the Diridon Station,” said Reed. “We’re optimistic that we’ll have a BART station here as well as a high-speed rail station...."
...

I assume he means BART down from Fremont.

If HSR comes through Altamont, there won't be that many trains into Diridon. But if it comes through Pacheco, it will be a major transfer point (BART, Caltrain, VTA, bus).

fflint · #**1422** Posted **Mar 2, 2012, 9:24 AM**

The Mayor of San Jose is referring to how Diridon Station will in the future feature six different passenger rail services--CAHSR and BART in addition to the current Capitol Corridor, Caltrain, VTA and ACE railroads.

northbay · #**1423** Posted **Mar 2, 2012, 7:37 PM**

Here is the latest rendering of the SMART train interior:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3....14739.116321028397555&type=1&permPage=1

electricron · #**1424** Posted **Mar 2, 2012, 7:50 PM**

I would wish the seat backs had drop down trays, like airline seats, but apparently they won't have them....

ElDuderino · #**1425** Posted **Mar 2, 2012, 8:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by northbay

Here is the latest rendering of the SMART train interior:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3....14739.116321028397555&type=1&permPage=1

Wow very cool. Looks comfortable.

I was going to say they should serve wine to the passengers, but a bunch of red stains on those light seats might not be so attractive.

fflint · #**1426** Posted **Mar 2, 2012, 9:54 PM**

^Caltrain passengers are allowed to bring and consume their own liquor on board, but then, Caltrain traditionally has brown leather seats...

northbay · #**1427** Posted **Mar 2, 2012, 10:59 PM**

3 North Bay counties have the highest costs for housing/transportation in the Bay Area! Another reason why we need SMART!

Quote:

Study: Marin has highest costs for housing and transportation in the Bay Area

By Mark Prado
Marin Independent Journal
Posted: 02/29/2012 05:42:19 PM PST

Marin residents spend the highest percentage of their household incomes on transportation and housing among the nine Bay Area counties, according to a newly issued report.

Expensive housing in Marin combined with transportation costs means the average county household devotes 56.3 percent of its income to those necessities, according to an analysis by the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology, a community planning think tank. The Bay Area average is 48.3 percent.

In Marin, housing accounts for 35.6 percent and transportation 20.7 percent of household income. The percentage for housing was tops in the Bay Area, followed by San Mateo County at 32.9 percent and Contra Costa County at 32.4 percent.

Marin also landed at the high end of transportation costs, paying the fourth highest percentage among the nine Bay Area counties. Sonoma County had the highest cost with 23.8 percent of household income devoted to transportation.

Marin's high costs are not surprising, said Maria Choca Urban, director of transportation and community development for the Center for Neighborhood Technology.

"When you get to the suburbs you have communities that are built in lower densities than urban areas," she said. "You see houses in one area and commercial areas in another. It's often a mile or more to get to a store, so it often becomes a car trip, and they add up."

...

"Marin has high housing costs, which drive the number, and we don't expect a huge amount of growth in housing," said John Goodwin, spokesman for the MTC.

But there is some urban-like density in Marin that could allow for more jobs in the county in the future.

...

Also, the county does have Marin Transit buses, aggressive pedestrian and bicycle programs and a planned commuter rail line in SMART, which could help bring transportation costs down, Urban said.

The median single-family home price in Marin in January was $679,000, according to the county assessor's office.

...

The index — based on calculations using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Communities Survey — was created in an effort to make the costs transparent to people and policy makers so they can make smart decisions about where they live and how they invest public dollars, said Scott Bernstein, founder and president of the Center for Neighborhood Technology.

"At a time when gas prices rise weekly, income is flat, and public transportation funding is threatened, the (analysis) provides information that can help us control the cost of living for families and communities," he said.

Contact Mark Prado via email at [email protected]

COSTS IN THE BAY AREA

Percentage of household income in Bay Area counties dedicated to housing and transportation:
Marin: 56.3 percent
Sonoma: 55.2 percent
Solano: 54 percent
San Mateo: 53.3 percent
Contra Costa: 52.8 percent
Napa: 50.7 percent
Alameda: 47 percent
Santa Clara: 47 percent
San Francisco: 39.5 percent
Bay Area: 48.3 percent
Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology

COSTS IN MARIN

Percentage of household income in Marin cities dedicated to housing and transportation:
Ross: 78.7 percent
Tiburon: 70.1 percent
Mill Valley: 61.3 percent
San Anselmo: 59.9 percent
Belvedere: 58.4 percent
Fairfax: 55.4 percent
Corte Madera: 54.8 percent
Larkspur: 53.8 percent
Novato: 53.8 percent
Sausalito: 52.1 percent
San Rafael: 49.9 percent
Marin: 56.3 percent
Source: Center for Neighborhood Technology

http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_20073965

llamaorama · #**1428** Posted **Mar 3, 2012, 1:14 AM**

Quote:

^Caltrain passengers are allowed to bring and consume their own liquor on board

How does this work out?

It sounds fun and libertine reading it but then in reality I'm not so sure. Sure I can see Mad Men types riding in a special bar car buying drinks sold on board, they still have that in Connecticut on the New Haven... but BYOB?

Not sure if I want to sit next to a urban camper enjoying 40 ounces of the finest Olde English from a paper bag. Of for that matter a belligerent yuppie douchebag after a third round of wine tasting.

ardecila · #**1429** Posted **Mar 3, 2012, 1:36 AM**

^^ It works fine in Chicago. Usually you get businessmen drinking a tallboy or a group of friends that split a sixer. During special events and festivals when heavy drinking is likely, Metra prohibits alcohol. You're right that it's a vestige of an earlier, more genteel time, but it still seems to work pretty smoothly. I believe the alcohol allowance was instituted after Metra stopped providing their own bars.

For quite a number of businessmen/women in Chicago, a drink after work is important. The sales from alcohol at the evening rush are the bread-and-butter of numerous bars and drugstores.

I've never seen any homeless drinking alcohol on Metra... largely because Metra is inhospitable to them. It's expensive to ride and it goes out to some pretty auto-dependent places where the local law enforcement will throw them in the slammer for loitering. I have, very occasionally, seen homeless people on the train - but never during rush hour. Usually they're sleeping, and I have no idea what happens to them when the train gets out to Harvard (tiny farm town 60 miles from Chicago).

The real problem is drunken bros and frat boys, and I'm including some women in that category too. Usually these people have already finished their drinking by the time they board the train.

KVNBKLYN · #**1430** Posted **Mar 3, 2012, 3:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamaorama

How does this work out?

It sounds fun and libertine reading it but then in reality I'm not so sure. Sure I can see Mad Men types riding in a special bar car buying drinks sold on board, they still have that in Connecticut on the New Haven... but BYOB?

Not sure if I want to sit next to a urban camper enjoying 40 ounces of the finest Olde English from a paper bag. Of for that matter a belligerent yuppie douchebag after a third round of wine tasting.

Drinking is legal on all three New York commuter railroads. It's one of the pleasures of taking the train. I don't live in the burbs but when I've taken any of the three railroads I've never seen anyone getting messy. And of course most Amtrak trains sell alcohol just like the airlines do.

pesto · #**1431** Posted **Mar 3, 2012, 7:10 PM**

The average Caltrain rider on the Peninsula is a software type working in Silicon Valley or a young or old person. Not the partying type. Having said this, some of the older folks are totally soused.

ElDuderino · #**1432** Posted **Mar 4, 2012, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by llamaorama

How does this work out?

It sounds fun and libertine reading it but then in reality I'm not so sure. Sure I can see Mad Men types riding in a special bar car buying drinks sold on board, they still have that in Connecticut on the New Haven... but BYOB?

Not sure if I want to sit next to a urban camper enjoying 40 ounces of the finest Olde English from a paper bag. Of for that matter a belligerent yuppie douchebag after a third round of wine tasting.

I knew it was allowed on Giants trains, but I didn't know about regular service. The Giants trains are fun because everyone brings their own drinks and parties on the way there. Regular service I can only see a bunch of alcoholics sneaking drinks to and from work.

ardecila · #**1433** Posted **Mar 5, 2012, 10:35 AM**

Well, yea, there's no doubt that alcoholism plays a huge role in the drinking habits of Metra and MTA riders. I don't know if banning it is gonna solve any problems, though. I've never seen anybody get drunk on the train, nor have I ever seen anyone drinking liquor (only beer or the occasional wine).

CyberEric · #**1434** Posted **Mar 5, 2012, 12:18 PM**

I took Caltrain to my Alma Mater's game in San Jose, there was a group of us consuming a fair amount of alcohol and the train staff were quite pleasant and happy with us being on the train. We chose a near empty car so as to not disturb other passengers. We were drunk but not messy.

I was on a train from London to Paris last week where a group of English people got pretty noisy and drunk on the train, it was pretty frustrating but there's not much you can do about it. I think drinking alcohol on trains will be tolerated in most trains.

fflint · #**1435** Posted **Mar 7, 2012, 6:50 AM**

Muni planning to ramp up 8 routes

Muni plans to significantly speed up eight of its most heavily used lines as part of a long-delayed service improvement plan.

Through a combination of traffic-signal upgrades, stop consolidations, lane modifications and parking restrictions, Muni has projected travel times on the eight lines could be reduced by up to 28 percent. Routes include the N-Judah, 14-Mission, 30-Stockton and 5-Fulton.
...

dimondpark · #**1436** Posted **Mar 7, 2012, 9:58 AM**

Saw on the news that they might have to remove the recently opened $125 Million HOV lane on 580 to accomodate the Livermore BART station. I wonder why that was never considered before they built that HOV lane as rumors of BART to Livermore have been swirling for years.

gtbassett · #**1437** Posted **Mar 7, 2012, 10:24 AM**

Wooot! I'm stoked the N is being upgraded in terms of service! It's my most frequently used route so that just makes my life that much easier!

San Frangelino · #**1438** Posted **Mar 14, 2012, 3:24 PM**

This fantasy map was posted on Muni Diaries.

It was made by Jake Coolidge

CyberEric · #**1439** Posted **Mar 14, 2012, 4:12 PM**

I have seen that map, cool, but quite a pipe dream.

Good news on the upgraded service. I hope they reduce the number of stops on the N Judah to speed it up a bit. Near my house, there are 4 stops within about 8 blocks, it's just not necessary. I hope they also trigger traffic lights and give trains the right of way. Cars carrying one person should not get to proceed ahead of trains carrying 100s.

Gordo · #**1440** Posted **Mar 14, 2012, 4:24 PM**

Fun dream

Though one line that I'd add long before many of his other lines is a west-side north-south line through SF. Probably also a Van Ness (or thereabouts) north-south line and another in Oakland too.

He seems to be focused mostly on expanding suburban park-and-ride/freeway duplication lines, where I think the system would gain a lot more usefulness with just a couple more short urban lines.