Calgary Public Transit II

[mersar]

The signs they put up over the weekend were tiny little signs that look the same as the 'bait car' signs (black on yellow) that are up in the lots. According to tweets on twitter though more visible signage will be in place tomorrow, and they will start enforcing the reserved areas tomorrow as well.

[reflexzero]

I saw the reserved parking map on the CT site for Barlow, and that is laughable. $70.00 to reserve a tiny mud puddle.

Speaking of Barlow Max Bell (OT I know) is the cladding on the arena leftover from some other project? I think of ketchup and mustard when I ride by.

[freeweed]

So, after Monday's gong show, I just had to try the PnR lot today. At 7:05am, Crowfoot was just filling in the last few unreserved spots. So there's a baseline. I'd guess Dalhousie fills within 15-30 mins from that, and Brentwood not too long after. Certainly by 8 I can't see any spots being available anywhere. Except the reserved spaces of course - once again they were half empty today. The way I see it, if you can't make it before 8, you might as well not bother trying until after 10. So much for morning dentist etc appointments

The "duh, we didn't realize tiny signs that look identical to bait car warning signs might not be read" solution is hysterical - they had actual people directing traffic. Absolutely no other signage I could see. This does not strike me as a sustainable option.

[suburb]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Certainly by 8 I can't see any spots being available anywhere. Except the reserved spaces of course - once again they were half empty today. The way I see it, if you can't make it before 8, you might as well not bother trying until after 10.

If you don't need to park at a PnR by 8am to get to work on time, you're getting it too easy at work and should be taxed extra. Lots filling up by 8am are just where they need to be. Filling up by 7am is too early.

Personally, I very much like this hybrid solution with reserved and free spots. They can re-balance on a lot by lot basis as time passes.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by freeweed

This does not strike me as a sustainable option.

What does then?

[mersar]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Except the reserved spaces of course - once again they were half empty today.

Thats mostly as they didn't sell all the reserved permits for this month before they stopped sales from what I heard (and I think someone else mentioned it on here as well)

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

What does then?

Anything other than a fulltime parking attendant?

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Anything other than a fulltime parking attendant?

Sorry, I thought you were referring to the reservation system in general, not the suggestion in your last paragraph.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by suburb

If you don't need to park at a PnR by 8am to get to work on time, you're getting it too easy at work and should be taxed extra.

That assumes every single person on transit works before 9, and does the usual M-F rush hour commute (and does this every single day).

What about people who only occasionally use it, due to other morning appointments etc? Feeder bus service outside of the rush is highly degraded (think 30 mins or more between buses). Part of the problem with the reserved system is you're basically giving the finger to those people in favour of Cochranites and people who *could* take a 10 minute feeder bus but choose not to.

Not that there's a solution that would make everyone perfectly happy. However, the biggest complaint before any PnR fee was "the lots fill up too fast and I can't get a spot". Well, we're exactly back to that situation - except half the lots are making the city money. It's now worse on both fronts (the money grab, and the poor spot availability).

I think the signage fiasco is proof positive that this, like every other decision in recent memory regarding these lots, was poorly thought out and obviously not by anyone who actually USES the system.

[freeweed]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Sorry, I thought you were referring to the reservation system in general, not the suggestion in your last paragraph.

Well, the more I look at it I think the reservation system is stupid as well, but that's a different rant. At least that still helps pad the city coffers. They certainly aren't spending the money on lot upgrades like they claimed it was for in the first place (easy to tell that this money disappears into general revenue, because proper signage would have been a drop in the bucket compared to the millions these lots bring in).

[suburb]

Originally Posted by freeweed

That assumes every single person on transit works before 9, and does the usual M-F rush hour commute (and does this every single day).

What about people who only occasionally use it, due to other morning appointments etc? Feeder bus service outside of the rush is highly degraded (think 30 mins or more between buses).

No solution is perfect. The best solution is reasonable for the largest number of people while also being fiscally responsible. I would love a direct LRT from my house to my work with no stops with a schedule that is triggered by my coffee maker. But it might be expensive for the city and may just cost more than the West and SE LRT lines combined.

BTW - starting work before nine does not correlate to "the usual M-F rush hour commute". You have the option of starting work earlier.

Aside - Was "M-F rush hour" meant to be a pun. LOL!

Originally Posted by freeweed

... the biggest complaint before any PnR fee was "the lots fill up too fast and I can't get a spot". Well, we're exactly back to that situation - except half the lots are making the city money. It's now worse on both fronts (the money grab, and the poor spot availability).

That is just ridiculous. Obviously the pay spots are the ones still available - and the excess free up at 10am anyway. It is not a money grab as the revenue is peanuts compared to the costs associated with public transit. We can't be a welfare state for everyone and their dog. What would your solution be for free spots available all day long? Tripling the size of the lots by buying out houses? There is only so much land for free parking!

[Mazrim]

Wanna know why the signage sucked for the reserved spots? There's no standard for LRT lots at all. We're just fortunate they keep saying "look at the old stations" when they build new stations and design the signage. Regulatory signage and Calgary Transit signage are handled separately in parking lots, which is stupid. There's very little communication between the two groups (it amounts to going out in the field and asking if they can mount their no parking sign onto the directional signage). Because of this, some person gets randomly assigned to manufacture new signs when new initiatives and has nothing to really follow (like the fiasco with the signage saying you had to face out so they could scan your license plate). Then managers probably ask them to shrink stuff to save money.

They got it wrong before, they got it wrong this time, and they probably will again.

Thankfully, West LRT should be done by one group, so there will be consistency, even if it's not correct.

[Cage]

I too parked at Crowfoot and I have paid for a reserved spot.

This worked really well today after yesterday's M-F screw up.

Got to Corwfoot by 7:45am with less than 20% of the reserved lots available. Easily parked and short walk to train.

There were 3 C-Transit Peace Officers at each of the two entrances. No additional signage at crowfoot, but with the peace officers there was no need for additional signage. I suspect that larger reserved lot location got peace officers while smaller locations got improved signage. In the comming days or next week I anticipate the peace officer requirements to dissapate in favour of improved signage at all locations.

Couple of things not well advertised.

The current image for reserved parking at crowfoot looks like this:


See link if the image don't work: http://www.calgarytransit.com/pdf/reserved_parking_crowfoot_station_20110330.pdf

The original image was the same as above except that all three boxes were designated for reserved parking.

Screw up number one by C-Transit was not advising the reserved parkers the reserved lot sizes had shrunk. The revision was made and publiched on March 30th, so C transit had lots of time to inform the reserved parkers and through the online sign up email addresses were obtained from each parker.

In a post a few pages back now, I pontificated that reserved parking would be 100% taken up for April. Clearly wrong on this account as actual events have shown. However I still believe that reserved parking will eventually be 100% taken up although it may take 1-2 additional months to get there.

For the next three weeks there will be numerous early parkers who are now forced to park in the back lots because reserved lots are located in prime locations. These parkers are arriving in the 7am to 7:30am time frame with those closer to 7:30 unable to find a spot. Some of these parkers will take up the reserved stall for May 1 and in turn expand the reserved lot size to include a larger area.

By May 1 parkers in the 6:30-7am arrival time will find that prime locations have further shrunk and they have to either arrive earlier, walk farther, or find another form of transportation. Some of these customers will obtain a reserved stall and further push reserved parking to its ultimate build out.

The build out of crowfoot reserved parking will put pressure on Dalhousie lot (both reserved and free). In turn Dalhousie and Crowfoot build out will put pressure on Brentwood.

New bold prediction: Crowfoot reserved parking will be at full capacity by September 1, Dalhousie will be at full capacity by October 1. Brentwood will likely never be at full reserved spot capacity, but will likely remain at 80-90% reserved lot capacity.

[bookermorgan]

Should CT have build more stations with parkades? As ugly as they are

[SmokWawelski]

I don't know about you guys, but I think that the lots fill up with lots of out of towners. For Crowfoot, Cochrane, for the NE line Airdrie and for the South line, Okotoks and High River. These people do not pay into the city, yet use the Calgary public transportation system extensively Monday to Friday. Why can we not use those fancy camera cars that the city uses to issue tickets in downtown core, to scan all of the parked cars by 9am at the parknride lots and issue some sort of a fee to those out of towners to compensate the city. Or offer them a reserved spot which costs more then what it would cost a Calgarian.

[Cage]

I suspect that Crowfoot is probably 25-33% out of towners (Cochranites).

NE line woud be too far out of the way for Airdrie folk to catch the train.

Southline should have good representation fro High River and Okatoks at both Somerset and Fish Creek stations, never been to these stations to comment on the percentage.

The one thing that surprises me is the number of Crowfoot commuters who have a destination beyond downtown. I see this happen all the time when I get on at 1st Street get the last seat and 1/2 the sitting crew stay with me until Crowfoot. Only other explanation is a lot of people get on at Olympic Plaza.

[MalcolmTucker]

Originally Posted by SmokWawelski

I don't know about you guys, but I think that the lots fill up with lots of out of towners. For Crowfoot, Cochrane, for the NE line Airdrie and for the South line, Okotoks and High River. These people do not pay into the city, yet use the Calgary public transportation system extensively Monday to Friday. Why can we not use those fancy camera cars that the city uses to issue tickets in downtown core, to scan all of the parked cars by 9am at the parknride lots and issue some sort of a fee to those out of towners to compensate the city. Or offer them a reserved spot which costs more then what it would cost a Calgarian.

It isn't free to query the registry database. Just be thankful we aren't in a situation with contiguous suburbs, and that almost all out of towners only take LRT. The marginal cost of a P&R user to the system is much lower than a bus delivered customer (depending on how much it cost to build the parking space and all but still).

Anything gained would be less than any resources devoted to stop it.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by Mazrim

Wanna know why the signage sucked for the reserved spots? There's no standard for LRT lots at all. We're just fortunate they keep saying "look at the old stations" when they build new stations and design the signage. Regulatory signage and Calgary Transit signage are handled separately in parking lots, which is stupid. There's very little communication between the two groups (it amounts to going out in the field and asking if they can mount their no parking sign onto the directional signage). Because of this, some person gets randomly assigned to manufacture new signs when new initiatives and has nothing to really follow (like the fiasco with the signage saying you had to face out so they could scan your license plate). Then managers probably ask them to shrink stuff to save money.

I'm trying to make sense of this. Can you clarify or re-word? I'm not sure I get what the issue is exactly.

[frinkprof]

North Central LRT Open Houses upcoming in late May:

Wednesday May 25, 2011(4pm – 8pm)
Location: Cardel Place
11950 Country Village Link NE (lobby area)

Thursday May 26, 2011 (4pm – 8pm)
Location: Winston Heights Community Association
520-27 Ave NE (main hall)

Saturday May 28, 2011 (9:30am – 2:30pm)
Location: Huntington Hills Community Association
520-78 Ave NW (main hall)

[You Need A Thneed]

Frink, I was just thinking of posting the same thing!