SAN ANTONIO | City and Metro Transportation Thread - Page 90

JACKinBeantown · #**1781** Posted **Sep 29, 2023, 4:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bosshaa5

VIA has a funded and designed Advance Rapid Transit line going north-south from the airport to Highway 90. So unless your super old, you will get a "dedicated lane for mass transit" in your lifetime. Also, VIA already has a grant application in with the federal government for funding of an east-west line along Commerce Street.

There are a lot of conditions to consider when it comes to rail and mass transit in general, and I agree San Antonio has a long way to go. However, I think the trend is heading in the direction of rail/mass transit. There has been a lot of press about the subject recently and there is a new advocacy group in town called SART ( San Antonians for Rail Transit) making a lot of noise.

First point: That's great! Is that the one running down Broadway? Does it bypass stop lights?

Second point: I sure hope so!

Keep-SA-Lame · #**1782** Posted **Sep 29, 2023, 8:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

First point: That's great! Is that the one running down Broadway? Does it bypass stop lights?

Second point: I sure hope so!

San Pedro, and yes it gets signal priority and runs in a dedicated lane for 75% of the route. But I mean it's not exactly a new subway line either lol

JACKinBeantown · #**1783** Posted **Sep 29, 2023, 11:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

San Pedro, and yes it gets signal priority and runs in a dedicated lane for 75% of the route. But I mean it's not exactly a new subway line either lol

It's definitely a welcomed start.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**1784** Posted **Oct 29, 2023, 4:29 PM**

https://sanantonioreport.org/via-adv...e-airport-bus/

Great article overall, but highlighting this part because TxDoT just continues to be terrible all the time in every way:

Quote:

Notably, the Green Line buses must run alongside regular traffic when passing under highways, where the state retains the right-of-way.

“On the city roads … they can go ahead and reduce lanes, it’s their street, it’s their prerogative,” said Gina Gallegos, TxDOT’s San Antonio District engineer. “However, on our state system, we cannot reduce capacity. … There is just a volume of traffic that is traveling underneath for Interstate 10 heading towards the airport.”

...is there a white collar profession more brain dead than highway engineers? Maybe CRE brokers? It's close either way.

SproutingTowers · #**1785** Posted **Oct 30, 2023, 1:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

https://sanantonioreport.org/via-adv...e-airport-bus/

Great article overall, but highlighting this part because TxDoT just continues to be terrible all the time in every way:

...is there a white collar profession more brain dead than highway engineers? Maybe CRE brokers? It's close either way.

Does this mean the Boring tunnel project is axed?

CommandoLando · #**1786** Posted **Oct 30, 2023, 3:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

https://sanantonioreport.org/via-adv...e-airport-bus/

Great article overall, but highlighting this part because TxDoT just continues to be terrible all the time in every way:

...is there a white collar profession more brain dead than highway engineers? Maybe CRE brokers? It's close either way.

Not the highway engineers fault. Politicians gets involved and they are basically told what results they need to come up with.

bosshaa5 · #**1787** Posted **Oct 30, 2023, 5:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CommandoLando

Not the highway engineers fault. Politicians gets involved and they are basically told what results they need to come up with.

You are correct that political pressure gets put on transportation planning, but traffic/highway engineers absolutely share fault. Their design and specification manuals are outrageously obsolete in some critical areas. It is essentially the same dogma since the 1950s/60s.

They might not be braindead, but they sure are brainwashed.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**1788** Posted **Oct 30, 2023, 6:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bosshaa5

You are correct that political pressure gets put on transportation planning, but traffic/highway engineers absolutely share fault. Their design and specification manuals are outrageously obsolete in some critical areas. It is essentially the same dogma since the 1950s/60s.

They might not be braindead, but they sure are brainwashed.

Brainwashed is probably a fairer word than braindead, but between the Broadway thing and the insane downtown freeway widening projects in Houston and Austin, I've developed a pretty low opinion of the whole organization. And you're right to say it goes beyond politics, the entire profession across the country is built on the ideology of more lanes = more good.

deaththepeople · #**1789** Posted **Dec 2, 2023, 6:08 AM**

https://sanantonioreport.org/san-ant...reboot-survey/

I am a part of Strong Towns San Antonio who is looking to make all transportation modes safer! If y'all aren't a part of the facebook group already, definitely join! The group was the setting for this article.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**1790** Posted **Dec 11, 2023, 3:03 PM**

https://sanantonioreport.org/bexar-t...-rail-funding/

Pretty sorry state of affairs that even when there's a giant pot of Federal money for Amtrak expansion we can't get even a second daily train on the SA-Austin-Dallas corridor. But at least we'll be able to get to Houston more than 3x per week -_-

futuresooner · #**1791** Posted **Dec 11, 2023, 4:11 PM**

TXDOT has got to get out of the "pave it away" mindset that does nothing but further sprawled growth. I-35 does need more capacity but then that will only incentivize more endless single-family subdivision with names like "Homestead" and "Windsong" that'll use 35.

Texas has this stupid mentality of more roads means less traffic. While it can in a very short term, in the close range, it blows up more land. It's not even a long-term issue of sprawl following.

I'm not sure what it'll take for TXDOT to shove more resources and capital towards rail and mass transit, but something has to be done or you'll wind up even more like California on the roadways with nonstop traffic and gridlock on regular days.

aggie2008 · #**1792** Posted **Jan 5, 2024, 10:13 PM**

Public input meetings set for the VIA Rapid Silver Line. I'm planning to go on Jan 17 at Carver. Very excited about these BRT plans. Wish they didn't take so long but hopefully they will be worth the wait!

https://keepsamoving.com/via-rapid-silver-line/

Runner · #**1793** Posted **Jan 6, 2024, 3:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by aggie2008

Public input meetings set for the VIA Rapid Silver Line. I'm planning to go on Jan 17 at Carver. Very excited about these BRT plans. Wish they didn't take so long but hopefully they will be worth the wait!

https://keepsamoving.com/via-rapid-silver-line/

Nothing more than a glorified bus. This will not solve any problems only create more congestion.

sirkingwilliam · #**1794** Posted **Jan 7, 2024, 1:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runner

Nothing more than a glorified bus. This will not solve any problems only create more congestion.

I disagree but can you explain why you think a mode of transit with a dedicated line will not solve problems?

forward looking · #**1795** Posted **Jan 7, 2024, 4:44 AM**

I have heard nothing more about the tunnel since before the Edwards Water Authority was going to do a study on whether or not it would disturb the ecosystem negatively where the Aquifer was concerned.
I still maintain a negative opinion on disturbing mother nature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SproutingTowers

Does this mean the Boring tunnel project is axed?

Spoiler · #**1796** Posted **Jan 8, 2024, 7:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

I disagree but can you explain why you think a mode of transit with a dedicated line will not solve problems?

Some people think that taking one lane away from cars on San Pedro will result in complete gridlock across the northside.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**1797** Posted **Jan 8, 2024, 3:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Runner

Nothing more than a glorified bus. This will not solve any problems only create more congestion.

Tell me you've never taken a bus without telling me you've never taken a bus, lmao.

JACKinBeantown · #**1798** Posted **Jan 8, 2024, 4:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

Tell me you've never taken a bus without telling me you've never taken a bus, lmao.

It's easier to see the forest for the trees from a bus because you don't have to concentrate on driving in traffic. You and 40 other people can read a book or catch up on emails, or just look at the trees, while the driver gets you there.

sirkingwilliam · #**1799** Posted **Jan 8, 2024, 6:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoiler

Some people think that taking one lane away from cars on San Pedro will result in complete gridlock across the northside.

That wouldn’t have happened if it were rail?

JACKinBeantown · #**1800** Posted **Jan 9, 2024, 4:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

That wouldn’t have happened if it were rail?

I understood the comment to mean that when cities and citizens embrace civic transit, there are fewer cars on the road, and that that's a good thing.