For sure. It should take much longer to get a license in this country. Don’t disagree with that at all. It was the density part that was totally insane.
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Different topic, wanna do a little brainstorming with my fellow transit nerds.
I met a friend in Brier Creek last night. Had to drive because GoRaleigh 70X only runs until like 7:30ish (still waiting on that Glenwood package). While I was out there, I was thinking, why isn’t there a line that connects Brier Creek to the Regional Transit Center? That’s probably useful to more folks than the GoRaleigh 70X or the GoDurham 2. And then I had this idea…
GoTriangle reallocated resources for Route 105 to create a shuttle to RDU, and it seems like they may keep it that way. So, for the small price of one additional bus and a few extra signs, why couldn’t extend that shuttle intro Brier Creek, like so?
Dark green outbound, light green inbound. Thirty-minute intervals all day. Route would probably take about 20-25min per direction. Is there a flaw in this idea, or does it make sense?
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I’d support this!
However, I do wonder if they should just incorporate Brier Creek into an enhanced NRX route whenever that comes back. If they don’t, then this seems like a really smart way of incorporating Brier Creek into the GoTriangle network.
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I like the idea of having a southern connection to Brier Creek (Brier Creek Parkway could be such a great TOD corridor if it tried hard enough!), but I’m not sure if an extension of the RDU shuttle is the right place for it.
If we’re going to dream up of changes to bus lines and operations around RDU and the RTC, I think we might as well make the whole system more efficient:
Doing this would involve three changes:
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Make RDU operate the RDU-RTC service, but have GoTriangle subsidize it (at leas tin part). This lets RDU better utilize its parking shuttle buses (which, let’s be honest, aren’t used anywhere near as much as they could be) and leave GoTriangle buses and drivers free for other services. The FAA recently liberalized how airport user access fees can be spent on rail projects that don’t only serve airports, so I wonder if we could lobby for buses to get similar treatment based on the same arguments the policy memo made.
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Run the GoTriangle 310 bus more frequently, since that is essentially what Alternative 2 of the RTP-Cary rapid bus (“BRT extension”) study (see @atl_transplant’s post) is. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel here; its existence as a BRT alternative is a sign that the bus line just needs some time, love, and hardware investments.
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Create a new GoTriangle service that covers for commuter rail’s weakness and goes to RDU and Brier Creek using the freed capacity from the RDU service. This could go along a part of of Alternative 1 of the bus extension for the Western BRT so that it’s also useful for non-commute traveling in Morrisville.
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Ugh, I just hate the geography of the central triangle. The tail wagging this dog is the way RDU’s landside facilities are located at the center of the airport property, sandwiched between the two main runways.
Secondary to that is the way that RDU is in Umstead’s shadow, looking from downtown Raleigh.
At any rate, neither Brier Creek nor RDU are easy to serve well by transit in the first place, but trying to bag both of them in a single route that actually makes sense? I don’t believe it’s possible. I’m pretty sure GoTriangle (then TTA) actually did this a decade or so ago, and if I recall, passengers pretty much hated it.
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Yup here it is, preserved for posterity. Route 747. It appears that this routing was in place somewhere in the 2007-2009 timeframe. Old TTA transfer center FTW. Man guys, I’m getting old. Been riding these here buses for a long time.
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I had no idea a route like this used to exist (and it looks almost identical to Colby’s suggestion)! Since it went from the dead office park that preceded Hub RTP to Brier Creek via RDU, I can see how that wouldn’t be popular or useful for anyone.
I agree that the central Triangle’s just a geographic mess. But it’s also 2022 and transit-oriented developments are more accepted than they were 15 years ago. In that context, I think we have a chance to make transit connections in this area less of a pain in the ass as long as we can identify useful corridors and build around them in denser, more walkable ways.
Just because I’m curious, what do you think of the routes I drew out? Obviously it’s not great because of all the dead space along Aviation Pkwy. and Airport Blvd., but I felt like it still somewhat follows locally useful connections -and the two routes (310 + the new one) cover the holes in commuter rail so that rapid buses/BRT can focus on its own corridor.
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Clearly they aren’t interested in what GenX thinks.
I support this idea there needs to be more bus connections to the Airport. And with commuter rail that needs to expand.
Well actually it isn’t just transit oriented but with the commuter rail there can be lines that originate for major commuter rail stops whatever the nearest stop to the Airport their could be a route connection that commuter rail line with the airport. Commuter rail should be the catalyst because we’re so spread out major transit hubs should be catalyst for spread out connections. These random bus lines are very unorganized.
I think people hated it because it didn’t connection with major areas.
I think a Park West - Brier Creek could make sense in the long term future, from the perspective of blanketing the region with a web of service, but neither end is anything close to a strong enough transit destination (or hub) for this to make sense today anyway. If we assume a commuter rail station at Park West, that might change things.
How about this instead: a dedicated RTC-Brier Creek route via Page Rd. It’s 5 miles each way, so it’s possibly reasonable that a single bus could cover this route with 30 minute headways. This (of course) also serves as the connection between Brier Creek and the rail line.
I have too many opinions on this stuff, it’s sad really- but bus service to Brier Creek really needs to be revised to eliminate all the cursed meandering. Both the GoDurham 2 and the GoRaleigh 70x do this and it’s maddening.
Your other suggested routes look fine.
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The bus lines should originate from the commuter rail, be a connection that will be they key to commuter rail ridership.
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RALEIGH, N.C. — Advocates for bicycle and pedestrian safety want Raleigh leaders to scrap plans to turn Capital Boulevard into a freeway between Interstates 440 and 540.
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Wayfinding for sidewalks is transit right???
Either way, saw this pop up on the council’s agenda for Tuesday April 19. Maybe we’ll get those fancy kiosks soon enough.
http://go.boarddocs.com/nc/raleigh/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=CD8MNS5AEE79
At previous meetings on July 15, September 5, and November 8, 2017 and October 2, 2018, the City Council received presentations and information from the Downtown Raleigh Alliance (“DRA”), the DRA chosen vendor IKE Smart City, LLC (“IKE”), and City staff on a proposed network of interactive, informational electronic kiosks within the DRA service area within Downtown Raleigh. At the conclusion of these meetings, staff were directed to continue to work with DRA and IKE to evaluate options and resolve potential issues related to establishing a kiosk program in the City.
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I’m curious where the boundary of the DRA service area is, and how far spread these kiosks will be.
I can tell you the DRA “district” boundaries haven’t been expanded in a long time. They’re looking to incorporate some of the newer developments in the fringe (like The Fairweather area).
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I guess that I am a bit confused the addition of the words “service area”. Is that the same as the districts, a subset of them, or something that expands beyond them? That’s what I don’t know.
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They made getting to the airport even more of a hassle. Why even bother with GoTriangle anymore. Currently on an uber because they changed the way to get to the airport a third time and the only way they announced it was on instagram…
Absolutely useless bus system.
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This isn’t really true. It’s on their website as well and I’m not really sure why a smaller bus makes getting to the airport more of a hassle and useless.
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