All posts in the topic SRT Streetcar Rapid Transit not BRT (Short link)

Jun 29 19:44 UTC

Reference September of 2006 the topic of LRT in Roseville.

Ms Debra M. Bloom P.E., Assistant Public Works Director, City Engineer wrote:
"This line is recommended for BRT (bus rapid transit)/ bicycle/pedestrian
facility. Buses are not limited to the transitway and can exit onto City
streets.  As a result, BRT is less expensive to construct and more flexible.
Since the line in Ramsey County is still active, there are no specific plans to
construct a transitway in the near
future."

See more text below. This study needs to be updated. I recommend an SRT or
Streetcar Rapid Transit for this corridor.

BRT has consistently demonstrated very poor results. All over the country
people are taking rail transit in increasing numbers greater than *any* kind of
bus system. Buses discourage ridership. When the TCRT streetcar system was
changed to buses, transit ridership dropped by almost 50% within a very short
period of time between 1954 to 1956 and never has recovered. In 2005 39% of
Hiawatha respondents stated they were new to transit (had never taken a bus
previously) and that if the Hiawatha was not available, they would use their
cars, *not* take a bus.

A streetcar or LRT vehicle lasts a minimum of 35 years and a bus a maximum of
12 to 15 years. The rail rolling stock (rail and wheels) lasts 50 years, and
the rail ties of the Hiawatha are built to last 75 years. With electric rail
transit, there is no on-sight air pollution.

See the following: http://www.nj-arp.org/brt2.html

If the line is built for SRT/Streetcar Rapid Transit for this corridor the
track could be built to LRT standards and converted to LRT/Light Rail in the
future if density warranted. A Streetcar Rapid Transit can operate as a rapid
transit in the corridor like LRT with a maximum two-car pull and convert to a
streetcar function on city streets, thus more flexible. If the below grade
utilities are not great or are absent in this corridor, the cost of building
the rail bed to LRT standards would be close to the same as building to
streetcar standards.

A BRT would require an asphalt surface with corresponding cost of maintenance,
a wider ROW (right-of-way) 33 feet for BRT to 24 feet for Streetcar. Rail
transit provides greater leeway and reliability in winter climate of snow and
ice, again lower maintenance costs.

No on-sight air pollution would provide a cleaner, better environment for an
adjacent bicycle/pedestrian non motorized highway facility for human space.

The FTA has been pushing BRT to, in my view, force more people into cars, and
recently a grant was given to build BRT in the 35W south corridor and the Cedar
Avenue corridor. Not good.

All The Best

Paul Nelson
Ward One - D7
Hyde Park
Saint Paul

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