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Streetcar Meeting? From: Andrew Miller Date: May 05 20:58 UTC Short link
This system is very interesting, I've read several publications about it over the past handful of years. They are currently seeing issues with it but in general has been a successful system. I really like this idea and have no reservations about bus riding but with the current cultural stigma our city (and country) puts on bus systems I think it would be easier to put light rail in place than to implement what is ultimately a better use of money in a bus system such as this IMO. Andrew http://elephantsonbicycles.com
----- Original Message ---- From: Elizabeth Ike <> To: chivespa1 < > Cc: Kathleen Murphy < >; Ann Whelan < >; Marie Keister < >; Laura Koprowski < >; Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum < > Sent: Monday, May 5, 2008 3:25:11 PM Subject: Re: [CORIF] Streetcar Meeting? This response is not directly streetcar-related, but certainly related to our region's vision for regional mass transit. I was forwarded this link this morning and was very impressed by the concept of the bus rapid transit system as applied in Bogota, Colombia (a city of more than 7million). http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/01/28/streetfilm-brt-in-bogota/ Check it out. I would love to hear your opinions on this. Liz Ike On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 1:06 PM, chivespa1 < > wrote: > I don't want to belabor this point forever because, again, I'm for the > streetcars but as a bicyclist this is a concern I have. The tracks being > flush with the road isn't the issue. The issue is the gap/groove created in > the pavement which the tram wheel is guided in on the track. That is > where bicycle wheels get caught and accidents happen. Unless there is some > new technology that I'm not aware of this is still an issue. > > Here is specifically what I mean: > > http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004055887_biketracks06m.html > > I'm really hopeful about the city's committment to cyclist and I'm glad to > hear that there is similar support from so many others. > > Andrew > http://elephantsonbicycles.com > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Kathleen Murphy < > > To: Ann Whelan < >; Marie Keister < > >; Laura Koprowski < >; > Elizabeth Ike < >; Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum < > > > Sent: Monday, May 5, 2008 10:01:20 AM > Subject: Re: [CORIF] Streetcar Meeting? > > Biking is a high priority of the city. Between now and 2012 the Mayor > proposes $20 million in funding for bike paths, racks, lockers and other > improvements. The city wants to promote all kinds of travel be it cars, > bikes or streetcars. > > As for streetcars and bikes, modern transit cars allow bikes to be > transported on the cars. Columbus has not bought any streetcars yet or > even > selected the car that will be used in our city, but keeping them > compatible > with bikes is a high priority. The rails for streetcars do not present > problems for bikers, as they are fairly flush with the street. > > -- > Kathleen Murphy > MurphyEpson > 151 E. Nationwide Blvd. > Columbus, OH 43215 > 614-221-2885 ext 16 (phone) > 614-221-2889 (fax) > > > > From: Ann Whelan < > > > Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 06:53:35 -0400 > > To: Marie Keister < >, 'Laura Koprowski' > > < >, 'Elizabeth Ike' < >, 'Central > Ohio > > Regional Issues Forum' < > > > Subject: Re: [CORIF] Streetcar Meeting? > > > > I heard some discussion the next day on NPR, and someone (sorry I didn't > > catch his name) said the street car would encourage bicycling in > Columbus. > > Does that mean bicycles can easily be taken on the street car? What will > the > > costs be to ride? Is there an extra cost to take your bike with you? It > > would be good to have bike lockers downtown-so far there are none. . A > women > > (NPR) was quoted as saying she would be willing to pay to ride the > street > > car for certain special events several times a year (like games). But > she > > implied that it would be too expensive to use the street car routinely. > The > > actual cost to ride was not disclosed.How green is it to have a street > car > > operating with only a few riders? > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Marie Keister" < > > > To: "'Laura Koprowski'" < >; "'Elizabeth Ike'" > > < >; "'Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum'" > > < > > > Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 6:28 PM > > Subject: Re: [CORIF] Streetcar Meeting? > > > > > >> After Councilmember Maryellen O'Shaughnessy introduced the topic at the > >> Council hearing on streetcars on Monday night, Mayor Coleman, Chief of > >> Staff Mike Reese and financial consultant John Rosenberger laid out the > >> background and financial scenario that could pay for the starter system > >> running from Mound to OSU along High St.. Then the following speakers > >> expressed their commitment to work with the City in moving forward with > >> the streetcar proposal: COTA CEO Bill Lhota, MORPC Executive Director > >> Chester Jourdan, OSU Government Relations Director Dawn Tyler-Lee, the > >> outgoing and incoming OSU Student Government presidents, and Suzanne > >> Coleman-Tolbert, Central Ohio Workforce Council. > >> > >> 53 members of the public signed up to speak -- after four hours of > >> testimony, many people left before they got their turn to speak. Of > those > >> who stayed, about (depends on how you tally the remarks) 21 spoke > against > >> the streetcar proposal, 17 spoke in favor and another three or four > >> expressed their desire that City Council study the concept thoroughly > >> before moving forward. > >> > >> Of those who spoke against, several asked that more be done to improve > and > >> expand the current transit system, or that a regional rail system be > built > >> instead of a streetcar system, which is more of a downtown circulator. > >> Councilwoman O'Shaughnessy is going to call another public hearing to > >> allow COTA to share the many steps they are taking to accomplish these > >> very goals. Others were concerned about the expenditure in tight > economic > >> times, or expressed fears that increased parking fees would discourage > >> people from coming/developing downtown. Supporters encouraged Council > to > >> invest in streetcars as a first step in a broader rail-transit system, > or > >> that making an investment now will pay large dividends later in better > >> mobility, more green transportation options, a more viable downtown and > >> high economic return. They pointed to experiences in other cities where > >> that has been the case. Several supporters acknowledged the streetcar > >> proposal wasn't perfect, that it wouldn't address e > >> very need the City has, but was an important piece of helping Downtown > >> Columbus and the region realize a broader vision for the future. > >> > >> Marie > >> > >> Marie S. Keister, APR, AICP > >> ENGAGE > >> 7759 Crawley Dr. > >> Dublin, OH 43017 > >> (614) 565-2819 > >> > >> www.engagepublicaffairs.com > >> > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Laura Koprowski [mailto: ] > >> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 3:39 PM > >> To: Elizabeth Ike; Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum > >> Subject: Re: [CORIF] Streetcar Meeting? > >> > >> Well, I wasn't there either but heard it was a 4 hour meeting and the > >> discussion was divided in support but a positive thing was that the > >> majority are in support of general increase funding, planning and > >> availability of mass transit in our region - yeah!! It's a start! > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Elizabeth Ike [mailto: ] > >> Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 1:39 PM > >> To: Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum > >> Subject: [CORIF] Streetcar Meeting? > >> > >> Good Afternoon Everyone! > >> > >> I have been out of town this week and was unable to attend the Public > >> Hearing for the streetcar proposal on Monday. Was anyone able to > attend > >> who > >> could tell me how the meeting went? > >> > >> Thanks! > >> > >> Liz Ike > >> > >> Elizabeth Ike > >> Clintonville, Columbus > >> Info about Elizabeth Ike: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/whelanike > >> > >> This topic's messages may be viewed at: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/4w8CNIhfD5A5eWB8HUEXlS > >> ----------------------------------------- > >> To post, send your message to: > >> To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on," > >> in subject line and send to: > >> > >> More info about Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/corif > >> > >> E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules > >> ----------------------------------------- > >> Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net<http://onlinegroups.net/> > >> > >> Laura Koprowski > >> Grandview Heights > >> Info about Laura Koprowski: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/rWdCPb5lpdpAR7zEZTxns > >> > >> This topic's messages may be viewed at: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/1BlLLldNqZl3AC1zZqvpue > >> ----------------------------------------- > >> To post, send your message to: > >> To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on," > >> in subject line and send to: > >> > >> More info about Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/corif > >> > >> E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules > >> ----------------------------------------- > >> Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net<http://onlinegroups.net/> > >> > >> > >> Marie Keister > >> Dublin > >> Info about Marie Keister: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/2IHgCZCDJSyhPA2veW3PMk > >> > >> This topic's messages may be viewed at: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/1GUHyWy91IygAwdHpjUCeH > >> ----------------------------------------- > >> To post, send your message to: > >> To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on," > >> in subject line and send to: > >> > >> More info about Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum: > >> http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/corif > >> > >> E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules > >> ----------------------------------------- > >> Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net<http://onlinegroups.net/> > > > > > > Ann Whelan > > > > Info about Ann Whelan: > > http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/2Y7B0H3ee1fRp56irM2Byt > > > > This topic's messages may be viewed at: > > http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/5aIa4u5ZGfhK1MFEY3EEY9 > > ----------------------------------------- > > To post, send your message to: > > To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on," > > in subject line and send to: > > > > More info about Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum: > > http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/corif > > > > E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules > > ----------------------------------------- > > Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net<http://onlinegroups.net/> > > > > Kathleen Murphy > > Info about Kathleen Murphy: > http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/4YihwlaBdAtcA2zRstPTm6 > > This topic's messages may be viewed at: > http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/4cc9B5vgx2Dy5StxeQHuIc > ----------------------------------------- > To post, send your message to: > To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on," > in subject line and send to: > > More info about Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum: > http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/corif > > E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules > ----------------------------------------- > Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net<http://onlinegroups.net/> > > > ------------------------------ > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it > now.<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51733/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ> > Elizabeth Ike Clintonville, Columbus Info about Elizabeth Ike: http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/whelanike This topic's messages may be viewed at: http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/4VoqAOc0oeiZ7kYSE6KJlh ----------------------------------------- To post, send your message to: To leave or for daily digest, type "unsubscribe" or "digest on," in subject line and send to: More info about Central Ohio Regional Issues Forum: http://forums.e-democracy.org/groups/corif E-Democracy.Org rules: http://e-democracy.org/rules ----------------------------------------- Technical assistance thanks to our friends at http://OnlineGroups.Net ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ