General MBTA Topics (Multi Modal, Budget, MassDOT)

[stick n move]

The problems came from bulldozing “less desirable” neighborhoods for highways, inter city parking garages, and low income high rise housing. Is there a single case where expanded mass transit has led to urban decay? Anywhere?

This mayor quickly realized his mistake and became one of the blue-Lynn’s biggest proponents. Its just that in only a few years time environmental concerns were taken much more serious and the money had gone other places so by then it was too late. There was a golden window that unfortunately was missed.

 

[jass]

. Is there a single case where expanded mass transit has led to urban decay? Anywhere?

A lot of folks might have a lot to say about the new and improved orange line of that era.

 

[TallIsGood]

Is there a single case where expanded mass transit has led to urban decay? Anywhere?

How about the Orange Line south? All along Washington St south through Roxbury.

 

[datadyne007]

What? The land wasn't cleared for the Orange Line. It was cleared for I-95/Southwest Expressway and when neighborhood opposition stopped the highway, they decided to put the OL in the Southwest Corridor ROW they had already cleared instead.

The OL had nothing to do with the decay in that area and the former El route. Those areas were already in decay before the SW Corridor OL from a number of other factors.

 

[TallIsGood]

Not the land clearing. Washington St in the South End and out to Roxbury decayed after the Orange Line EL. The property values along the route dropped. Not the new Southwest Corridor expansion, the original Orange Line (aka Main Line El).

 

[Coyote137]

So fare hikes are on the docket for the FMCB meeting today. Great timing with the Red, Green and Orange issues this morning.

 

[Kinopio]

So fare hikes are on the docket for the FMCB meeting today. Great timing with the Red, Green and Orange issues this morning.

Meanwhile drivers are paying less in gas tax every year. There is no more spoiled group in the world than American drivers. Its like this country gets hard from destroying the planet and American drivers killing 30,000+ people per year.

 

[Equilibria]

MassDOT's presentation just now on Mattapan HSL options didn't even evaluate Red Line conversion, only LRV or bus options.

Sounded like the preferred option is to maintain the PCCs until the mid/late 2020s and then shift the now-new Type 9 Green Line vehicles over once the Type 10s come online.

Don't appreciate the lack of imagination shown by not considering the Red Line, though.

 

[jass]

MassDOT's presentation just now on Mattapan HSL options didn't even evaluate Red Line conversion, only LRV or bus options.

Sounded like the preferred option is to maintain the PCCs until the mid/late 2020s and then shift the now-new Type 9 Green Line vehicles over once the Type 10s come online.

Don't appreciate the lack of imagination shown by not considering the Red Line, though.

There is no reason not to keep running the PCCs until 2500.

 

[Equilibria]

There is no reason not to keep running the PCCs until 2500.

Actually there is. They aren't accessible to the disabled and lack safety equipment.

 

[stefal]

Actually there is. They aren't accessible to the disabled and lack safety equipment.

And maintaining these is a nightmare. They don't make parts for these anymore, and very few people know what parts are needed/how to fix them.

 

[stick n move]

MassDOT's presentation just now on Mattapan HSL options didn't even evaluate Red Line conversion, only LRV or bus options.

Sounded like the preferred option is to maintain the PCCs until the mid/late 2020s and then shift the now-new Type 9 Green Line vehicles over once the Type 10s come online.

Don't appreciate the lack of imagination shown by not considering the Red Line, though.

What are the type 10s?

 

[Equilibria]

What are the type 10s?

https://willbrownsberger.com/a-new-vision-for-the-green-line/

 

[sm89]

And maintaining these is a nightmare. They don't make parts for these anymore, and very few people know what parts are needed/how to fix them.

What does Muni do to maintain theirs? Aside from a different climate, wouldn't they be experiencing the same issues?

 

[bigeman312]

The Better Bus Project has updated their website to include 47 proposed route changes.

EDIT: Two of the more interesting proposals to me are:

• Combining Route CT1 and Route 1 into a single route
• Straightening Route 8

 

[jass]

I dont get the Route 1 proposal. Are they eliminating Ct1? How does the save time for folks using that route?

 

[stick n move]

https://willbrownsberger.com/a-new-vision-for-the-green-line/

Oh wow I was wondering why the hell we used the cars we do and were ordering the same crappy design again. So many light rail trains are completely flat like normal subways and hold twice as many people.

So let me know if this take is correct. As of now were not replacing any green line trains, were adding to the stock of what we have to allow for enough trains to cover the added capacity from the glx. The amount ordered to do this are also enough to cover the capacity of the mattapan trolley. So for now the new trains allow the green line to keep running, but with the added routes to malden. Once that is taken care of were going to replace the entire green line stock of trains with these new modern high capacity type 10 trains and then paint the new type 9s orange and send them to mattapan so that way they have new trains as well as the green line having a modern capacity light rail system. Is that about how its going to work?

One of the best upgrade listed is signal priority for trains. Each light can last a minute and that adds up an enormous amount over many trains over many stops. That combined with the fact that the glx is grade separated is going to make the green line a whole lot faster. Add in the doubled capacity and the green line goes from an inconvenience to a very capable modern light rail network.

 

[Equilibria]

OSo let me know if this take is correct. As of now were not replacing any green line trains, were adding to the stock of what we have to allow for enough trains to cover the added capacity from the glx. The amount ordered to do this are also enough to cover the capacity of the mattapan trolley. So for now the new trains allow the green line to keep running, but with the added routes to malden. Once that is taken care of were going to replace the entire green line stock of trains with these new modern high capacity type 10 trains and then paint the new type 9s orange and send them to mattapan so that way they have new trains as well as the green line having a modern capacity light rail system. Is that about how its going to work?

That's one of the possibilities, yes.

 

[bigeman312]

I dont get the Route 1 proposal. Are they eliminating Ct1? How does the save time for folks using that route?

I believe by increasing frequency on the 1.

 

[Proposition Joe]

If you watch the FMCB live stream you can see Secretary Pollack, yet again, taking the time to complain about centenary wire.

Couldn't leave just one minute where its explained that a bus-titution is an unpopular and impractical option, gotta keep pushing that ideological adherence to mediocrity.