JoeSchmo

I think its been long over due but it looks like they are in the plans to implement it. Transit Planner - Beta Stages www.ridetherapid.org/beta

I am not even sure the issue is about the homeless. I think the primary issue is the crime and the crime that happens in the nearby pocket park. I dont believe you can move the homeless shelter at all. Its not like there is solely one homeless shelter here and you can pick up and move it. This area is pretty much a central hub for the homeless to find services. I know I dont know all of them, but just a few of the outreach programs on this block include Degage Ministries, Meltrotter Ministries, and God's Kitchen to name a few (all within a small block of Division and Cherry). This does prevent large developers from coming in developing. However despite this, I dont mind it 'undeveloped'. This area allows for more 'common' business owners to start affordable shops in the downtown area, rather than benefiting large business or bar moguls if it was developed. Therefore I would say this 'undeveloped' area does provide diversity in the city.

I think this is an interesting place. People have never seemed to be fond of investing south of fulton. I think thats why its even a bigger deal when people decide to. The construction of it will expand the walkable areas of Grand Rapids and I am always for that. A riverfront location would have been interesting, but the property would have been more valuable and therefore expensive. People will go to the market because whats there. How many more people would you get to go there if you placed it on the river? I am not keen on the location, but I think I will be more keen on the location after its built. I think there has been a lot of growing interest to build south of Fulton, but in the past Heartside has not necessarily been tied to a good feeling reputation. I expect the market will only help to change this and expand the borders of 'downtown'.

A couple posts up

A crossing is definetly a must. There is already a significant number of people crossing from the parking to the Eberhard Center and the Engineering building for classes and conferences. In addition with this building replaced, people may want to start walking along the river south of Fulton as a river walk. Bummer, wouldnt be able to play Frogger across Fulton anymore . Both a crossing and a riverwalk extension would be nice. Its almost a liability for Grand Valley when you have buildings across from each other on a busy street. If you ever drive south down from Burger King and get stopped for 5 minutes by students crossing you realize how many student pedestrians there are.

That study is information overload. I love it!

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/ind...ding_its_i.html

I assume Devries wants to sell the party. They just want to get as much as they can out of Grand Valley for the property, since they know GV wants it. The more Grand Valley expands, the more they are going to want those parking lots.

I always imagined a tower going up at the corner of Fulton and Monroe due to its PRIME real estate. Its right across from Plaza Towers - down the street from Amway and the JW. Its connected to the skywalk and if the street car goes through - it will be going by it. There isnt a place for groceries or anything in the downtown area - so it definetly sounds good. This corner is begging for density and if a market was included than all the better .

The routes are already in place its just a matter of which tracks Amtrak and the government want to convert to high speed rail and funding. This has been on a wish list for over a decade for a Chicago-Kzoo-Detroit high speed rail. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan_Services

This idea has been thrown around recently with a 'Carbon Tax'. Personally I think this would be great and we would need to do this at a national level, however, sadly, no politician who is seeking re-election would ever back up a large tax on fuel simply because it would be bad PR. Nonetheless these are issues that the automobile is causing and therefore should be taxed accordingly to pay for mass transit and the like. I would be all for it as higher fuel prices would spur not only mass transit but technological development in the automotive industry to increase fuel economy and alternatives to the combustion engine. Europe seems to be more intelligent with there resources as they have had experience running out of resources such as when they deforested most of their land in Western Europe in the middle ages. Which is one of the reasons it is less frequent to see houses built from wood in Europe. We may be in the same case with oil on a global level as India and China are coming online with a population of 2 billion people...7 times the population of the US. The oil consumption rate is only increasing from here.

Sorry dragt.... I had made a quick logical guess that it may have been rushed together for the stimulus money and that guess falls on my back. I think the information could have been easier to find supporting The Rapid. Reasons as to why Division was such a good route that is was chosen was a big one for me. I never found a clear background as to why it was the best route (from a reliable source) and I dont think Division has a popular reputation in the area...so I think this was needed for the public. But yeah Regal said it nicely. GRDad was this a test question??? Ugg I got it wrong. Bummer. Though... I am still not sure what answer to what question was not good enough?? Nonetheless the following were the reasons I voted for it: 1) The BRT would most likely have been the only bus that would actually be competitive with the car in Grand Rapids with commute times. This would encourage mass transit from people who normally dont ride...i.e. the assumed demographic seems to be: people who cant afford a car or dont have a license, crazy hippies (not that thats bad), and the occasional student. 2) Much of this project was funded by stimulus money that simply wont be available in the future 3) I believe that the United States oil dependency may possibly be one of the larges issues our nation is facing (underrated at that) and needs to be attacked from every single angle as soon as possible. (This could be a whole another topic) 4) The Rapid would have been a gentle next step in higher mass transit and probably the most affordable for our size community. 5) It could have spurred economic activity in a neighboring community that has suffered many blows due to both the decline of the manufacturing industry and the decline of the shopping districts after the creation of Rivertown mall. 6) And personally...I bike in urban areas and I get annoyed by breathing in car exhaust (I can feel it in my lungs). I also agree with you GRDad that a light rail would have been simply awesome. But is Grand Rapids big enough for the length the BRT covers? We have 350,000 people in the metro area, I am not sure if we could afford it? Is the light rail/street car concept that was being planned for downtown...still progressing in the planning stages? I havent heard anything about it in quite some time.

I think there could have been more support of reasons from Friends of Transit and The Rapid to vote yes for this and I do believe as someone who voted yes for it that it was somewhat rushed together. Although I believe it was rushed together for good reason. Im not sure if there was even a BRT planned before the national stimulus package was announced??? So in reality it was far from 5 years that somebody mentioned. The economy as mentioned I am sure played apart in the vote also. People who were unemployed, going through rolling layoffs, getting paycuts, or simply scared for there job like so many people around here recently simply had to vote 'no' on it and probably for good reason for themselves.

The point of mass transit isnt to beat the car but to offer a competitive alternative to the car. OK, you barely beat the BRT in your scenario. On the other hand if you rode the BRT, youd hop on maybe read a book, not even have to think about parking or driving for that matter, hop off without getting mad at any drivers who cut you off, help the environment while you're at it, and assist in keeping oil prices low by lowering demand.

Thx fotoman..thats what I was looking for.

Is there going to be anything else on the ballot besides The Rapid?

I am pretty sure my intelligence has gone down 50 points after reading comments on wood that are against it. People seem to randomly assume without any background. And if Eric Larson lives in Cascade township- why is he a spokesperson for fighting proposals that impact residents of a metro area his township is not a part of. I used to live in Ottawa County that doesnt mean I should go get involved in the local politics of Holland?? I suppose he has the right, but whats the purpose?? BTW that Moroccan bus stop looks like they cut my grandmas living room in half. Adopt a shelter could be interesting....could get community more involved directly with the support of mass transit.

I am coming to light with your view, d8alterego. You point out that its not necessarily that we don't have enough money to maintain and build roads, but simply put - we have built a road network that is simply TOO big and TOO expensive. The US has one of the largest road networks. We have taken our roads for granted and if we have to walk anywhere we just complain like a baby. For example people circle parking lots outside stores so they can walk 20 or 30 ft less. Nonetheless I am a supporter of additional fuel tax simply to discourage people from driving and in addition promote technological development through capitalism rather than cheap consumption. The idea of privatized roads is intriguing to say the least as our road network and our cities would look incredibly different although I am unsure if it would necessarily be for the better. You would get into areas of special interests leaving neighborhoods who cant afford quality roads in rough alleyways and possibly patches of unfinished road. BTW Heres a picture of a European city...I cant see a single car in the picture....I dig it. http://www.strixsystems.com/images/press/G...rtini_Tower.jpg