Grand Rapidian
-
Posts
148 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Project Database
User Guide
Store
Events
Posts posted by Grand Rapidian
-
-
I am happy to see this pass!!! I worked on research aspects of this project a year and a half ago, there was much speculation about it passing after it had been pushed off the ballot a number of times. Ill bet everyone working on this now has a renewed energy!
-
Wow! Fantastic! I've been wanting to see a view like this. Is that GVSU Allendale and then Lake Michigan beyond? Thanks. Any more pics?
No, those are west of downtown, the view is north west.
-
Does anyone have pictures of the view from up in Plaza Tower? I am curious to see the view in comparison to River House.
-
I have always loved the Gardens and I am pleased to see the investment! I had no idea that half a million people visit each year!
-
Thank you very much!!! These are very helpful!
-
From above- Good old Houghton Lift Bridge, I crossed it just a few days ago to get some lunch.
Does anyone have shots of the following that they might want to let me used to make sketches for a class?
St. Andrews Cathedral
St. James Catholic Church
St. Adelbert Basilica
St. Mary's Catholic Church
One more interesting church spire that I am not thinking of right now.
A link or post would be great.
Is there maybe a thread of church pictures somewhere on here? I had no luck looking.
Thanks!
-
19 stops on the 10 mile stretch... one stop every .5 miles? I guess I can see it, as the average person will walk up to .25 mile max and the walk time is 5 minutes for 1320 ft, but I thought BRT included more distance between stops (in the 1 mile range) Is there going to be a right of way lane here? This is good news. Are there going to be stations at each stop? Someone will have to get a bench mark of what there is along this route to be able to compare to see what the effects are over time with the route in place. It will be tough to give a definitive, but I think it will be noticeable in the look of the businesses along the street and maybe into the neighborhoods.
-
I am fairly skeptical about this system as well, but hopefully they do great things in Heathrow and put my worries to rest.
-
highwayguy, do you know anything about the giant overhead lights being changed out at all the major freeway interchanges? They are currently redoing the ones at I-196 and the East Beltline, and I thought I saw them doing prep work at I-96 and 131. I remember the first time I drove in Grand Rapids at night and thought those huge lights were pretty cool (we didn't have those in other parts of the of the State).
Thanks!
Thank goodness, when I worked for MDOT I had to take GPS data points of all MDOT maintained highway lighting in the Region. If I remember right, there are a good number of light fixtures (big and small) and about 30 or so really tall ones. It was like a jungle getting to the bases of those towers. Sometimes there would be great big piles of glass where a light fixture fell out. Also, there were some serious infestations of bugs, bees, spiders, animals and snakes around those things... It was more scary to forge my way to one of those rusty beasts than to be pulled off to the side of 131 downtown at 4pm and have to merge into the fast lane from 0 miles per hour. Ohh MDOT, what an experience that I did not even know I was having until it was over.
Another MDOT story, the guy I worked with at MDOT loved these things. I find them quite interesting. It is very useful to get off eastbound and hang a hard left under the bridge to get back on going west when doing multiple sweeps of a highway for data collection. Otherwise, you normally have to go through a few lights or wait a long time for traffic to make the same move at other ramps. Overall, those intersections seem to be a very efficient use of small amounts of land. Single Point Urban Interchange, I really like the design and signal timing, at least when I was using it.
-
I'm suspecting a lot of this support is from folks that think for $1.30 one way or $1.00 if you buy 10, just like the current bus, they are going to get on the streetcar or light rail train a few blocks from their house and get off a few blocks from work, just like Chicago & New York. At $28.75 MILLION per mile just to construct the 2.4 mile street car line, we're going to be waiting a long time for federal money 'cause there's no way in he**, a local millage is going to raise that kind of capital costs let alone operating funds.
Part of that cost is due to the high property value. To build a line, you need a garage for the cars. That alone is not cheap, it is something we could escape with lower cost. The engineering cost must be higher because a larger amount of planning is required to squeeze the infrastructure in with existing infrastructure.
Still, the cost is high.
-
The real time tracking is nice. When I interned for the transit consultants in San Francisco the people in the office who took the express bus (or any who rode busy routes) had the information sent to their cell phones everyday at 5 when work got out or they could check the web. The system doesnt sound cheap though.
-
\
The results of our task force are going to be forwarded to Kent County and Grand Valley Metro Council very soon.
Who is on this task force and what is the experience or educational background of these members within transit systems operations and planning?
-
When I said that streetcars are not permanent enough this is why.
The system costs less which means there is less incentive to not shut down a line. If you invest 60million in a streetcar system that ends up going down the tubes you are more likely to close it than if it cost 400million (LRT).
The tracks in the road are not as permanent or expensive as light rail. It is merely a good enough track to get it down the road. As it is not expensive or overly pernament that means routs can change. That is why you don't get big developments around bus lines, the route is to fluid. Streetcar rail is still quite fluid even though it seems like it is permanent. It is as expandable as resurfacing a road. Depending on the power system, power distribution does not incur significant cost.
It also does not support high enough capacity and is not seen as a fully reliable transit method as it is street running.
-
Definitely there is a lot of work to do build up to the streetcar line going in, if that's what the study determines.
) Most people in Grand Rapids have never ridden a real "train" mass transit system in their lives. You may have some who remember the old streetcar system in Grand Rapids from the early 1900's, but those people will be pretty elderly by now (sorry if that offends anyone, as I may have the dates wrong
).This is true, but how many of you have commuted to work or ever regularly ridden too mass transit to you entertainment on weekends? Riding one on vacation is one thing, but riding one daily for months and years is another.
) Downtown Grand Rapids ran a trolley for tourists back in the 80's or 90's that was a complete failure. It was like the Grand Rapids Trolley Co. ones you see carrying bridal parties, except it shuttled people around downtown to different sights. It was a complete failure. Much like City Centre and malls downtown, it is singed into some people's heads that anything even remotely similar will also be a failure (totally neglecting to acknowledge that no one builds multi-million dollar developments along a kitchy bus-trolley line).Streetcar lines will not, absolutely will not, draw mulit-million dollar developments. They are not a permanent enough fixture to bet that kind of investment on. They just are not seen as something permanent enough.
) Depending on when this ramps up, the state of the state economy may be still weighing on people's minds. Any kind of expenditure of tax dollars for transit is going to be looked at as a foolish way to spend people's money, especially when they can hardly pay the bills themselves. Even if it is coming from Federal tax dollars and far removed from their every day paycheck.) The RAPID's and RapidGrowth's continuance to hammer away at the notion that a $69 Million investment will result in $Billions in development is the way to go message-wise. People can't argue with jobs and economic growth right now, if it can be shown that it WILL happen.
The streetcar is not an development engine. It supports what is already there by moving people around. It is a economic boost for existing development to usher people across distances that are beyond a comfortable walk. It will add vibrance to the urban core for a cost. It will help make our smaller shops and retail more sustainable and promote mobility around the core which is a tool for large developments. It is merely a tool in our toolbox, not an ace.
I promote a streetcar system downtown, but I do not believe it will cause any large scale development along its lines.
Another reason street cars do not draw multi million dollar investment is because they have extremely limited line capacities, its more or less glorified bus with tourist appeal.
Where is the report that says $69million will result in $billions in development? Who garuntees the "WILL"
-
WZZM also did a short spot on the streetcar and the study, featuring Andy Guy:
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/grmetro_a...x?storyid=82814
I'm glad they made the comparisons to the arena and the art museum. The streetcar should be able to leverage the same, if not more, redevelopment dollars as those two projects did (the arena moreso than the GRAM).
The line will bring in development dollars, but don't expect anything large scale until we have fixed LRT. The dollars follow LRT and HRT for the reason that they are a more permanent fixture that business can rely on. Streetcars are more of a supportive role to what is existing as well as a kick start role in gaining momentum in transit.
It will be great for visitors, and residents if it makes it out to any adjacent neighborhoods.
-
I guess I was not clear. For a user I totally understand the value. But at $125 per space in revenue to the City it is hard to justify spending $51,000 to build it. Assuming $25 per month in operating costs (which is way lower than reality), it would take the city 42.5 years to get the lot paid back without interest. Because ramps tend to have a 25 year useful life there is no justfication (financially) for this lot. Honestly, I am not even sure how they will ever repay the bonds and by law if they cannot repay them from parking revenues, the shortfall comes out of the City's general fund. Last time I checked there did not seem to be a surplus there either.
Some might argue that this is exactly why we need the City to own the downtown parking. I suggest that this is poor stewadship of our limited government resources and thus exactly why they should not be in the parking business.
Ah, okay. I understand now what you are saying. You bring up a good point if those numbers are all correct.
-
I think if at all possible ITP should route some of the highways. They aren't congested and are often really express options for motorists anyways. Like what was mentioned you could have park and ride options. The problem is you have 25,000-30,000 people doing business downtown and who knows if they are all coming from concentrated areas. It's likely spread out thin over the entire metro region. This could explain why ITP hasn't moved on a commuting service and is just looking seriously into providing a commuting service down Division.
At the very least a commuter route, I think, will do is introduce transit to those who don't normally view it as an option.
EDIT: I hope people realize the potential opportunity Kent County is facing. With news that the transit subcommittee may return with its verdict of county wide transit (next month possibly) -- people should be speaking up for the downtown commuter.... Downtown has been noting transit for a long time and if it wants to continue to draw people in from the farthest reaches of the metropolitan area the county and everyone else is going to have to step in.
I agree, there is a great opportunity for the county. The economy is slow, but if get one together now it might be done by the time the economy is in full swing again. It is just proving ridership and getting funding that is a challenge for new systems. Even BRT costs around $1-2 million per mile to implement depending on infrastructure included.
-
5) Parking decks are not as costly as we are hearing. I cannot figure out how they justified that new lot on Commerce. It is very costly. I think the huge lot by GVSU was about $16,000 per spot. I can understand some scale benefits but $51,000 for Commerce seems very high. And at $125 per month, how can one justify the cost?
Are you saying pay $125 per month for a space?
If so, yes. I thinks it can be justified. If one were to take the bus, BRT, LRT, Street Car or (any other form for that matter) it will cost about $2 or more each way. at $4 per day, 30 days a week equals $120 (I know that people don't go to work on weekends so any cost over run can be covered by time saved and freedoms gained). Neglecting fuel costs (and other associated vehicle costs) as that is not part of this debate as if you are being serviced by transit you are not far from the core of Grand Rapids. The pass comes with no time limits, use as often as you want. Transit in GR often will not save much time on your commute either.
My boss parks in dt SF and pays $300 a month. That is harder to justify. He says for the time it saves him riding transit to his house in the city it is worth it. Idk, I would take the bus for that cost no doubt. Whatever floats ones boat.
It all depends, but if I were not transit oriented $125 per month would not be to bad to have all the freedoms it offers.
-
who likes cops anyways?
People who respect and uphold the law.
-
Are you leaving us? It's not quite summer yet!
I haven't really been around much, I go to school at Michigan Tech in Houghton and this summer working for a consulting firm in San Francisco. I sure am going to miss the summer in Michigan. What really sucks is since the Van Andel arena and Convention center were build I have been following all of the news with new developments and ended up moving off to college before ground broke on many of them. Now I am missing all the construction (being a civil engineering major it really sucks). The pictures are great but they do not do justice to seeing them in person.
-
My last views of the city for the summer, shots from the car in the morning. I am not sure what is better for the shots from up the hill, is it the hill or the city? Without the city the hill can still give magnificent views.
-
Yes - driving 2 hours to Detroit to get cheaper airfare is annoying. Most flights out of GRR seem to have a layover. (Unless you're flying to Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, other hubs). I wish there were more direct flights out of GRR. Heck, I'm driving to Detroit Tuesday to catch a flight Wednesday morning to Mexico. Saved me about $500.
I got tickets to San Francisco for 299 round trip out of Grand Rapids. Here to Chicago and a 1 hour lay over to get on a new plane then off to San Francisco. 6.5 hour trip all together. I will take that! I paid 350 round trip to go from Grand Rapids to Minneapolis to Houghton Mi and the flight to about as long one time.
-
Are they widening the highway down in the bottom right hand corner?
My guess is extending the ramp not quite into a destination lane, but just longer to support higher traffic volume to the off ramp and increase safety. When I did work out on that stretch of highway it seemed like that was one of the busiest off ramps and backed up a bit.
Edit: I just looked a little closer, you can see the stakes in the ground. Those represent the edge of the pavement and you can see that it tapers off from where they started work on the shoulder all the way up to the ramp currently starts.
Edit 2: I look closer yet again and see the other side. It looks like they are lengthening the on ramp over there. The roller is packing the sand down (unless it is roller compacted concrete, but I doubt they used that).
-
I'm right on the corner...
in this
its Where's Waldo on crack lol
).
Medical Mile/Michigan Street Developments
in Grand Rapids
Posted
I have heard that UofM's hospital is in a hiring freeze.