DanRNC

The older Hurricanes thread is now archived so this is being renewed, but may not last long as all signs, the latest fire sale, point to a Canadian relocation for this team, most likely Quebec. What is the word down in the Raleigh area regarding this?

Seems like music clubs are public enemy #1 in downtown Raleigh.

Sounds like a disaster. If you don't have the money or a clear plan how to obtain it, they may want to bag this.

Well I think the argument went from why rail when we can have BRT? Now that rail is dead, we will hear why BRT when we can just have increased bus service? Then it will be, bus service is so 20th century-its time for driverless cars. Fast forward 20 years, why driverless cars when we can have Jetsons-like space craft?

I think you will hear more about driverless cars. Last year it was "BRT" which these libertarian groups said was essentially putting fancy paint jobs on existing buses. They have no interest in changing current transportation modalities at all. https://www.nccivitas.org/2015/three-reasons-the-future-is-conservative/https://www.nccivitas.org/2015/three-reasons-the-future-is-conservative/

Based on the N&O article, it appears that the Raleigh bigwigs have decided that the problem is insurmountable and are basically saying "screw it". BRT used to be thrown around but that's even gone. Like I said before, you may get some more buses but that's it. No real goal of improving development patterns that don't revolve around the good ol' automobile. The driverless car excuse is nothing but a smokescreen. I am sure when they roll out en masse, the bubbas in NC will see it as another New World Order conspiracy.

They will come up with every excuse to never address public transportation.

Will NC screw this one up on purpose because they aren't looking to locate this in Podunk? http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/blog/techflash/2015/10/nc-atlanta-ny-consultant-general-electric-hq-move.html

If the group from Chapel Hill wins, expect suburban style apartments that will probably take 5 years to build. Look at their portfolio-pretty scary.

NC trying as hard as it can to be a third rate hick state which it seems to be doing pretty well.

Raleigh is now about 50 years back in transit planning. It comes full circle back to adding 2 buses.

^ True. Meck and Wake need to bond as about 90 other counties (or at least their reps) are hellhound on destroying them either intentionally or unintentionally. NC has truly become rural vs. urban and this will only intensify I am sad to say.

The 21C looks pretty cool-one of the more interesting hotels in NC. http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/gallery/166441?r=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bizjournals.com%2Ftriangle%2Fblog%2Freal-estate%2F2015%2F03%2F21c-museum-hotel-and-museum-durham-nc-tour-photos.html

Yee Haw! That here is what we need round these parts-none of that sissy, commie choo choo train crap. Give me enough space so I can double park my pick-up truck in front of the Golden Corral.

^With no vision, what is the point? Wake County can't even get off the ground-it really has no idea what the priorities are and what the purpose of this whole exercise is. It's a circuitous argument that always ends up with the same thing-nothing. Is transit only for (1) those that don't have cars (Raleigh's view), or (2) is it a way to increase better planning to prevent further sprawl (not Raleigh's view)? I would say keep on keeping on if it's truly number 1-throw some more buses on the road to get people to their nanny jobs in Oakwood, North Raleigh, etc. Don't waste any more time or money on this.

Good article on Durham and it's startup culture. http://www.businessinsider.com/durham-startup-scene-2014-12?op=1

NC roads operate in the red. Education operates in the red. Scientific research operates in the red. The US forgot what investment is/was.

I will be the Negative Nancy again (but it's all in reality) that this is another ABLR stunt (Anything But Light Rail). The argument that light rail doesn't work in sprawled out areas is just false again. I would like these people (who, by the way, probably have never used public transit except on a trip to Europe or NYC) to come visit an area where light rail serves a large metropolitan area with suburbs. Growth in the Vancouver suburbs of Richmond, Burnaby, and New Westminster (15-20 minutes outside of the city core) has all developed around light rail stations.

I would say extend the Chapel-Durham line out to RTP and blow Raleigh off as they are clearly not interested in regional rail. Charlotte is clearly headed in the right direction as far as planning and I hope they are successful in attracting new talent to their city. As far as Dix goes, I hope Raleigh can't get the property because I have a feeling with what they will come up with will be a nightmare. Let it sit as is to be honest. Raleigh will buy it, run out of money and let it sit sit fallow for years.

Oh yea, the arena...done on the cheap.

Raleigh is truly frustrating. They take whatever momentum they have and find a way to destroy it. 20 story high density goes to 7 story suburban style apartments, a transit plan gets gutted, the Dix deal isn't anywhere near done, Moore Square is going to get done on the cheap, and Union Station is already getting gutted. It's the town of mediocrity with no vision. Big plans are thrown out and they quickly become garbage. It's all talk at the end of the day. I always said the plans for F-Street were low tier and that's what they ended up with-some crappy bars that the residents hate and largely deserted streets other than that. The grand street didn't turn out so grand. Why? Once again, done on the cheap.

I think the Durham-Chapel Hill system will work if they hold strong to developing along the line which I think they will. Durham has not really sprawled to the extent of Raleigh so this is a good starting point for future development. Durham was slow to start but they seem to be gaining traction. It's kind of like the Tortoise and the Hare. Raleigh is really missing Mitch Silver-it only took a couple of months to fall apart. I wouldn't be surprised to see development in DT Raleigh to start regressing, especially with Citrix looking pretty vulnerable. Kane is probably reassessing his warehouse plans.

Like I said, a true transit plan for Raleigh is dead. The attitude is that all that's needed is some more buses to get the po' folks to work. Nothing to see hear...move along. Christensen basically throws up the white flag and concedes Raleigh will be nothing more than a suburban podunk and he ain't giving up his car. Pretty funny this guy writes about the politics of the environment.

Let's be honest, Raleigh is going to get peddled "BRT Lite" which is essentially the addition of some express bus routes. Proper BRT is expensive and Raleigh is never going to invest anything as the consensus is they want to do this (like everything else) on the cheap. If you don't have a clear vision of the transit plan, which integrates not only bus and rail but walking, biking, etc. then this is truly a waste of time. From the article, what I heard was the big idea was buses every 15 minutes along congested routes. Big damn deal.

BRT works fine in dense, compact areas, it's not for larger municipalities. Anyways, if you think this is what Raleigh is going to get, you are drinking the Kool Aid. This "bus" plan will be a couple of more routes at best. There will be no major investment and you may go from -10 to zero with this plan-nothing more.