The Transportation and Mass Transit Megathread

[BnaBreaker]

I can't wait for the day that there is some non-scooter related news to share on this thread!

[markhollin]

Metro Council voted Tuesday night to allow electric scooters to stay in Nashville until a selection process authorizes up to three companies to operate in the city.The Metro bill passed with 29 votes in favor and five abstentions. 

But this bill comes with changes. 

- Starting immediately, riders and non-riders alike can expect to see 50% fewer scooters on city streets. 

- There will also be no scooters rides after 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on weekends and holidays. 

- Capping the number of operators currently in the city. 

- Creating "slow zones" downtown, on Metro greenways and in Metro parks. 

- Two full-time employees per 100 scooters from each operator to rebalance scooters, address blocked sidewalks, respond to complaints and place scooters in Metro-provided corrals. 

- Requiring a 120-minute response time to all scooter parking complaints. 

- Requiring all operators to pay up to $10,000 for Metro to put up signs throughout the city, as well as fund an American Disabilities Act complaint hotline that would require any ADA-related issues to be resolved in 30 minutes. 

- Mandating companies to provide "reasonable" helmet and other safety education activities, as well as report to Metro's Traffic Licensing Commission and Metro Council's Public Safety Committee. 

More at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/07/16/nashville-scooters-rules-metro-council-vote/1736120001/?utm_source=tennessean-Daily Briefing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=list_article_thumb

[PaulChinetti]

Seems like a decent compromise. 

[nashwatcher]

Glad they're working to make scooters a part of our transportation infrastructure!

Keep on working out the kinks and we'll benefit from integrating transportation options like this long term

[titanhog]

I like the fact that the city is demanding some things that will drive away the scooter companies who are content with just dropping off scooters in a city and collecting $$.  If you're going to be a real scooter company with longevity, you will be willing to build a system that will work in most cities, providing all necessary parts to not only collect $$...but to provide the cities with safe, reliable, convenient and LAWFUL transportation that most citizens won't even notice.  It will just become a part of the fabric of the city and become as commonplace as people using cars & bikes...and not become a nuisance.  AND...hopefully the city will make infrastructure changes over time to help this transportation mode become a success in our city.

[Jamie Hall]

I like the scooter solution. And it only took Metro 16-18 months to come up with. 

[37206dude]

All of the new scooter safety rules are all well and good but this is set up for failure unless the city makes it a serious priority to build protected bike lanes.

[PaulChinetti]

https://www.fastcompany.com/90374083/for-years-automakers-wildly-overpromised-on-self-driving-cars-and-electric-vehicles-what-now

”So much so that just this week, the company’s CEO (Uber) Dara Khosrowshahi said at an Economic Club meeting in Washington, DC, that it will take more than 50 years for all Uber cars to be driverless, a lifetime away.”

“In November, Waymo’s CEO John Krafcik told a tech conference that it will be decades before autonomous cars are widespread on the roads, and they may always need human assistance to drive in multifaceted environments, such as bad weather or areas crowded with construction or emergency equipment.”

“In April, Ford’s CEO echoed those remarks in an appearance before the Detroit Economic Club. “We overestimated the arrival of autonomous vehicles,” Jim Hackett said.”

I hope all of our lawmakers have seen this article. 

[titanhog]

^^All a person has to do is use a little common sense to realize driverless cars face a lot of unsolved environmental condition issues that may never be solved.

Now...these babies....we need to turn our focus to....

 

[smeagolsfree]

This may repeat the same thing in the article that Paul posted.

 

Despite high hopes, self-driving cars are ‘way in the future’

From the NYT via the NBJ

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/07/18/despite-high-hopes-self-driving-cars-are-way-in.html

From the NYT via the NBJ

“Malek said she believed it would take years and perhaps even a decade or more to develop driverless cars that could travel anywhere, any time.”

[Dale]

Was exhibiting yesterday, in downtown Charlotte, and can attest that scooter-riders here range from reckless to plum-crazy.

[Tennessine]

On 7/16/2019 at 3:38 PM, BnaBreaker said:

I can't wait for the day that there is some non-scooter related news to share on this thread!

No kidding! Things have been slow in this thread since the referendum.

[markhollin]

An $18 million transit center is being planned for the SE corner of Clarksville Pike and 26th Ave. North.

A federal grant application was submitted by WeGo Public Transit on Friday. The city's transit agency is asking for a $10.7 million BUILD Transportation grant, which is a specialized grant administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. WeGo would tap $1.8 million in local capital dollars and $5.4 million in state funds to pay for the project's additional $7.3 million in costs, the application states.

According to the city's application, the proposed transit center would include an enclosed, climate-controlled passenger waiting center, additional sidewalk infrastructure and space to more easily access other transportation options, such as bike sharing or park-and-ride lots. Furthermore, officials intend to funnel additional routes through North Nashville, expand operating hours and introduce two rapid-bus routes if the center is funded.

The complete application can be seen here:

https://www.nashvillemta.org/PDF/NorthBuildGrant/FINAL-Nashville-BUILD-Grant-Application-7-12-19.pdf

More at NBJ here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2019/07/22/federal-application-reveals-metros-plans-for-18m.html?iana=hpmvp_nsh_news_headline

 

[KJHburg]

From an autonomous car conference in Raleigh.  Basically not much change in the next 10 years but after that who knows. 

https://www.wraltechwire.com/2019/07/23/autonomous-cars-reality-not-for-some-time-but-theyre-coming-experts-say-at-summit/

 

[smeagolsfree]

An $18 million transit center is being planned for the SE corner of Clarksville Pike and 26th Ave. North.

A federal grant application was submitted by WeGo Public Transit on Friday. The city's transit agency is asking for a $10.7 million BUILD Transportation grant, which is a specialized grant administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. WeGo would tap $1.8 million in local capital dollars and $5.4 million in state funds to pay for the project's additional $7.3 million in costs, the application states.

According to the city's application, the proposed transit center would include an enclosed, climate-controlled passenger waiting center, additional sidewalk infrastructure and space to more easily access other transportation options, such as bike sharing or park-and-ride lots. Furthermore, officials intend to funnel additional routes through North Nashville, expand operating hours and introduce two rapid-bus routes if the center is funded

 

My question is why is a transit center even needed at this location or any other in the city. This is just wasting money again and you have a mayor that is actually cutting service and funding and then they do this.

 

[Bos2Nash]

This isnt wasteful spending. This is trying to improve a system that is hurting and if we can get the feds to cough up majority of the dough then go for it. I would make the argument that this area of the city needs the equalizing impact of transit more than many other area. We beotch and moan about the city rejecting the transit referendum, then beotch about when they go for federal money to improve the transit system. No winning?

[Mr_Bond]

Just now, Bos2Nash said:

This isnt wasteful spending. This is trying to improve a system that is hurting and if we can get the feds to cough up majority of the dough then go for it. I would make the argument that this area of the city needs the equalizing impact of transit more than many other area. We beotch and moan about the city rejecting the transit referendum, then beotch about when they go for federal money to improve the transit system. No winning?

I agree that residents in this part of town are likely using the transit system and could use this facility.  However, I wish this was presented as part of step-by-step plan to address our transit problems, rather than a multi-million dollar project that is presented as "Someone had a cool idea and got the Feds to pay for it!"

[smeagolsfree]

Trust me, this project will get a lot of ridicule.

Its not even in a walkable area. Most people have cars in this area of town and that section of town probably has one of the lower ridership's of any area of town. The Gallatin Road corridor has a lot more riders, then its either Dickerson or Nolensville. Why this area? Me thinks it is a political stunt! 

[12Mouth]

2 hours ago, Mr_Bond said:

I agree that residents in this part of town are likely using the transit system and could use this facility.  However, I wish this was presented as part of step-by-step plan to address our transit problems, rather than a multi-million dollar project that is presented as "Someone had a cool idea and got the Feds to pay for it!"

This grant application is for increased service, new routes, and a transit center that are all pretty much laid out in the nMotion final report. That isn't exactly step by step, but shows a comprehensive transit future that this would be a part of following a detailed study in 2016 (although nMotion did not appear to be used for the referendum transit plan, which confused the heck out of me). 

[smeagolsfree]

Metros actions normally confuse everyone. They will waste so much money doing studies that never go anywhere it maddening. Its not just Metro, as a lot of cities study something to death and never do anything. They see federal money available and try find a way to spend it, even if its on useless projects.

Sort of like all the money and time spent on Nashville Next.

[Nash_12South]

I was in Atlanta this past weekend and saw this, on the sidewalks, in several spots in the midtown area. (approx. 18" in diameter) Good idea, if largely ignored.

Many scooters, fewer tourists riding, mostly locals - you can tell, but still mostly on sidewalks and no helmets. The Uber drivers all complained about them, without prompting from me.....

 

[smeagolsfree]

Someone please send this to Freddie O'Connell.

[bigeasy]

Meh. To me that would just be wasted taxpayer money. Nobody would pay attention to those.

 

Just throw some random "speed bumps" that are hard to see onto the sidewalks. That will solve the problem much faster than a sticker.

Edited July 30, 2019 by bigeasy

[Jamie Hall]

 

 

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1 hour ago, bigeasy said:

Meh. To me that would just be wasted taxpayer money. Nobody would pay attention to those.

Just throw some random "speed bumps" that are hard to see onto the sidewalks. That will solve the problem much faster than a sticker.

The speed bump idea sounds tempting. Maybe a little devious, but still tempting.

As for the sign stuck to the asphalt: If it also stated something to the effect of "Subject to fines or arrest," that might get the point across even better.

[CenterHill]

On 7/30/2019 at 1:05 PM, bigeasy said:

Just throw some random "speed bumps" that are hard to see onto the sidewalks. That will solve the problem much faster than a sticker.

Yeah, every time a scooter zips by me on a sidewalk I think about speed bumps, or maybe random trenches, or even those reverse spike thingies like at car rental agencies.     But then I think about all the pedestrians who would trip and fall over these solutions, and a bus goes by with Bart Durham on the side and I’m back to, we already have laws about this,  just enforce the ones we have, dammit.