Inner Loop - CBD, Downtown, East Bank, Germantown, Gulch, Rutledge

[rookzie]

21 minutes ago, Nashvillain said:

Buses ARE a good way to get around when service is frequent and they're not stuck in vehicle traffic. Also, when not all routes lead downtown.

Riding the bus is great. It's a great way to see the city. It's fun to people watch. There's WiFi. They have bike racks. They can get you home safely when you've been out drinking. 

Not to say that buses are a curse.  During the mid'60s I rode the bus daily to high school in DC, and as a punk back then, I felt privileged to do so because it gave me some time alone between school and home.  That was important to me back then, since my aunt as a school teacher also had been one of my own at that school (Woodrow Wilson High in Tenleytown).  Sure, I had to transfer twice during the route, until I mapped out a longer route with just a single transfer, but either way that peak time of travel also was my peak of asylum, because that way I didn't have to ride to or from with my aunt.  And during my last ten years of employment here for the state, I preferred it because it was a one-seat ride with far less walk to the office and the house combined.  I actually got lazy about driving for that 10 years.

Thing is, buses are great for local surface travel, if they're accessible and frequent and don't require going to or waiting 'til kingdom come to get from point A to B and from B to C & D before returning to A.   Buses are foundational and fundamental for mobility and access, but they pale as an attractive regional mass-transport option ─ even more so if they don't offer reverse-commutes and only run during peak hours.  Fact is, the administration seems to have buried its head in the sand, when it comes to taking a leadership role in pro-active pursuit of advanced-capacity regional transport, even with participation in a consortium of counties and sub-regions.

And in reference to the recent CSXT activity in the South Gulch, it just might be premature to speculate, since at the moment there only are presumptions, presuppositions, and theory.  Railroads often remove from service tracks that are underused or no longer used, since the owners are required to maintain them as long as they are officially declared as active.  The least that would be done is to disconnect entry to these tracks, to allow restoring to service at a later date; otherwise the company will rip them up to save on the cost of maintenance.  That said, the remaining property at Kayne Ave. Yard isn't the most optimal for a commuter-rail facility other than perhaps for passenger loading.  It might even be a stretch for use as urban light rail, if the property could be formatted as two opposed stub-track arrays on such a narrow tract, especially if an easement would be required.

[markhollin]

200 Broadway /Chief's (6 stories) update: first window being cut-out of bricked-over archway along Broadway.

Looking north from intersection of Broadway and 2nd Ave. North:

[smeagolsfree]

11 hours ago, Nashvillain said:

Buses ARE a good way to get around when service is frequent and they're not stuck in vehicle traffic. Also, when not all routes lead downtown.

Riding the bus is great. It's a great way to see the city. It's fun to people watch. There's WiFi. They have bike racks. They can get you home safely when you've been out drinking. 

Unfortunately, Nashville does not have a good bus system. The buses are stuck in traffic, the routes do not go where they need to go to service the masses thus not a very efficient mass transit system, they do not service the entire county, the hours are limited. the BRT is a joke, they are slow. But of course, I know you already know this. Only problem is when you're out drinking in Nashville and have to ride the bus, the walk home from the bus stop to the house will kill you. It could be another 5 miles with no sidewalks.

I rode the bus in NYC, and it was brutal compared to the subway. It got me where I wanted to go and the best part about it was the people watching. I was entertained by a crazy guy on the phone the entire route arguing, with his best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend, it could have been his mother for all I knew (I could not figure it out) for a solid 45 minutes. It could have been a comedy routine with his thick NY accent.

[Nashvillain]

52 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

Unfortunately, Nashville does not have a good bus system. The buses are stuck in traffic, the routes do not go where they need to go to service the masses thus not a very efficient mass transit system, they do not service the entire county, the hours are limited. the BRT is a joke, they are slow. But of course, I know you already know this. Only problem is when you're out drinking in Nashville and have to ride the bus, the walk home from the bus stop to the house will kill you. It could be another 5 miles with no sidewalks.

I rode the bus in NYC, and it was brutal compared to the subway. It got me where I wanted to go and the best part about it was the people watching. I was entertained by a crazy guy on the phone the entire route arguing, with his best friend, boyfriend or girlfriend, it could have been his mother for all I knew (I could not figure it out) for a solid 45 minutes. It could have been a comedy routine with his thick NY accent.

Agreed that the transit system in Nashville sucks. But my point is that buses in themselves don't inherently suck, they should be a part (first part) of a more comprehensive system. A rail line, light or heavy, probably won't drop you off at your front door either. The bus is meant to fill in the gaps--going all the places where there aren't tracks. 

Rail service could suck just as bad as our current system if it doesn't have frequent service and doesn't go the places people want to go in an efficient and timely manner.

[Rick Dalton]

Buses suck. No one likes riding the bus. In any city, a bus is seen as the lowest form of transport. 

[MontanaGuy]

39 minutes ago, natethegreat said:

Buses suck. No one likes riding the bus. In any city, a bus is seen as the lowest form of transport. 

Usually but not always.  I rode the bus to work in Seattle for 16 years including 12 years from Queen Anne hill to downtown where I was treated to daily interactions with derelicts who were often drunk or rowdy.  However I also rode an express bus for 4 years from Northgate to the new bus tunnel downtown which was only filled with commuters like myself and it was a quick and pleasant ride.  And to be honest I actually made a few friends during all of those years and even met a couple of girlfriends on those buses!  

[samsonh]

31 minutes ago, MontanaGuy said:

Usually but not always.  I rode the bus to work in Seattle for 16 years including 12 years from Queen Anne hill to downtown where I was treated to daily interactions with derelicts who were often drunk or rowdy.  However I also rode an express bus for 4 years from Northgate to the new bus tunnel downtown which was only filled with commuters like myself and it was a quick and pleasant ride.  And to be honest I actually made a few friends during all of those years and even met a couple of girlfriends on those buses!  

Agreed, bus riding is actually nice. I wish we had more routes in Nashville. 

Edited September 1, 2022 by samsonh

[BnaBreaker]

1 hour ago, natethegreat said:

Buses suck. No one likes riding the bus. In any city, a bus is seen as the lowest form of transport. 

False.  It's all just a matter of perspective.  There are many cities where riding the bus is seen as a very normal form of transport for people from all walks of life.  Okay, maybe not ALL walks of life... if you are rich enough to own helicopters you're not riding the bus... but you're not riding the train either.  But I digress.  My point is that if a city actually invests in it's bus system, it can be an incredibly convenient and comfortable way to get around town.  From a rider experience standpoint, there really shouldn't be that much of a difference between riding inside of a bus to one's destination, and riding inside of a tram or train.  They're all just long metal tubes on wheels designed to get you from point A to point B.  Again, just a matter of perspective.  

Edited September 1, 2022 by BnaBreaker

[titanhog]

5 hours ago, markhollin said:

200 Broadway /Chief's (6 stories) update: first window being cut-out of bricked-over archway along Broadway.

Looking north from intersection of Broadway and 2nd Ave. North:

Just the fact they’re going to make that front facade look “whole” again is a major win.

[nightranger36]

[MLBrumby]

3 hours ago, BnaBreaker said:

False.  It's all just a matter of perspective.  There are many cities where riding the bus is seen as a very normal form of transport for people from all walks of life.  Okay, maybe not ALL walks of life... if you are rich enough to own helicopters you're not riding the bus... but you're not riding the train either.  But I digress.  My point is that if a city actually invests in it's bus system, it can be an incredibly convenient and comfortable way to get around town.  From a rider experience standpoint, there really shouldn't be that much of a difference between riding inside of a bus to one's destination, and riding inside of a tram or train.  They're all just long metal tubes on wheels designed to get you from point A to point B.  Again, just a matter of perspective.  

I always try to ride the city buses whenever I'm in a place with good service. Chattanooga's is not bad.  I like being able to take my mind off traffic and not needing to fuss with/pay for parking. 

Edited September 1, 2022 by MLBrumby

[BnaBreaker]

1 hour ago, MLBrumby said:

I always try to ride the city buses whenever I'm in a place with good service. Chattanooga's is not bad.  I like being able to take my mind off traffic and not needing to fuss with/pay for parking. 

Agreed that Chatty has a solid bus system for it's size... I've ridden that downtown electric circulator specifically quite a few times in my life. 

[markhollin]

The Nell (5 -8 stories, 78 condos, internal garage) update.

Looking north from intersection of 7th. Ave. South and Allison St:

Looking SW from 7th Ave. South, just north of Middleton St:

[PillowTalk4]

21 hours ago, BnaBreaker said:

Agreed that Chatty has a solid bus system for it's size... I've ridden that downtown electric circulator specifically quite a few times in my life. 

DC has circulator buses that even tourist use.  I think Nashville just needs to revamp it's busing system to make it more efficient.  As well as build a rail system that works in conjunction with the bus system.  That's pretty much how it works in every city that has both.  No rail system will ever be configured to where there will be stops on every block.  Most are several blocks apart.  So, buses are used to help move people once they exit the rail system.  I live in the Maryland suburbs of the DC area.  The closest Metro Station to my neighborhood is just under 7 miles away.   The options that people in my neighborhood have to get to that station include driving, biking, rideshare, and the bus.  To increase the use of the bus, my neighborhood and surrounding areas are asking for more bus stops that venture into the neighborhoods as opposed to just going along the major highway that passes through the area.

Edited September 2, 2022 by PillowTalk4

[dxfret]

 

23 hours ago, natethegreat said:

Buses suck. No one likes riding the bus. In any city, a bus is seen as the lowest form of transport. 

Totally Disagree.  I live in Manhattan and very often bus travel is the best option, especially if going crosstown as most subway lines go north/south, and not crosstown.  On major crosstown streets we have “Select Bus Service” with dedicated bus lanes and advance ticket purchase to speed boarding and exit from the multiple bus doors.   Most bus routes also have “Limited” service, similar to “Express” service on subway lines.  I’m a big fan of the bus for shorter trips. The subway is still the fastest if going significant distance anywhere in a NYC.  The MTA currently carries more than 4 million passengers each day which is still down from pre-pandemic ridership levels.  Good public transit is the lifeblood of NYC.

[markhollin]

Glimpse of the massive sewer expansion/rebuild in north Gulch at 12th Ave. North and Grundy St:
 

[BnaBreaker]

4 hours ago, markhollin said:

Glimpse of the massive sewer expansion/rebuild in north Gulch at 12th Ave. North and Grundy St:
 

Amazing.  I think we all take for granted the massive tangled web of pipes and tunnels and wires beneath our cities and towns that make them function.  It's kind of amazing that things usually function as well as they do!

[markhollin]

Artis Lofts (7 stories, 210 units, ground level retail, underground garage) update: more pillars forming, and some concrete poured for basement level of garage.

Looking north from 2nd Ave. North, 1/2 block north of Madison St:

[markhollin]

Women's Rescue Mission ((2 stories, 348 beds) update:n southern portion topped-out.

Looking NE from Rosa L. Parks Blvd., 1/2 block north of Garfield St:

Looking SE from Rosa L. Parks Blvd., 1/4 block south of Buchanan St:

[markhollin]

AT&T Tech. Building on 2nd Ave. North (new exterior in rehab after Dec. 2020 Christmas Day bombing) update.

Looking NW from 2nd Ave. North, 1/2 block north of Commerce St:

Looking SE from intersection of 3rd Ave. North and Church St:

[markhollin]

200 Broadway/Chief's (renovation of 5 story, 1900-era structure into restaurant/music theater complex) update.

Looking NE from Broadway, 1/2 block east of 3rd Ave:

Looking NW from intersection of Broadway and 2nd Ave:

Internal shot courtesy of Bos2Nash:

[smeagolsfree]

Crane came down for the Metro water project today.

[markhollin]

3rd and Coffee Townhomes (3 stories, 25 units) update:  first structures rising.

Looking NW from 3rd Ave. North, 1/3 block south of Coffee St:

[markhollin]

Peyton Stakes (5 stories, 243 units, internal garage) has been undergoing exterior renovations.  Odd, considering that it was just opened less than 5 years ago.

Looking NW from intersection of 3rd Ave. North and Taylor St:

[markhollin]

212 Broadway, Raising Canes (4 stories, 10,000 sq. ft., circa 1900) update: more scaffolding for exterior work. 

Looking NE from intersection of Broadway and 3rd Ave: