Charlotte Center City Streetcar Network

[elrodvt]

7 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

on power lines overhead all new development in the suburbs it is buried but to bury all the existing lines would require a rate hike.  I know this as Hilton Head Island has a 30+ yr project to bury every line on the island and I pay for it every month on my electric bill down there and have for 17 years.   Though I dont understand why new intown development cant bury the lines as part of their construction.    But drive out to the suburbs there are no overhead lines unless major trunk lines.  That is why the power outages are concentrated intown vs south Charlotte or university area for example.  

Duke is also the antithesis of a progressive utility from what I've seen. 

 

[SMSRedux]

If all the lines were buried Duke would loose out on all the free PR that comes as a result of the visible lines., especially as regularly brought up here. Priceless branding.

On a more serious note, are there no provisions for this included in the new TOD and zoning being put forth for denser/smarter development in the CBD and surrounding transit zones? That seams like the ideal time to set precedent requiring utilities be buried during new development.

[CTiger]

I know this is going to sound like I'm defending Duke which is a no-no in these parts, but I think people on this board underestimate how big of a deal it is to bury power lines.  You can't just contact any electrician to convert utility lines from overhead to underground.  It takes a special skill-set to do that work, and that skill-set has been in high demand in the Charlotte area just trying to keep up with all of the new development as well as maintaining the existing infrastructure.  All of the new development is putting a constraint on that workforce, which is driving the cost up and making all of this prohibitively expensive.  You can't just snap your fingers and bury this stuff, and there aren't electrical crews sitting around looking for work to do.  Ironically, Charlotte's growth rate might be the biggest thing holding it back with this stuff.

[Norm2]

I support burying the power lines, but a lot of cities don't. In Chicago, the neighborhoods around downtown have all of their utility and power line poles in the alleys. We don't have alleys though.

[JacksonH]

8 hours ago, norm21499 said:

I support burying the power lines, but a lot of cities don't. In Chicago, the neighborhoods around downtown have all of their utility and power line poles in the alleys. We don't have alleys though.

And here in my neighborhood in San Diego we also have power lines out of sight in the alley, but they're going to bury them anyway!  And in the process probably destroy my patio and sprinkler system!  

[Yeahdoug]

They love tearing things back apart on this project. 

[DH17]

3 hours ago, Yeahdoug said:

They love tearing things back apart on this project. 

 

Is it just me, or is this entire extension a chronically mismanaged project?

[kermit]

23 hours ago, DH17 said:

Is it just me, or is this entire extension a chronically mismanaged project?

Design-build (where any F-ups are on the contractor's dime) has certainly not made this project any more efficient.

(neither portion of the Blue Line which were not design-build (IIRC) went very smoothly either. Transit is hard — unless you are in Europe or East Asia where transit gets built all the time)

Edited June 7, 2020 by kermit

[stiluvclt]

I live in Tampa Bay Florida and they are doing a utility burying project on the main drag in my community.  Contantly, they have to tear up and rebuild potions of sidewalks for whatever reasons. It may look like they are screwing up but I guess we really don't know what the heck is down THERE! I think it's just par for the course. FWIW

[Yeahdoug]

The only that looked like it could be wrong was the rebar was all in the center at one spot, I assumed the jackhammer might have done that but maybe not? 

All twisted together too.

Edited June 6, 2020 by Yeahdoug

[hokiehigh]

On 6/5/2020 at 3:22 PM, norm21499 said:

I support burying the power lines, but a lot of cities don't. In Chicago, the neighborhoods around downtown have all of their utility and power line poles in the alleys. We don't have alleys though.

The power lines in Plaza Midwood are in the alleys.

Edited June 8, 2020 by hokiehigh
spelling

[Hushpuppy321]

Still excited for this project as it represents the last bit of Rail Transit to be constructed/under construction in Charlotte for some time to come.  Silver Line, Blue Line Extension to Ballantyne and StreetCar Phase III could be 7 to 10 years away from breaking ground especially now with the major Economic headwinds.   Only Transit friendly outcome to wait for is centralized Buses & Amtrak at Gateway Phase III (5 or more years out).
 

Anyone know of any extenuating circumstances on why/if things can progress sooner than the above?

[kermit]

16 hours ago, Hushpuppy321 said:

Anyone know of any extenuating circumstances on why/if things can progress sooner than the above?

Seems very unlikely that any transit expansion would happen in Meck in less than 10 years. With a couple of possible exceptions:

• Any BRT projects which are folded into the ‘big bang’
• Gateway station (as noted)
• If we end up with a completely opposite federal government than we have now, a green new deal kinda thing (where the federal government pays for 80% or more of transit capital costs (e.g. just like interstates)) could speed things up by a couple of years (but this is a hail mary)

Unfortunately governments are probably going to pause on any transport expenditures while everyone ‘figure out’ the future of remote work. 

Massive expansion of our bike infrastructure could accomplish change of the same magnitude as the Silver Line and the BLEE.

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by kermit

[archiham04]

On 6/7/2020 at 8:12 PM, hokiehigh said:

The power lines in Plaza Midwood are in the alleys.

In residential areas but not so much in the commercial areas.

[kermit]

I am currently out of town -- whats up with the Hawthorne Bridge? Does it look finished?

 

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by kermit

[NYtoCLT]

2 hours ago, kermit said:

I am currently out of town -- whats up with the Hawthorne Bridge? Does it look finished?

 

 

No, but there are consistently people working on it when I've walked by so at least there is some progress.  At this point moving the ball forward, even if very slowly, is a huge accomplishment here.

[pathb]

That's... an interesting way to say "August."

 

(I hope)

[southslider]

^Maybe by the time Hawthorne opens, CATS will have an idea of how Silver Line squeezes around the new bridge.

[KJHburg]

drive by photos workers present today on the Hawthorne Bridge.   How long did it take to build the Golden Gate bridge anyone know?

[NYtoCLT]

Does anyone know if they are going to have the traffic lights timed for the streetcar to minimize the amount of time the streetcar spends in traffic?

[southslider]

Nope. Just like Phase One.

[Matthew.Brendan]

That’s gotta be one of the most ridiculous aspects of the streetcar. What is the impediment to having traffic signal prioritization?

[KJHburg]

23 hours ago, KJHburg said:

 How long did it take to build the Golden Gate bridge anyone know?

 

Hey KJ the Golden Gate Bridge took 4 years about the length of time almost of the 36th Street bridge work. 

https://www.goldengate.org/bridge/history-research/bridge-construction/construction/

Edited June 22, 2020 by KJHburg

[elrodvt]

33 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

Hey KJ the Golden Gate Bridge took 4 years about the length of time almost of the 36th Street bridge work. 

https://www.goldengate.org/bridge/history-research/bridge-construction/construction/

Ridiculous. Still, you do need to consider the 11 deaths and no environmental concern when it was built.

[CLT2014]

On 6/21/2020 at 4:37 AM, southslider said:

Nope. Just like Phase One.

And just like the Gold Rush Shuttle Buses which this things replaces. 

Supposedly the benefit is development, but Elizabeth seems the same to me in Phase 1.