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Transit Updates for Greater Grand Rapids

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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The Michigan House Transportation Committee wants to hear from you! Make a difference in local transit.

A town hall meeting is scheduled by the Public Transit Subcommittee of the Michigan House Transportation Committee. The purpose of this visit is to hear what the community has to say on transit issues! Local Representative Tom Pearce of Rockford is a member on this committee. :thumbsup:

When: December 10, 2007 at 7:00 PM.

Where: 250 Grandville Ave. SW -- Rapid Central Station

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WMrapids
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All this talk about rail made me find these from the library

GR_Urbanist
GR_Urbanist

Fancy new Laker Line stop at the zoo!

BLUESCRUBS
BLUESCRUBS

Proposal to establish regional bus line gets support from Grand Rapids metro group. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2019/08/proposal-to-establish-regional-bus-line-gets-support-from-grand

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metrogrkid Hamlet

metrogrkid

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Also interesting is that the Wyoming mayor is a supporter of the streetcars, perhaps because she hopes that they'll connect to her city in the future, but I think it shows that she's thinking about the good of the metro area and not just what bacon she can bring home to her own city.

:) I serve with this great woman on the GT2 Fixed Guideway Steering Committee. You have NO idea how much of an understatement that is about Mayor Sheets "thinking about the good of the metro area and not just what bacon she can bring home to her own city". WOW. She has to be one of the most absolutely progressive-minded, fair and benevolent women I have ever had the blessing to know and call a friend. She is one of the few Metro GR politicians that grasps completely the value and urgent need to implement Transit-oriented Development (TOD) practices as de-facto policy.

I hope she will evolve to Metro Council or West Michigan Strategic Alliance on the local level or go on to become a State Rep/Senator or even a U.S. Rep/Senator for this region. GO' ON, 'WIT CHA' BAD SELF, MADAME HONOR!! :)

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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This Winter could turn out to be a huge for local transit. The county and townships are being asked to fund a transit study so ITP can identify how to meet the needs of the County.

It can't hurt to encourage your county commissioner that this is the right direction to go.

Help to encourage local leaders on moving transit forward! Faith In Motion, Citizens for Improved Transportation, and the Emergency Needs Task Force Transportation Sub-committee are attending a county board meeting to encourage Kent and local townships to match funds for ITP to conduct a county-wide transit study.

When: December 13, 2007, 8:30am *Will update if date changes

Where: Kent County Administration Building, 300 Monroe NW. Downtown.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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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).

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d8alterego Whistle-Stop

d8alterego

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You know, I may be way off topic to bring this up here, but I just want to say that I really wish there were more bike racks downtown. This past summer when I was living by Anne and Monroe I would bike downtown for something to do. It was frustrating, however, to lock my bike up because I usually couldn't find a decent pole. On occasion, I had to lock it up against street signs (I'd smirk because I could park when the sign read no parking for cars ;) ). That, and the poles had the possibility of scratching up my pimptastic ride :shades: .

I'm mentioning this here because, in a way, it relates to transit.

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Grand Rapidian Whistle-Stop

Grand Rapidian

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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.

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tamias6 Town

tamias6

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From Rapid Growth Media Article

....Still, the conventional thinking in Grand Rapids is that public transportation is a nice social service that gets poor people to work and old people to the doctor....

So how much effort are proponents of enhancing GR's public transit system putting into educating people on the virtues of using public transit? Taking note of the above quote it seems to me that more needs to be done to break the "public transit is for the poor" mentality.

Edited by tamias6
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Allison Slater Town

Allison Slater

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I've actually been turned away from a few job opening upon my mention of "bus" when they ask if I have reliable transportation to and from work. SO not helping my unemployment status at all. I find this is slightly more prevalant amongst the outer edges of the city or higher-wealth businesses, and not so much inner city and lower wealth businesses where they may already have employees who use the bus.

Edit: But in lighter news, I received a personal letter from Mr. Varga thanking me for compliments I sent in about a bus driver. I love this city. ^^

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uncus Whistle-Stop

uncus

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From Rapid Growth Media Article

So how much effort are proponents of enhancing GR's public transit system putting into educating people on the virtues of using public transit? Taking note of the above quote it seems to me that more needs to be done to break the "public transit is for the poor" mentality.

It seems like more should be done, giving the comment on the WZZM website. I was suprised of many negative comments there were. Its a lot different the what we hear on urban plannet. If those wzzm comment are a better reflection of the public pulse as a whole - we have a lot of work to do.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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No, I don't think the Public Pulse in the Press or that web forum is a barometer of public sentiment. I think the greater community has more questions than just lambasting it. Most people are more genuine than the the folks I read on that WZZM forum. When the streetcar study comes out and it shows that the financing should be a private-public partnership most people will be more understanding. More understanding might lead to crucial local funding for further line extensions in the future. Local transit will get no where fast if its all about Fed money.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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It seems like more should be done, giving the comment on the WZZM website. I was suprised of many negative comments there were. Its a lot different the what we hear on urban plannet. If those wzzm comment are a better reflection of the public pulse as a whole - we have a lot of work to do.

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 :) ).

) Most people in GR equate mass transit with buses, and they all cry that the buses are already half-empty all the time. Funny that they fail to acknowledge that every highway in the Grand Rapids area is WELL below capacity most of the day, so I guess we shouldn't expand or enhance any of the highways then. Selective reasoning I guess.

) 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).

) 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.

You ain't see nothing yet uncus. Just wait until this becomes some kind of ballot measure. Oh boy. :) I hope the RAPID is saving up money, or including money in their budget, for a PR campaign.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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What does "closed shop" mean for development along the streetcar loop? Who will be the big players in utilizing the streetcar for development purposes?

I don't know, but it looks like Grooters thinks the streetcar is going to go past River House:

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/developmen...rvrhse1108.aspx

Anyone see a firefight coming over where the streetcar will run? Maybe it won't be so difficult to get this thing funded after all. :)

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