Charlotte's Light Rail: Lynx Blue Line

[grodney]

Hmmm, they're not cloth. What do you call this plastic stuff....vinyl? Feels like it would tear with jean rivets or shoes.

[SgtCampsalot]

I attended the latest meeting for the Parkwood Streetscape last night. I've attached PDFs of the images for the design concepts at this stage (below), as well as the public comments page, which you are welcome to print out and mail into the address provided by November 13th:

Parkwood Streetscape - Comment Sheet.pdf
PS: My apologies for the lightly-used condition of it in case you use it

Main take-aways:

-While Parkwood is keeping 4 travel lanes, they are adding left-turn lanes at key spots, and adding a traffic signal at the Station-area Brevard/Parkwood intersection, as well as 8 ft sidewalks on the eastern sides, plus the Multi-use path on the western side.

-"Possibly" adding a traffic light at Belmont Ave & Parkwood.

- There was intense discussion about their most-suggested comment, which is to do something at the N Davidson St, Parkwood intersection. Ideas were provided such as: Paint wider, more colorful crosswalks, try to add ped-refuges, and, adding a "speed table" speed bump to the entire square of the intersection, which would allow traffic to slow down, but still flow at a consistent speed, while giving pedestrians a more defined space to walk.

If you have any comments on anything, please print out the sheet and mail it in!

Edited October 31, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[Deleted.]

^Your pictures don't show up. Technology =-/

[SgtCampsalot]

^Your pictures don't show up. Technology =-/

Whoops! Here they are:

Here's the PDF of them:

Parkwood Streetscape - Design Concept.pdf

[dubone]

It is interesting that the team discussing the pedestrian environment (seemingly outside of the project limits) at Davidson and Parkwood was not telling of the pedestrian tunnel connecting the greenway to Cordelia Park.  That is a pertinent enhancement. 

I think Brevard will carry more traffic in the future because of the development and street enhancements along that so it will not be all about Davidson street here. 

[archiham04]

speaking of Brevard... any talk of connecting the southern leg of Brevard back into Parkwood... perhaps as a right in/right out at least?

[SgtCampsalot]

speaking of Brevard... any talk of connecting the southern leg of Brevard back into Parkwood... perhaps as a right in/right out at least?

No, it will remain as-is, and technically be a bike boulevard to connect the uptown rail trail to the Parkwood multi-use path.

[archiham04]

That is too bad... as we look toward connecting uptown to the north tryon area, i see this disconnection... (or lack of connectivity) as a major contributor to this area between 277 and 16th street remaining a no-mans-land where cars never stop, and are simply accelerating through either on their way South to 277 or North to NoDa.  the dead ends of 13th street also.

[SgtCampsalot]

That is too bad... as we look toward connecting uptown to the north tryon area, i see this disconnection... (or lack of connectivity) as a major contributor to this area between 277 and 16th street remaining a no-mans-land where cars never stop, and are simply accelerating through either on their way South to 277 or North to NoDa.  the dead ends of 13th street also.

Truth. They want so desperately to keep Parkwood functioning as a major arterial for cars, which they're (ironically) going to have to address soon anyway with the neighborhood petition to re-design the rest of Parkwood from N Davidson. At least this current design make the bike/ped connections way better on Brevard.

If there was a way the city could work a deal with the railroads to extend College St to 16th St, that would be huge as well. But that's two rail spurs in one crossing, so... (though, again, even if they did a signalized ped-crossing, it'd be a boon)

Edited November 3, 2015 by SgtCampsalot

[archiham04]

I still think that re-routing Parkwood over the rail yards with a viaduct (a la Matheson) is the solution for many ills..... (getting a bit off topic here sorry).  It would connect the north end in the same way that Morehead connects the southend, it would extend uptown northward by allowing connectivity of blocks, and it could continue to serve as a collector, but be more efficient, because folks could drop into uptown via N davidson, "brevard" , n tryon, graham or statesville.

[southslider]

Sorry, but human-powered modes should be favored at Brevard and Parkwood, not the two-ton machines that can easily travel around the block.

[Spartan]

Agreed. While the bike/ped connection there could be a lot better, I'd rather continue to funnel traffic on Parkwood and keep lower Brevard St as a local street. There aren't a lot of great ways for pedestrians and bicyclists to access uptown from the north, and this will become an important one.

Speaking of connectivity, I'd rather see 16th Street lined up and connected through Optimist Park. I think that connection in combination with a signal at 16th would do more for connectivity and route options than reconnecting Parkwood/Brevard.

[SgtCampsalot]

Speaking of connectivity, I'd rather see 16th Street lined up and connected through Optimist Park. I think that connection in combination with a signal at 16th would do more for connectivity and route options than reconnecting Parkwood/Brevard.

Very Very true... I wonder if it's too late? Talk to Engineering!!

[archiham04]

I think you could make the argument that increased connectivity for cars benefits bikes and pedestrians in the long run.  building a city around a few heavy workhorse artery thouroughfares and then trying to carve out some space here and there for bikes and peds is not a recipe for success.

[staffer]

Lots' of photos of LRT construction on UNC Charlotte campus are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/stakeyourclaim/sets/72157658217839884 looks like taken 10/29/15 on of my fav's: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stakeyourclaim/sets/72157658217839884

[kermit]

Glad you are back staffer!

[ajfunder]

Observer is reporting that someone was struck and killed by a light rail train early this morning at the Archdale station. 

[Deleted.]

Observer is reporting that someone was struck and killed by a light rail train early this morning at the Archdale station. 

Very sad to hear this. Is this the first death on the Blue Line? However it does make me wonder why parts of the Blue Line don't have fencing and you can walk onto them.

[jtmonk]

I believe there was another death when the Blue Line first opened.  

[jednc]

Very sad to hear this. Is this the first death on the Blue Line? However it does make me wonder why parts of the Blue Line don't have fencing and you can walk onto them.

Because why spend more money to prevent people from doing something they should know better than to do in the first place?

[queensguy06]

From the news reports I've read, it sounds like this was suicide-by-train.  They are saying he walked from the platform and laid down over the tracks.  Apparently the conductor not only didn't see him, but also didn't know that he had hit anyone.

For someone looking to take their own life, I don't think a fence would have done any good here.  In all honesty, I would say the safety features implemented have worked admirably considering this is only the second death, of which one is looking like a suicide.  How many years has the blue line been open - 8?  For city transit in general this has to be the safest way to travel, by far.

[kermit]

CATS is F'in up by not including any indication of the Gold Line on the maps in the LRT vehicles.

[Deleted.]

CATS is F'in up by not including any indication of the Gold Line on the maps in the LRT vehicles.

Or mentioning it in annoucements. It would be easy to say "Next station is Charlotte Transportation Center and Arena station, change for CATS buses and the CityLYNX Gold Line." 

[southslider]

CATS is F'in up by not including any indication of the Gold Line on the maps in the LRT vehicles.

[email protected]

[Desert Power]

speaking of Brevard... any talk of connecting the southern leg of Brevard back into Parkwood... perhaps as a right in/right out at least?

I like the bike plan connectivity a lot better.  The right in/right out at Parkwood and Caldwell is a big mistake as fudgeers cause accidents trying to turn left anyways.