Raleigh Downtown Living Advocates

Category: Transportation / Parking (Page 6 of 10)

New High Speed Rail Alignment (NC5) Through Downtown Raleigh Addresses Earlier Concerns

September 15, 2011 /

The NCDOT has developed a new high speed rail alignment in response to concerns expressed last summer from residents and businesses in and around Downtown Raleigh.  The public is invited to attend a Project Update Meeting on Tuesday, Sept 27th from 4 till 7 PM at the Raleigh Convention Center, 500 S. Salisbury Street to learn about this new rail alternative developed for the SEHSR corridor.

To get you up to speed for the meeting, here’s what you need to know to catch up to the issues involved.

Where we left off last summer

Two official alignments were proposed last summer by the NCDOT, and another was developed by a group of citizens.

  • NC1&2: This alignment faced the most opposition from the City of Raleigh and Downtown residents due to the disruption of traffic and impact on pedestrian connections brought about by the required closing of West and Harrington Streets in Glenwood South.
  • NC3: While supported by most Downtown residents, Norfolk Southern and residents in neighborhoods north of Peace Street joined forces against this alignment.  Norfolk Southern didn’t want the new trains disrupting their facilities, and residents were concerned about noise and vibration.
  • NC4 Avoidance Alternative:  This hybrid alignment was developed by group of citizens, attempting to minimize the opposition from residents and businesses from the other two alignments.

Take a look at this map showing the three alignments.

Following a public hearing last September, the City Council requested NCDOT to formally study the feasibility of NC4 and/or develop other alignments to minimize the issues raised by residents and businesses.

For more background on this topic see the links at the end of this post.

Click to enlarge
What’s Different with NC5?
Responding to the request from City Council, NCDOT developed a new alignment called NC5 that pushes the Capital Boulevard crossing about 4 blocks further north than what had been proposed under the NC4 alignment, as seen in this photo.

 

 

Advantages

  1. This time the new tracks are fully separate from the Norfolk Southern tracks, which was necessary to gain the support of Norfolk Southern that was consulted throughout the design process.
  2. The location of the rail crossing over Capital Boulevard means that fewer homes and businesses north of Peace Street are affected as compared to the NC3 alignment.  Additionally, Fairview Road would not be closed, and the new high speed rail tracks would be laid east of the current freight tracks and further away from existing homes.
  3. This route avoids the concerns expressed by Downtown residents over the required road closures under the NC1&2 alignment, and also avoids the need for new elevated tracks crossing over an important future redevelopment area in Glenwood South.

Disadvantages

  1. Although fewer homes would be affected, there may be continued concerns about noise and vibration from a 4 block area of homes immediately adjacent to the existing freight tracks in the Glenwood-Brooklyn neighborhood.
  2. Using separate tracks is a missed opportunity for opening up pedestrian movement within a 4-block area between Peace Street and North Street, where earth berms holding up the Norfolk Southern tracks block potential beautification of the area.
  3. The NC5 crossing over Capital Boulevard would require a 700 foot long bridge over six lanes of traffic, which will likely have a higher price tag, even with the lower right- of-way expenses.

Next Steps

  • NCDOT is holding a public comment session on September 27th at the Civic Center, and they will be hosting a table at the Capital Boulevard Corridor Open House on the 29th.
  • Although not required as part of the SEHSR Project Environment Impact Study (EIS), the mayor is likely to ask the City Council for a formal recommendation on the high speed rail alignment based on this new information from NCDOT.
  • Once the EIS process is complete, it is expected to take several more years to secure Federal funding and complete construction, with 2018-2022 as the goal for passenger service to begin.

Conclusion: This alternative appears to go a long way towards addressing many of the concerns that were raised in public hearings last summer.  The NC5 still presents some proximity issues to Mordecai and impacts businesses along West Street, but clearly efforts are being made by the NCDOT to listen to what residents and businesses prefer.  The DLA is also grateful to the City Council that has taken additional time to weigh what is best for Raleigh’s future. 

Here are some past and recent articles on this topic for further reading:

 

Light Rail “Streetcars”: the Tail that Wags the Dog

July 10, 2011 /

Passenger rail is back in the Raleigh area news.  You may have noticed the following stories since the last DLA Blog update.

  • Durham officials have approved a fall public referendum to to fund local commuter rail, while Wake County plans a referendum for the following fall, hoping a more favorable economic climate will improve chances of passage.
  • In the meantime, a plan for a new Downtown Raleigh Commuter Rail station is taking shape.
  • Raleigh city officials are moving closer to recommending a light rail route through the Downtown.

With the focus on commuters, it’s the 30,000 government workers driving daily into the city that drive Raleigh ridership projections and elicit the political weight needed to keep the plans for light rail transit moving forward.

There is a bigger picture . . . and one that public officials appreciate, but how do we get from here to there?

Getting the initial funding approved is step one.  This will begin with enhanced bus service and a 37-mile commuter (Park and Ride) rail service with stops in Cary and Downtown Raleigh.  

Plans for the 18 mile light rail portion of the rail corridor from Northwest Cary through Downtown and north to Triangle Town Center are firmed up, with the exception of the short (1 mile) route through Downtown Raleigh.

What are alternatives for routes through Downtown Raleigh?

Three months ago the public saw an array of 9 conceptual alignments under review by the transit authorities for the Downtown section, which were soon reduced to 4.  Now, after further analysis and negotiation among experts and city officials, it seems we’re down to just 2 that continue to be supported by the city and Triangle Transit.  These alignments, labelled D6 and D6A are actually pretty similar, and best of all, neither involves the elevated flyovers opposed by downtown residents.  There are pros and cons to each of the routes with respect to impacts on traffic flow, noise and urban design, but both meet the primary demands of accessibility to the government complex.

The key consideration is access to rail transit for government workers.

The Passenger Rail Task Force has recommended route D6A, with two government stations on Salisbury Street, while the City Planning and Development Unit recommends route D6, with a government station on Harrington Street (between Jones and Lane Streets).  

The City Council will need to make a decision on which of these two alignments to recommend to Triangle Transit, but intends to first get the public’s input at a workshop/hearing expected some time in early August . . expect an announcement soon.

What is the bigger picture when it comes to light rail vehicles?

All the study and analysis on rail alignments to-date have focused on the accommodations required for long, unwieldy light rail vehicles, which are designed principally to transport (Park and Ride) commuters within the rail corridor. Because of their length (nearly a block long), they present many difficulties navigating corners and changes in terrain within densely packed city streets. 

The bigger picture involves a future phase that offers much smaller, light rail “streetcars”, which stop frequently and can easily move within traffic on city streets.  Now, finally we’ve reached the dog’s tail.  How so?  Consider that even though commuters represent 28% of trips, the majority (72%) of local travel [see chart below] during non-peak hours of the day are for recreational, shopping and other personal business.  This is where these streetcars really make the difference.  

A future street car system will bring residents in and out of Downtown Raleigh from many different directions.  Potential corridors that have been previously discussed include:

  • Glenwood Avenue from the north
  • Saunders Street from the south
  • Hillsborough Street from the west
  • New Bern Avenue from the east

It is this longer range vision of an integrated passenger rail transit system with a mix of high speed, commuter rail and a true modern (light rail) street car system that will ultimately deliver the full benefits of reducing road congestion, while igniting a wave of transit oriented (walk to stations) higher density infill development that is critically needed to effectively support our city’s continued growth.  

Many are talking about the high cost of the rail transit system and questioning whether we can afford it.  When you look at the benefit to the environment (less traffic, energy consumption), quality neighborhoods with a rich mix of housing, shopping and transportation choices, and even the health benefits of more people walking and biking to work and play, the return on this investment is clear.

Have some thoughts about light rail coming to Raleigh?  Share them here.


Light rail in Downtown Raleigh: We need effective transit that will attract choice riders

March 25, 2011 /

If you’ve attended any public meeting regarding Raleigh’s light rail, you may have noticed a gap between engineers’ ideas and those of developers who seek to maximize quality infill of vacant urban lots with vibrant, appealing options for downtown residents.  For instance, the need for flyovers seems to be full of engineer assumptions about travel speeds, types of train cars, length of cars, etc… I understand that it’s cheaper, but I think it’s important to say that Raleigh doesn’t need cheap transit.  We need effective transit that will attract riders.

I join urban planners in saying that we do that by putting light rail on the ground, where it encourages economic development and is approachable, walkable, and accessible.  I’m picturing an attractive, elevated plaza on what is now the undeveloped area south of the Glenwood/Morgan intersection and north of the Boylan Wye.  This would allow light rail to connect to Union Station at a street level – see these images, making the Union Station concourse the center of block redevelopment.

In contrast, the engineering-based alternative proposes building giant bridges across the entire west half of downtown discouraging economic development, local choice (walk-up / bike-up) ridership and ultimately creating an eyesore to residents, because it’s cheap.  No thanks.

Recent articles provide some background:

Rail route is blurry through downtown Raleigh

A (maybe) light-rail bridge over Boylan Avenue

Wanted: your input on Raleigh train routes and station locations

I agree with those who believe the light rail should head north from Union Station on Wilmington and Salisbury streets.  This route is nearest our state government complex where we employ more than 10,000 workers who could use this option to commute to work. 

Lastly, it’s frustrating that TTA did not provide a photo illustration of the Morgan Street connection.  I wonder why?  If all options are equal, all are on the table and TTA is deferring to Raleigh for the final decision making, why not make that option as visible of the other two?  It doesn’t add up.

I’m looking forward to attending the workshop on March 30th at the McKimmon Center so I can learn more. Please join me in what I hope to be a great turnout so we can make our voices heard – for the overall project and its promise for Raleigh’s redevelopment.  Flyovers aren’t going to do it!

See you there!

Triangle Transit has now posted the downtown rail alignments on their website.  A downtown alignment not shown but supported by members of the Mayor’s Passenger Rail Task Force is a “hybrid” of D6, that combines the benefits of D5 & D6.

WANTED: your input on Raleigh train routes and station locations. Don’t miss this opportunity!

March 14, 2011 /

Anyone who’s studied the economic and environmental benefits of public transit agrees that light rail is a critical factor in unclogging highways and encouraging infill development of Downtown property.  But the mapping of tracks presents a more challenging discussion.  

Mark your schedules now for the latest round of transit workshops!  

 

Sessions are planned during the last week in March in various locations around the city – here’s the schedule.

Are these workshops important for residents to attend?  Absolutely!  There are critical decisions being made that impact the track alignments and station locations within the downtown grid.

But let’s catch up . . 

First, don’t confuse the Triangle Regional Transit Program with high speed rail.  Last summer there were several hearings on high speed rail, but this project is on separate “track” literally, and won’t have any impact on the regional transit system being discussed this month. 

Last September public workshops were held, and residents were asked to evaluate the proposed rail corridors within Wake County to support a commuter and light rail train service.  It may help to review our previous post about these workshop, Don’t Let the Train Pass You By, and a recent article from Midtown Magazine, They’ve been working on the railroad.

The upcoming workshops now become more specific in identifying proposed light rail alignments (routes) within the corridor, as well as individual station locations.

The Wake County Corridor begins in the vicinity of the Triangle Metro Center in Research Triangle Park (RTP) and follows the existing North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) corridor east through west Raleigh, then turns southeast (just south of Downtown) towards Garner. 

The commuter rail portion of this corridor covers 37 miles, with faster speeds (43mph), less frequency and fewer stations.  Commuter rail is more of a park and ride transit option, where stations are being planned to include 4,400 parking spaces and 40 bus bays.


The light rail portion of this corridor will run 18 miles from Northwest Cary through NCSU and downtown, where it turns northward, continuing on the CSX corridor to near Triangle Town Center.  Light rail trains stop more frequently and stations are spaced closer together.  Click here for a sneak peak at the 20 station locations being proposed.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

The train corridor passes under a bridge at Boylan Avenue, but there’s not enough room for the light rail vehicle to fit alongside the freight rail tracks.  Here the light rail trains will need to exit the corridor for the few short miles they travel through Downtown Raleigh.  So we’re back to having to select between several alternatives, each problematic for different reasons.

Triangle Transit’s solution is for the light rail tracks to climb overhead on a long bridge, before rejoining street level.  Read the article from Indyweek.com.  Boylan Heights residents, hearing about this option, are concerned about the negative property impacts to their neighborhood.

Another option would be for the train to exit the corridor near Charlie Goodnight’s, and travel along West Morgan Street.  The Passenger Rail Task Force favors this alternative, pointing out the boost to property development along the way.  But the 3-car vehicle chosen my TTA will extend up to 270 feet long (three 90’ cars), which makes any turn north to rejoin the corridor at Seaboard Station difficult, if not impossible, due to the humped elevation over the Morgan Street bridge.  Click here to see the two route alternatives.

Sound familiar?  It’s like the high speed rail controversy all over again.

The transit and city authorities are making decisions on public transit that will determine future urban economic development/redevelopment opportunities and have a far reaching impact on our residential neighborhoods.  

The DLA encourages all residents to get educated on the issues and make your voices heard.  The upcoming workshops will allow residents to review detailed information on the transit routes, stations, travel time, ridership estimates and costs.

Don’t miss this opportunity . . . Don’t let the trains pass you by!


THEY’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD

February 10, 2011 /

On February 8, 2011 the Obama Administration announced that it plans to invest an additional $53 billion in high-speed and intercity rail service over the next six years. The plan calls for giving 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail within 25 years. 

So when will the Triangle see high speed rail, commuter rail and light rail transit? 

Raleigh will see noticeable improvements in rail service over the next few years. Track improvements made possible through high-speed rail funds approved early last year will help increase the speed of NC trains from 79 to 90 mph in some areas with future high-speed rail connections to Richmond and Washington D.C.

But there is much more coming, as a plan to provide additional rail options and expand bus service in our community has been discussed on this blog many times.  

Though it’s been quiet lately, public meetings on rail alignment and station locations are expected to be held early this spring.   Check out Triangle Regional Transit Program for updates from Capital Area Friends of Transit

A recent article in the Midtown Magazine by Illyse Lane does an excellent job of explaining the types of rail technologies being discussed, and why our attention is critical to the process.  With support by those living downtown, we are able to create an environment that is friendly to residents, the ecosystem, the city, and the eastern seaboard.  Get on board now!

You can read a PDF of the magazine article here.

This Midtown Magazine article was written by Illyse Lane, and was featured in their January/February edition.  The Midtown Magazine is now online!  Visit them at www.midtownmag.com

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