Comments on: MTC approves $91 Million for the BART Warm Springs extension

By: No on 8 - No BART to Santa Clara

No on 8 - No BART to Santa Clara — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:58:12 +0000

Interested citizens of Fremont need to know.

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=9695#add_comments

By: bbox231

bbox231 — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 02:00:09 +0000

I absolutely agree with you Jen that, at the present, it doesnt seem like a rational expenditure to be developing either solution.

However – WHEN the traffic projections are realized – it’ll be the EAST/WEST routes that have already been the most consistantly congested and it’ll be the EAST/WEST routes that will become the pinch point.

I concur with you that timing is speculative at this point.

I stand by my thinking that the vision of BART “ringing the bay” will never happen. I have my own view of Peninsula objections – you have your own re the South Bay – I think we’re saying the same thing.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:57:58 +0000

From TIME Magazine article – Postcard:Charlotte (N.C.)
“Its center-city population has doubled since 2000, and its light-rail system, just a year old, is already approaching its ridership goal for 2025.”

By: Marty

Marty — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:33:40 +0000

“Businesses will look at those cities that are visionary in their thinking and locate their business there.”

Ding, ding, Doug!

At present, Bay Area employers can pool from the entire region, because for the most part people are willing and able to commute by car to jobs miles away. I believe this is a core reason for our regions economic success. Once that caveat is removed, the region will become a much less desired place to do business. We must not only be prepared for the next wave, we should be the ones defining it.

Death grips on the past always loosen up. If they didn’t, we’d all be ranch hands. One thing is for certain, and that is we must not allow one’s desire to protect their bad decisions dictate policy that effects the entire economy of this region.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:04:14 +0000

Currently there are 40 U.S. cities in various stages of light rail development. Some already have existing systems and are expanding them, others are newbies.
The easiest path to choose is to do nothing and 10 years from now we will be in an even worse situation due to increasing fuel costs.
Businesses will look at those cities that are visionary in their thinking and locate their business there.
If creating jobs and bringing business to Fremont is as important as our mayoral candidates say it is then we have to think farther out than next year.

By: marty

marty — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:07:30 +0000

Jen, the fact that most are not able to use a bicycle for transportation is the very reason why I am so adamant about the region having a robust public transportation system. I believe fueling cars will be prohibitively expensive for my children. The bay area is poorly designed around the automobile, and stalling on this matter is setting us up for very bad situation.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:41:44 +0000

The concept of a “rail along the boulevard” also does something that some agree with and others not; it would calm traffic through the shopping areas. Yes, it would divert the north/south vehicular traffic to other arteries, but would create a much more pedestrian friendly Centerville, “downtown”, and Irvington shopping districts. The Amtrak station connects on the north end and IF an Irvington BART station were to be built it would be within walking distance from Five Corners.

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:14:31 +0000

I actually think that Doug’s idea is a good one – it would run along already very busy streets. If you live on Fremont Blvd. with constant traffic outside your front door, an electric train whooshing by probably wouldn’t increase the noise pollution very much at all.

Marty – just because we don’t ride our bikes everywhere like you, doesn’t mean that we don’t support public transportation when it is well thought out and the money is judiciously spent. It’s lovely that it is convenient for you to ride your bike everywhere, but there are others of us that have other factors going on in our lives that makes this impractical. It doesn’t make us stupid or lazy, it just doesn’t work for us.

By: Marty

Marty — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 20:16:03 +0000

Doug, It makes perfect sense to me, but do you have any idea how many Jens live along your supposed light rail line?

As long as public transportation is what “other people” use, it wont be supported and it certainly wont be funded. There’s no choice but to shine up that civic and get on the road. 8-dollar tolls and 10-dollar gallons of gas in 10 years. I’ll be the guy smirking as he rides his pannier-equipped bike along Niles Blvd.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:39:44 +0000

Okay, here’s a crazy concept. Rather than rushing to build high-density housing clustered around BART stations, why not bring the transit to where folks currently live.
Case in point: The northern half of Fremont Blvd. is loaded with existing apartment and condo complexes along its route, and many more are within walking distance one,two or three blocks on either side.
A light rail, or ultra light rail line, running its length, all the way south and into the hi-tech business park across I-880 would serve business, students and shoppers, interconnecting both ends of the city. A connector spur on the south end would run up Cushing Parkway to Pacific Commons, and if Cisco Field were to become a reality, serve to lighten the traffic load with locals and BART patrons connecting via the rail.
Oh boy, now I’ve stirred the pot! I await the backlash.