The Rio Grande Scenic Railroad is moving one of their dome cars, the Sky View #551, this weekend, and they are offering rail fans a multi-modal circuit through Colorado and New Mexico on Sunday, May 6. Passengers start in Alamosa. From their they go to Trinidad by bus or van to board the train. From there the trip heads to Albuquerque along the Santa Fe line, the Sky View's original home. Lunch is served along the way. Everyone changes to a van to head to Santa Fe for dinner followed by the journey back to Alamosa.
This all costs $199 for both transportation and lunch and dinner. Call 877-726-7245 for more information.
30 April 2012
28 April 2012
How Much of the FasTracks Budget is Going toward Connecting Service?
None.
There is no money in the FasTracks budget for connecting bus service to the West Corridor. $30 million is being spent to subsidize drivers through free parking.
If we could get $30 million for better bus service, we might be able to get enough ridership in Jefferson County to save ourselves some money on road repair. People who can't afford cars might be able to get to decent jobs. We might get enough transit to create stronger communities.
Just building a light rail line is not going to be transformative, but it can be lever to create positive change in our communities.
There is no money in the FasTracks budget for connecting bus service to the West Corridor. $30 million is being spent to subsidize drivers through free parking.
If we could get $30 million for better bus service, we might be able to get enough ridership in Jefferson County to save ourselves some money on road repair. People who can't afford cars might be able to get to decent jobs. We might get enough transit to create stronger communities.
Just building a light rail line is not going to be transformative, but it can be lever to create positive change in our communities.
20 April 2012
Notes on Buses to the New Light Rail Line
It is hard to tell if RTD is using the new light rail line to get rid of bus service or reorganize it. Almost all of Lakewood's bus service is going to be replaced with Call-n-Rides.
Now, this is not going to work for multiple reasons.
First, Call-n-Rides are invisible on the RTD website. You can't find out where they go or how to use them. If they are going to be how everyone in western Lakewood and Golden is supposed to get to the light rail, this has to change.
Second, there is not going to be enough space. The Applewood Call-n-Ride is going to replace three bus routes that together have at least 114 seats an hour. More when those buses run more than once an hour. They also have room to stand. There are going to be two Call-n-Ride buses with a total of 30 seats. I have heard of Call-n-Ride buses filling up with only eight people. Last week after rush hour ten people from my neighborhood got on a single bus. At least two or three got on the 28. That means that my neighborhood would have taken an entire Call-n-Ride bus. What about all the other neighborhoods?
However, things may not be so bad. Bus service west of Wadsworth needs to change, but RTD's planners need more information about where people want to go. The purpose of the Call-n-Rides may be to determine where bus service should go. They may evolve in a couple of different directions. New fixed routes could be created from the data collected by the Call-n-Rides. They may become flex routes which are routes that do have set stops, although fewer than fixed routes, and that have the ability to stop at other places within their service area. In Longmont, they are thinking of creating a circulator that picks up and drops off people within two blocks of its route. It is possible for a flex route to change during the day. It could have stops in front of schools only when students need those routes. Those buses could stop at work places during rush hour, stop at grocery stores and shops in the evening, etc. If this works, people could be picked up at work, taken to where they shop, and then go home by bus or taxi.
There are a couple of things that we need to do to make this work. The capacity issue is a major one. Fortunately, this is fixable. We can get more Call-n-Ride vehicles or we can use the kind of small buses that most people think of when they think of circulators. Examples are the HOP and BOUND in Boulder. These buses don't have a lot more seats than the Call-n-Rides, 20 or so, but people can stand if the bus is briefly overbooked, and they don't feel as crowded when full.
We also need to make sure that people know how to use the new system. Information about Call-n-Rides needs to be easily available on the RTD website, on the Google trip planner, and anywhere else that people get information about how to get around. We need to help people who use the present system sign up for the new one. And we need to do this as early as possible so that we can make sure that there is a spot for everyone, and that we know where people want to go as quickly as possible. We especially need to make sure that people who have difficulty calling for service get assistance.
We also need to be prepared to take action if RTD does not take action to make sure that everyone who wants to use transit is able to do so. The fact that only half of the public meetings were accessible by transit is a bad sign. This is an opportunity, we need to make sure that we take this opportunity to change things for the better.
Now, this is not going to work for multiple reasons.
First, Call-n-Rides are invisible on the RTD website. You can't find out where they go or how to use them. If they are going to be how everyone in western Lakewood and Golden is supposed to get to the light rail, this has to change.
Second, there is not going to be enough space. The Applewood Call-n-Ride is going to replace three bus routes that together have at least 114 seats an hour. More when those buses run more than once an hour. They also have room to stand. There are going to be two Call-n-Ride buses with a total of 30 seats. I have heard of Call-n-Ride buses filling up with only eight people. Last week after rush hour ten people from my neighborhood got on a single bus. At least two or three got on the 28. That means that my neighborhood would have taken an entire Call-n-Ride bus. What about all the other neighborhoods?
However, things may not be so bad. Bus service west of Wadsworth needs to change, but RTD's planners need more information about where people want to go. The purpose of the Call-n-Rides may be to determine where bus service should go. They may evolve in a couple of different directions. New fixed routes could be created from the data collected by the Call-n-Rides. They may become flex routes which are routes that do have set stops, although fewer than fixed routes, and that have the ability to stop at other places within their service area. In Longmont, they are thinking of creating a circulator that picks up and drops off people within two blocks of its route. It is possible for a flex route to change during the day. It could have stops in front of schools only when students need those routes. Those buses could stop at work places during rush hour, stop at grocery stores and shops in the evening, etc. If this works, people could be picked up at work, taken to where they shop, and then go home by bus or taxi.
There are a couple of things that we need to do to make this work. The capacity issue is a major one. Fortunately, this is fixable. We can get more Call-n-Ride vehicles or we can use the kind of small buses that most people think of when they think of circulators. Examples are the HOP and BOUND in Boulder. These buses don't have a lot more seats than the Call-n-Rides, 20 or so, but people can stand if the bus is briefly overbooked, and they don't feel as crowded when full.
We also need to make sure that people know how to use the new system. Information about Call-n-Rides needs to be easily available on the RTD website, on the Google trip planner, and anywhere else that people get information about how to get around. We need to help people who use the present system sign up for the new one. And we need to do this as early as possible so that we can make sure that there is a spot for everyone, and that we know where people want to go as quickly as possible. We especially need to make sure that people who have difficulty calling for service get assistance.
We also need to be prepared to take action if RTD does not take action to make sure that everyone who wants to use transit is able to do so. The fact that only half of the public meetings were accessible by transit is a bad sign. This is an opportunity, we need to make sure that we take this opportunity to change things for the better.
14 April 2012
More on Boulder County's Master Transportation Plan
Last year, I published a couple of posts on the planning process for Boulder County's Master Transportation Plan. Unfortunately, we did not get as much opportunity for public comment as we were promised or would have liked. I am especially disappointed that opportunities for public comment so far have not considered people's work schedules.
That is true of these two upcoming opportunities as well:
Roadway, Bicycle and Pedestrian Elements Transit Element
Wednesday, April 18 at 1:30 pm Wednesday, May 16 at 1:30 pm
Boulder County Courthouse
1325 Pearl Street, 3rd Floor
Boulder
Bus: Any that go to the Boulder Transit Center, one block away
The Transportation Master Plan is available on the Boulder County website at http://www.bouldercounty.org/roads/plans/pages/transportationmasterplan.aspx. You can send comments to transportation@bouldercounty.org.
(Note: Boulder County will be changing their website this spring which may break the above link. Please call 303-441-3900 if you can no longer find the Transportation Master Plan pages.)
10 April 2012
Public Meetings for West Line Bus Service are Finally Here
Monday, April 16 at 7 pm
Jefferson County Justice Center
100 Jefferson Parkway
Golden
Bus: None (The 17 stops running too early to help.)
Wednesday, April 18 at 7pm
Clements Community Center
1580 Yarrow Street
Lakewood
Bus: One block from the 16 and 16L (Also in walking distance from the 20 and 76.)
Thursday, April 19 at 7 pm
Bear Creek Elementary School
9601 W. Dartmouth Place
Lakewood
Bus: None
Saturday, April 21 at 10 am
Hadley Branch Library
1890 S. Grove Street
Denver
Bus: 30, 31
Saturday, April 21 at 2 pm
Blair-Caldwell Library
2401 Welton
Denver
Bus: 38
Light Rail: D
Wednesday, April 25 at noon
RTD Administrative Offices
1600 Blake
Denver
Bus: free mall shuttle, any buses that go to Market Street Station
Wednesday, April 25 at 6 pm
Conifer High School
10441 County Highway 73
Conifer
Bus: None. ES might work but there is long walk from the bus stop, and you may have to leave the meeting early even if the bus runs by this location both ways in the evening.
Saturday, April 28 at 10:30 am
Evergreen Public Library
5000 Highway 73
Evergreen
Bus: None
So the opportunity for public comment on bus service is finally here, and half of the public meetings are in locations or at times when there is no bus service. Does anyone know why RTD does not consider bus riders to be stakeholders.
Jefferson County Justice Center
100 Jefferson Parkway
Golden
Bus: None (The 17 stops running too early to help.)
Wednesday, April 18 at 7pm
Clements Community Center
1580 Yarrow Street
Lakewood
Bus: One block from the 16 and 16L (Also in walking distance from the 20 and 76.)
Thursday, April 19 at 7 pm
Bear Creek Elementary School
9601 W. Dartmouth Place
Lakewood
Bus: None
Saturday, April 21 at 10 am
Hadley Branch Library
1890 S. Grove Street
Denver
Bus: 30, 31
Saturday, April 21 at 2 pm
Blair-Caldwell Library
2401 Welton
Denver
Bus: 38
Light Rail: D
Wednesday, April 25 at noon
RTD Administrative Offices
1600 Blake
Denver
Bus: free mall shuttle, any buses that go to Market Street Station
Wednesday, April 25 at 6 pm
Conifer High School
10441 County Highway 73
Conifer
Bus: None. ES might work but there is long walk from the bus stop, and you may have to leave the meeting early even if the bus runs by this location both ways in the evening.
Saturday, April 28 at 10:30 am
Evergreen Public Library
5000 Highway 73
Evergreen
Bus: None
So the opportunity for public comment on bus service is finally here, and half of the public meetings are in locations or at times when there is no bus service. Does anyone know why RTD does not consider bus riders to be stakeholders.
03 April 2012
Chance to see the plans for Boulder's Transit Center
Open House of Boulder Transit Center Improvements
Monday, April 9, 4-6 pm
Municipal Building Lobby
1777 Broadway, Boulder
Bus: SKIP, DASH, 204, 225, AB, BV/BMX/BX, GS
The Jump is also in close walking distance.
The Boulder Transportation Advisory Committee meets right after at 6 pm in a different location in the same building, although it does not appear that they are dealing with any issues pertaining to public transportation.
Monday, April 9, 4-6 pm
Municipal Building Lobby
1777 Broadway, Boulder
Bus: SKIP, DASH, 204, 225, AB, BV/BMX/BX, GS
The Jump is also in close walking distance.
The Boulder Transportation Advisory Committee meets right after at 6 pm in a different location in the same building, although it does not appear that they are dealing with any issues pertaining to public transportation.
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