Tri-rail scored a touchdown this past weekend, attracting record setting numbers of passengers for weekend ridership. How so you ask? Likely because Chicagoans have effective public transportation back home and they probably figured we did too…
Archive for the 'Tri-Rail' Category
To wrap up the discussions on the new proposed plans for the MIC/Airport connection, I will focus on why a direct line to the airport is such a bad idea. Like I previously stated, a direct line partially negates the reason why we decided to construct the MIC to begin with. Given the shape of the airport, tight clearances around the terminals/parking garages, and numerous elevated walkways, I am left to assume that the only suitable location for metrorail and station would be between the parking structures or west of the new cooling tower by the new south terminal. I assume the current taxi parking lot could also be a viable option considering the cars will one day be stationed at the MIC instead. In any case, any of the above three options place metrorail just enough out of reach to make it convenient for all passengers at all terminals. Any of the above options would equate to more than a quarter mile walk (linearly, which we know will not be the case) for some of the farthest gates. A direct line will also only be able to service one location (the airport) rather than an Airtrain like concept which will be able to service every terminal, parking structure, and transfer station. Like most Airtrain systems, travel from terminal to terminal would be free and passengers looking to exit the Airtrain system at the MIC would pay the fare to disembark, effectively solving the ridiculous concept of an automated farecard system so rental car patrons can ride for free to the intermodal center, while anyone who stays on Metrorail will pay a regular fare. We don’t even have fare cards that can be purchased at any station, why are we dreaming up further problems!?
Going back to my previous post, I’d like to present some more evidence with regards to the confusion of the MDT decision makers. As I stated, metrorail is at best a commuter rail with several parking garage park-n-ride stations. The concept of a truly urban transit oriented development is, well, quite foreign around here to put it mildly. MDT somehow conceives that fewer transfers will equate to greater ridership numbers, which for an urban transit system can generally be true. What MDT fails to realize though is that metrorail riders are commuters, which means they have already used another form of transit (a car, likely, parked in one of the massive park-n-ride stations) to arrive at the station which will probably not have any long term parking for people who will be away for longer than a day. Where am I going with this? People who live near metrorail cannot walk to the station because we haven’t adapted the surroundings properly for this type of lifestyle and people who already use metrorail will not be able to ride it to the airport because they usually drive to metrorail to begin with. The problems are worse than we think! Had MDT pushed through some necessary urban train lines first (like baylink) then perhaps this wouldn’t be such a big issue because it could be perceivable that many people could walk a short distance to the nearest Miami Beach station and only have to make one transfer to get to the airport.
There is no clear-cut answer to the problems posed by the MIC-MIA connections. MDT needs to seriously analyze what they hope to accomplish as our transit agency and how they plan to create a transit system that effectively replaces vehicle use from a substantial portion of the population. MDT would also benefit greatly from studying the solutions other airports have concocted to this very issue, rather than continuing to do things the ineffective way…
To all the transit naysayers, I present some irrefutable evidence that public transit can and does have a chance to survive in our region. Today the SFRTA released the final ridership figures for the tri-rail system which for the first time surpassed three million annual riders and witnessed a 21% growth. Although I agree that the conclusion of the double tracking project has likely led many to try the system out, I can also attest that some riders have also given up on the ridiculous congestion experienced daily on I-95. The amazing use of transit to witness the Miami Heat Victory parade also demonstrates how through necessity we will seek an alternative form to reach a centralized part of our city; if only we could use this same model to steer business out of the suburbs, we’d have many more reasons to use transit daily…
Image from rross233’s flickr…
I’m back from New York and had a great time experiencing the beautiful architecture and cultural sites without the hassle of driving/parking to get everywhere or anywhere. Walking and using the public transit was absolutely fantastic (as always) and continued to reinforce in my mind what Miami should ultimately be working to become. I wasn’t planning on writing anything so soon, until I opened today’s herald and saw a letter that seems to sum up everything I’ve learned about Miamians thus far. It’s amazing that public transit is seen here as a detriment to the progress we could be making inching along in our vehicles, rather than the solution to many of our societal problems. In any case, I’d like to take time today to salute Roderick Moffett, for personifying the Miami mentality which has and will continue to degrade our way of life…
Did you ever wonder why so many looney politicians are named Joe?
Joe Stalin, Joe McCarthy, Joe Gersten, Joe Carollo and now Joe Martinez?
His proposed CSX commuter train will run at ground level and cross 25 of the 27 East-West traffic arteries from Miami International Airport to the Metrozoo, all at speeds of 60 miles per hour. These leviathans will run every eight minutes during rush hour, every 15 minutes during other times and are planned to attract only a handful of riders. All vehicle traffic will be brought to a halt over and over at the very worst times.
Joe Martinez’s idea that the way to speed up commuter traffic is to stop it every eight minutes to let an empty train go by is not thinking outside the box. It is thinking inside the looney bin!
RODERICK MOFFETT
- Today at
trafficdeciding what transit options to pursue for their neighborhood. As development continues westward (like the bright idea of building homes west of
- Traffic cameras are coming to a
cityresidential community near you. That’s right; the commuter
- The Miami-Dade Strong Mayor vote will be held January 23…
- Miami-Dade Commissioners unanimously approved the final step in the
- Rick found some great footage of a great Highway in Russia…
- Keep an eye on Transit Miami for all the latest news on Transit/Development issues in the Greater Miami area. I will be changing up the site soon as I switch to a better blogging software. As always, If you have any stories, news, or information you would like to share, please e-mail TransitMiami at MoveMiami@gmail.com…
Last week’s heat victory parade was not only an excellent celebration through the streets of Miami, but it was also a great opportunity for thousands of people to use public transportation to get downtown. Although I personally know several people who drove downtown (shame on you!) record numbers of people used tri-rail and metrorail. Tri-rail itself hit a new peak, with over 18,000 riders on Friday, the most in its 17 year history.
Here’s a touchy subject. Now, no offense to my Broward and Palm Beach readers, but I’m glad there was only one Heat parade, in Miami and here’s why: I’m sick of the “self-imposed segregation” we currently see in the Tri-county, Greater Miami Region. It’s a constant competition against each other, even for a victory ticker-tape parade which is supposed to unify the community not isolate the two regions. If the Mavericks had won the championship, they weren’t going to hold separate parades in Dallas and Ft. Worth, even though the two cities are also only separated by 30 miles. The Greater Miami region (a.k.a. South Florida) needs to come up with its own unified identity, quickly. Heck, our three airports and four seaports are constantly battling each other for no reason; why not unify them to compete with global markets rather than local ones. I understand the importance of every community having its own personal identity, but, we need to look at the bigger picture of what will benefit our region as a whole in the long-run. In the end, a parade up in Ft. Lauderdale would have been as smart as another one down in homestead, if not equidistant…
Florida Lawmakers are coming up with a great plan to have tourists subsidize mass transportation projects in south Florida by a new $2 per day tax on all rental vehicles. We believe this is a great idea, which will in the end help us all, including the tourist sector. The measure would have to be approved by Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach voters in next November’s elections. Approximately $42 million can be raised annually and will be used to gain further federal funding for the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA, which manages Tri-Rail.) Future plans could include a rail link between the three airports, commuter rail along the FEC corridor, or some Light Rail Transit Opportunities.
This is a win-win for all residents. Any of the options listed above would spur vast economic growth along the rail lines. We would see more Transit Oriented Development occur where we need it most and would see a greater amount of our residents relying on public transportation. This sentiment isn’t shared by all however, some Broward NIMBY’s (not in my backyard) are already challenging measures to bring commuter trains to the FEC corridor. With gas at $3 per gallon, I don’t know too many people who would like to sit idling on I-95 for hours everyday, why not consider alternatives people!
The next SFRTA meeting is set for Wednesday night at the Gwen Margolis Community Center in North Miami…
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