I got there from Woodlawn in like 12 minutes at rush hour… It wouldve taken me at least 30 if I drove, then I woulda had to find somewhere to park, and hell it drops you off right at the arena… whats not to love?
No its not....I got there in 25 minutes from the South/485 station. I don’t think thats too bad.
just for accuracy…I live off the exit where Knights Castle is about 2 miles toward the lake. It takes me 20 minutes from my drive to get to downtown- with no traffic. I get on 77 and go 70mph the whole way for 14 miles.
on the LR, it is a 30 trip from 485 to Bobcats arena, plus your time spent buying tix and waiting. I am not bashing, and I’ll ride it again with my kids just for fun, not paying $20 sports parking, and being dropped off at the arenas’ front door.
bottom line: the LR is alot slower getting from A to B, but it has a convenience to it and its cheaper than parking. In rush HR, you’d be better off on the rail.
FYI...TIF uses increased property values within a specific district. The only way your property taxes go up is if you experience an increased property value, just like everywhere else. They don't raise the tax rate in the TIF district. The improvements designated for the TIF funds are paid for using the increased tax revenue generated by the increased value...that is, if your land is worth $100,000 now, and goes up to $500,000, whatever property tax you pay for that $400,000 increment goes directly to the designated improvements, in this case a diesel-powered commuter rail line, I believe.
you probably thought your numbers were exaggerated/hypothetical, but check out this poor guy:
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/806764.html
Brian Phillips was stunned when he checked the updated property assessment for his family’s home in western Wake County.
Since the last revaluation in 2000, the total value for his three acres and two-story house had shot up about 140 percent to $686,900. But what really jolted Phillips was the value of his three acres. It had jumped more than 640 percent to $416,250.
I guess wake county didn’t have to increase their property taxes, just the tax value… i don’t think this is TIF related, but its another screwjob gov’t will give you. I bet you that the amount of services Brian got didn’t increase over 640% in the last 7 years.
I’m surprised this blurb from the Lynx article on Sunday in the Observer didn’t get posted by somebody
CATS projected an average ridership of 9,100 weekday trips for the first year of operation, but so far that number has consistently remained above 12,000, Tober said.
http://www.charlotte.com/274/story/407501.html
I do wonder how “event-driven” the ridership is though, and how the numbers will fare when the Panthers and Bobcats are done playing for the year.
I'm surprised this blurb from the Lynx article on Sunday in the Observer didn't get posted by somebodyhttp://www.charlotte.com/274/story/407501.html
I do wonder how “event-driven” the ridership is though, and how the numbers will fare when the Panthers and Bobcats are done playing for the year.
thats really good. I am glad CATS is beating expectations on ridership, its the first expectation they have beat yet.
Event ridership helps out tremendously, but it is generally not in “peak” times, still a person off the road is a person off the road i guess.
I'm surprised this blurb from the Lynx article on Sunday in the Observer didn't get posted by somebodyhttp://www.charlotte.com/274/story/407501.html
I do wonder how “event-driven” the ridership is though, and how the numbers will fare when the Panthers and Bobcats are done playing for the year.
I saw that and read something else on it either today or yesterday, and as much as I wanted to try and rub it in on those who said it wouldn’t reach those numbers, I’ll do what I told them to, wait a few months so it can move through some seasons (both weather and sports) and then the “I told you so” can start (or atleast be somewhat substantiated).
[QUOTE=NLP;277868]\
I do wonder how “event-driven” the ridership is though, and how the numbers will fare when the Panthers and Bobcats are done playing for the year.[/QUOTE]probably some, but from what i’ve read/heard the trains have been standing room only pretty commonly throughout the day and not just during special events and rush hours.
I saw that and read something else on it either today or yesterday, and as much as I wanted to try and rub it in on those who said it wouldn't reach those numbers, I'll do what I told them to, wait a few months so it can move through some seasons (both weather and sports) and then the "I told you so" can start (or atleast be somewhat substantiated).
if the projected numbers are 9100, and it averages 12000 for the year, thats really not “i told you so.” I mean for once in the history of the south line, expectations were met or exceeded <>.
Honestly, it would be a good bit of information to see what the ridership projections were for the first year over the history of design/construction.
I think they remained pretty much consistent throughout the project. Ridership will only increase in the future because there are thousands of housing units being built or planned along the line. The more retail, restaurants, and housing that gets built will only increase ridership. You’re right that its not a rub your face in it achievement, but it is pretty impressive. They were expecting 9100 a day within a year, not right away. They are beating projections by ~33% less than a month after its opening.
Here is a picture of what the NE line might look like. This model (I think this is the preferred model at the moment) has it running down the middle of N. Tryon street. It will likely either bridge over or tunnel under the N. Tryon/Harris Blvd intersection as that is the busiest intersection in Charlotte. It would be dangerous for it to cross that many lanes of traffic.
I think they remained pretty much consistent throughout the project.
I would bet anything that is untrue, epecially when you consider they thought Pineville would want to be connected. I will see if I can get some info.
Its like the completion date, they kept saying “CATS says they will have the line open this fall, completed before the projected date” Well, thats not totally true, considering it was supposed to be done last year. If you beat expectations, because you lowered them, is that success?
[QUOTE=ninerID;277885]If you beat expectations, because you lowered them, is that success?[/QUOTE]
That seems like the way it is for Charlotte 49er basketball…
I’m sorry I just couldn’t resist.
If it’s standing room only, that’s nothing to brag about. Who wants to get out of their car to get in another traffic jam?
And it stops at every stop. There is no express from the start to downtown, hence, what’s the point?
Riding it downtown to the bar tonight. I can tell you one thing… like the light rail or not. Light Rail > DWI
Oh, to stonecold, I rode it downtown from Woodlawn on gameday for Niners v. Wake… It took less than 15 mins to get right beside the arena. Try doing that in 5 oclock traffic, driving… Much less paying for parking and the hassle associated with it. And again… Light rail that night > DWI.
I would bet anything that is untrue, epecially when you consider they thought Pineville would want to be connected. I will see if I can get some info.Its like the completion date, they kept saying “CATS says they will have the line open this fall, completed before the projected date” Well, thats not totally true, considering it was supposed to be done last year. If you beat expectations, because you lowered them, is that success?
The ridership numbers quoted here and everywhere have to be consistent. They were used as the basis for obtaining federal funding at the beginning of the project. I would be shocked if you can find a different ridership projection anywhere.
That seems like the way it is for Charlotte 49er basketball...thought the same thing as i typed it
The ridership numbers quoted here and everywhere have to be consistent. They were used as the basis for obtaining federal funding at the beginning of the project. I would be shocked if you can find a different ridership projection anywhere.probably right, on that I won't be able to find anything, but I imagine dropping 4 miles, Pineville and a gateway to Fort Mill/Rock Hill would drop your numbers significantly.
I am actually riding the light rail tomorrow to Rudinos, should be fun.
the fort mill/rockhill section was never in the original plan. They had planned on possibly extending it in the future however so its ridership and cost weren’t included even in the initial estimate. I don’t even know that Pineville would be considered part of the plan because it was never in the final plan. It was in one of many models, but since it was voted down, I don’t know that it was even a factor in the determination of federal dollars. It could have been, I really don’t know for sure, but I would think everything would have to be finalized before funding is awarded by the FTA.
the fort mill/rockhill section was never in the original plan. They had planned on possibly extending it in the future however so its ridership and cost weren't included even in the initial estimate. I don't even know that Pineville would be considered part of the plan because it was never in the final plan. It was in one of many models, but since it was voted down, I don't know that it was even a factor in the determination of federal dollars. It could have been, I really don't know for sure, but I would think everything would have to be finalized before funding is awarded by the FTA.
hence the term “gateway”. The orginal plan was to go to Pineville (don’t know when they pulled it but it was in the $261 million # that has since been crushed), I don’t know how far into pineville, if it was the SC/NC line, etc.
I just believe that everything else has been one giant disaster as far as projections goes with CATS, i find it hard to be that another component (ridership) is beating projections. To me it seems as if CATS wanted to project 5K riders a day in the first year and sandbag they could, we could beat it by over 100% at that point. Like I said, the math has just been wrong on so many other levels, its hard to believe they got this one.
hence the term "gateway". The orginal plan was to go to Pineville (don't know when they pulled it but it was in the $261 million # that has since been crushed), I don't know how far into pineville, if it was the SC/NC line, etc.I just believe that everything else has been one giant disaster as far as projections goes with CATS, i find it hard to be that another component (ridership) is beating projections. To me it seems as if CATS wanted to project 5K riders a day in the first year and sandbag they could, we could beat it by over 100% at that point. Like I said, the math has just been wrong on so many other levels, its hard to believe they got this one.
Or you’ve been so ecstatic seeing them get every number wrong you can’t stand they possibly got one right, even exceeding it? Instead of looking at it as if they padded it or cheated the system, why not be satisfied that it’s finally working the way it should have all along.
Or you've been so ecstatic seeing them get every number wrong you can't stand they possibly got one right, even exceeding it? Instead of looking at it as if they padded it or cheated the system, why not be satisfied that it's finally working the way it should have all along.
nope, I am not estatic about a tax dollar project costing 8 billion (full plan) more than it was “projected” to be. If the numbers are being beat and the light rail is a “success” thats great. I just remember sitting in David Hartgen’s class back in 2004 and hearing him say “Cost projections will go up, Ridership projections will go down, they’ll miss one goal, make the other”. Its now 2007, and well, he looks right.
I am not saying they cheated, but it does look bad when originally we had a project that was going to cost 1 billion and we had a rail line to Matthews (scratched) a rail line over 485 to pineville (shortened) a rail line to the airport (scratched) the south line only cost 261 million (as of a year ago it was $470?) and now the total is 9 billion?? Also, look at the projected development numbers from Davidson, Cornelius, and Huntersville, it is like half of what CATS projects. CATS just hasn’t been good at numbers, so its hard for me to take any goal seriously at this point, if it is a solid number then good, but I don’t know if 9K is like saying our basketball team can win about 9 games this year, and if we win 12 we are “exceeding expectations”
but I don't know if 9K is like saying our basketball team can win about 9 games this year, and if we win 12 we are "exceeding expectations"
If you expect 9 and get 12, that has exceeded what you expected… nm.