LexRides

Christopher · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:28 am Post subject: Trolleys 'n' Trails

Neither of these public forums are directly related to cycling in the city of Lexington, but both involve issues important to many cyclists and public transportation advocates.

First, Mitch Snyder posted a note to the old AlleyCats e-mail linking a LexTran .pdf about public meetings regarding the proposed new trolley service, and said that so far the public comment has been dominated by the voices of those who say they would not use the service. Whether you would use the service or not, a low-cost downtown circulator--done right--might decrease the number of cars using the downtown streets. And don't that sound cool?

A public meeting will be held TODAY AT NOON at the Government Center Ballroom (another will be Monday night at Commerce Lexington.) View or download the .pdf.

Second, and somewhat farther afield, two public meetings about a proposed 30 plus mile Rail Trail will be held next week in Paintsville and Salyersville. Despite the increased importance of "ecotourism" to the mountains and the proven public health benefits of trails, the voices of local landowners whose property adjoins rail banked lines and who have concerns about privacy, trash, and vandalism tend to ring loudest (those opinions are often based on their experiences with people who certainly aren't riding their bikes or hiking into the DB Forest).

Information about those meetings can be found by clicking through this link.

Peace!

Christopher
--
The revolution will not be motorized.

politicalhero · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:12 am Post subject: Lextran is a hard one

The trolley is a hard one for me because I supported the tax increase so they would have more routes, better schedule, etc. However, It is still very difficult for me to catch a bus to go downtown to the transit center when I only live off Southland.
Louisville is very successful with their trolley and the trolley hops but is downtown lex perceived as so big that folks would jump on a trolley to go a few blocks? Dunno, I am gonna have to think about this one!

DHB · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:25 am Post subject:

It sounds to me like they're trying to make something exactly like the bus system, just smaller, "cuter", and more downtown-oriented. Instead of spending all the money for a completely new system (which will most likely not be used after 2010), why not tweak the one we have?

elzie5000 · cutter Joined: 25 Oct 2007 Posts: 1177

You all may not be old enough to remember them, but there used to be little trolleybuses that had a downtown circulator type route...I want to say as recently as the 80s. Sounds like they are wanting to bring that back.

Get offa my lawn!

Christopher · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:43 am Post subject: Re: Lextran is a hard one

jkizzle · cutter Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 519 Location: I.L.L.

elzie5000 · cutter Joined: 25 Oct 2007 Posts: 1177

Whether the plan/design is good or not, people really liked seeing the trolleys driving around downtown back in the day and weren't happy when they all broke down and were retired.

elzie5000 · cutter Joined: 25 Oct 2007 Posts: 1177

There was a smallish story about the trolleys in the paper this weekend.

http://www.kentucky.com/179/story/276040.html

The 2nd St to UK route sounds reasonable, esp if they do the second phase and expand it to Transy.

The Triangle Park to Thoroughbred Park route, on the other hand, strikes me as really dumb. Google maps shows 0.7 miles between the two.

My cocktail napkin math says the money they'd spend on that route would fund 10 pedcabs and drivers each working a 40 hour week at $15/hour for a year, with money left over. And that's without charging passengers anything for the ride.

elzie5000 · cutter Joined: 25 Oct 2007 Posts: 1177

From WTVQ's site (the not knowing how to use apostrophes is all theirs):

Lexington to Bring Trolley's Back to Downtown
Thursday, 25 September 2008 11:56
More than $2 million is headed Lexington's way for four transportation projects. The money is not going for typical road building or paving projects though.

All of these projects are aimed at the quality of life.

The Governor handed out four ceremonial checks Thursday morning. The biggest is for $1.2 million to bring trolley's back to the downtown area.

It's an idea that went belly up in 1997 after 15 years.
Lex-Tran officials say downtown has changed and they will implement a smaller, wiser downtown trolley circulator this time.

There's $448,000 to build a bridge over Man 'O War Boulevard linking the Brighton Rail Trail to three parks, a school and shopping centers.

$365,000 will go to buy illuminated street signs for 50 busy intersections.

And the Governor handed out a $64,000 check for "share the road" signage, a biker friendly initiative.

"This will cut the number of cars, improve Lexington's air quality and add to a healthy lifestyles," Beshear said Thursday.

But nothing will come immediately.

It will take a year to 18 months to get the trolleys on the downtown streets.

And it won't be until 2010 when the bike trail bridge is built.

http://www.wtvq.com/news/1-latest/1882-lexington-to-bring-trolleys-back-to-downtown.html