"No, he never returned, and his fate is still unlearned."

[quasigeostrophy]

It's about effing time.

Planners tonight will unveil the first details of a rapid transit line to link Downtown Indianapolis and Hamilton County, including where stations might be built along the 20-mile route.

One of the things that makes the Boston area not only tolerable, but quite enjoyable, IMHO, is the T. My first exposure to Boston as a child was via car, and I hated it - as outsiders we couldn't get anywhere. When I finally went back as an adult and took the commuter rail in from the 'burbs and rode the T around town, I fell in love with the place, and it's been a favorite place to visit ever since.

Indianapolis' traffic is getting terrible, more so every year, and they keep widening the freeways. I'm glad to see some planning for real mass transit. But please not the buses with bus-only lanes. Put in the light rail or people movers, please.

Comments

[djinnthespazz.livejournal.com]

Ah, but don't follow the Detroit People Mover model.
Silly thing.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

We have a hospital complex here that put in an elevated monorail between campuses, and it's worked pretty well for them so far - I think that's what the city-county commission is eyeing as an example.

[sistercoyote.livejournal.com]

I hate you for that earworm. I was happy with mental silence (yes, it's a straight line) for a change. :P


Oy. OTOH, I agree with you - it's like my love for BART. I wish LA's rail system worked as well.



BTW: I think I still own "MTA" on 45. Kingston Trio.

You and I should do a tape exchange at some point, I think...

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

I don't actually own the Kingston Trio's version, but that's what I grew up hearing on my dad's tape deck. I currently have a live cover by Brigid's Cross (small celtic folk trio based in Cleveland) wherein the crowd, during the two-beat pause that follows the line I quoted, in time, shouts "Bullshit!" :-)

You and I should do a tape exchange at some point, I think...

Love to.

I haven't had any experience yet with either BART, MUNI, CalTrain, or VTA (did I leave out any from that area?), but altogether they look like they cover a good portion of the Bay area.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Except where I live. Or anyplace I have lived. Or anyplace I have worked, save one. Other than that they're probably wonderful... so I hear.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Okay, I stand corrected. *remembers* They go nowhere near any hotel in which I've stayed out there, nor to either corporate HQ at which I was working. VTA went close by the Mountain View office, but the nearest station was still a walk, and the former Santa Clara office was right in front of CalTrain tracks, with no station for miles.

I guess for a certain percentage of the population, they work, and in SF they do go near most of the attractions. They need a MUNI stop in the Leather district, though. :-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Yeah, and they need to quit calling it "Bay Area Rapid Transit" if it goes nowhere near most of the bay. Unless Livermore is the "Bay" Area and Palo Alto is not! :-)

My current home/work pair is a great example. I researched this when I was considering foot surgery that would keep me from driving for two weeks. The nearest CalTrain station is farther from me than work is. The nearest Light Rail station is farther from me than work is. I could get to work using buses. It's a four-mile commute, but of course using buses isn't direct; I'd wind up walking about 2/3 of a mile AND it would be slower than if I walked the entire way. On crutches. Without using my arms.

But yes, for a certain geographical area they work very well. (Now if only my geographical area weren't helping to fund them!)

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

it would be slower than if I walked the entire way. On crutches. Without using my arms.

In six feet of snow. Uphill. Both ways.

(Sorry, couldn't help but see that there the way you wrote what you did. ;-)

That would definitely suck.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

In six feet of snow. Uphill. Both ways.

WHILE spending 90% of my energy whining! :-)

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

I think every single time I've had to drive I-465, it's been orange barrel season. I've never spent time in Indianapolis proper, but if that's any indication, sounds like public transit'd be a wonderful thing there...

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

There is always construction on some part of I-465. This year, they've started a major multi-year widening and overhaul along the entire leg along the west side of town.

[circumspectly.livejournal.com]

it's been a favorite place to visit ever since.

Well then, GETCHER ARSE UP HERE! You and the whole fam damily. now. :D

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Workin' on it. And now I have the evil, no-time-off job to get out of the way first. :-)