BIKE: Vote for Commuter Rail [bike and RwT accommodations]

[Mike Dahmus]

On 12:20 PM 10/16/2004 -0700, Eric Anderson wrote:
>Bike friends:
>
>Jay Paulson did not cite the source of the flyer, but to clarify, this
>sounds like the "Vote Yes for commuter rail" (Right Track Pac), or may be
>from the Texas Community Project. This is not Cap Metro's material, but
>does accurately reflect the information they are presenting to the
>community. The radio ad he mentions may be from Cap Metro.
>
>I am for this commuter rail starter line for many reasons, but I wish to
>comment on the cited bicycle accommodations:

First of all, bike accomodations are wonderful, but if this line fails to 
capture early ridership, there will be no bike accomodations built. So your 
support of this plan should depend NOT on whether you want the bike 
improvements, but whether you think a commuter rail line which requires 
shuttle-bus transfers for 99% of all passengers will be successful enough 
to merit further spending in the eyes of the voters.

Commenting specifically on Eric's other points:

> > -Build trails along the commuter rail tracks where feasible
>The words: "includes hike and bike trails along some rail rights of way"
>are actually in the legal language accompanying the ballot measure. Cap
>Metro will be obligated to fulfill this provision, and in fact, is ready
>to hire a qualified planning firm to conduct a masterplan for such
>Rails-with-Trails along the 32 mile Austin-Leander line.

"where feasible" allows Capital Metro plenty of wiggle room. For TXDOT 
"where feasible" usually means "never". I trust Capital Metro a bit more 
than that, but don't fool yourself - there is no legal requirement here 
which will definitely lead to even one square inch of hike/bike trail being 
built. The ONLY legal requirement in this election is a negative one - that 
Capital Metro is not allowed to build MORE RAIL than being asked for here 
(the starter line to the Convention Center).

> > -Accommodate bikes on all trains and at all stations
>Cap Metro has a long record accommodating bicyclists, including rolling
>out the first in Texas service-wide bus bike racks. For some time, Cap
>Metro has funded bicycle and pedestrian improvements related to their
>operations (such as South Fifth St. in S. Austin). Cap Metro continues to
>roll out bike racks and lockers at park and ride locations, and has
>pledged to accommodate bikes on commuter rail trains.

I believe this to be true, whether commuter rail or 2000 light rail.

> > -Provide new recreational opportunities for residents
>Rails-with-Trails (RwT) pathways along Austin-Leander rail corridor would
>connect neighborhoods, bisect future transit-oriented developments, and
>link Brushy Creek and Walnut Creek trails with the Lance Armstrong
>Bikeway.

This is a pipe dream. Notice we still have no Lance Armstrong Bikeway 
construction as of today, October 2004. I doubt we ever will, to tell you 
the truth; the downtown part of the route is simply not going to happen.

Those other trails are twinkles in somebody's eye. Vote for them if you get 
the chance; but don't vote for this plan on the idea that it'll link with 
them - they are not a guarantee. (Parts of them exist; parts of them do 
not, in other words; and I see no convincing evidence that either one of 
those trails is going to be as complete as Town Lake in the near or distant 
future).

> > Rails-with-trails will help close the gaps in Austin's bike routes and
> > trail networks and allow cyclists to pass beneath barriers such as I-35,
> > 183 and Mopac.
>Cap Metro's All Systems Go long range transit plan also includes proposed
>future commuter rail lines along the UP row, the TXDOT owned Mokan (MKT)
>row, and the City of Austin owned (UP) Bergstrom Spur. Any of these could
>host Rails-with-Trails (RwT).
>
>I would suggest that we will first see a barrier crossing of IH35 at
>+/-42nd St., and under 183 near Burnet. The Walnut Creek Trail
>under-crossing of 183 would likely be merged with RwT improvements,
>enhancing connectivity. A Lance Armstrong Bikeway extension east of
>Pleasant Valley along Cap Metro and Mokan row would connect downtown with
>Freescale, LBJ High School, and Samsung. A cross-town path on the
>Bergstrom Spur is conceivably also likely given its City of Austin
>ownership.

I would suggest that this is wishful thinking. The commuter rail line is 
NOT going to go underneath US 183; it's crossing the frontage road at-grade 
near Metric Blvd (between Burnet and Lamar). I would suggest that it is 
very unlikely that bike-triggerable signalization will be put in at any 
trail here either.

Likewise with 42nd St. The rail line is going to cross the I-35 frontage 
roads AT-GRADE, meaning no separation for the bike trail either; and I 
doubt we'll see traffic lights put in for the benefit of bikes here given 
problems with warrants.

>Other potential barrier crossings in North, East and South Austin include
>183 at Mopac -Shoal Creek Boulevard/Pickle connection- (UP),

Only if the full plan is built-out, which depends on the starter line 
capturing the imagination of voters after they see thousands of 
suburbanites eagerly leaving their cars at park-and-rides for the thrill of 
riding shuttle buses to UT, Capitol, and downtown.

>183 at Boggy
>Creek (Cap Metro), Ben White near Garden Villa (UP), IH35 at Ben White (UP
>spur), and potentially, 183 at ABIA (extension of UP spur to ABIA).

Likewise with all of these.

>These improvements could net upwards of 100 miles urban bikeways over
>time. They will take some time to plan, approve, fund and build. Voting
>for Commuter Rail, though a small step toward building rapid transit in
>Austin, may prove to be a huge step toward building a far-reaching network
>of bicycle and pedestrian connections.

On the other hand, if you think that other cities hold any lessons for us, 
voting for commuter rail will be a rapid-transit killer for 10-20 years at 
a minimum, since the evidence is very clear that new transit customers are 
kept away by shuttle-bus transfers; and the evidence is very clear that the 
only people being delivered rail service by this plan are those who in 2000 
were most against it, while the people who most enthusiastically supported 
rail in 2000 get nothing, not with the starter line, and not with the full 
plan. Nothing. Zip. Nada.


Mike Dahmus
mdahmus