BIKE: Commuter Rail In General

[alan_drake]

You are not giving the complete story of South Florida (which may be better than Austin's in some way).

In the same period that TriRail was built, so was MetroRail & Metromover.  

MetroRail is a truly highclass "Subway in the Sky" that would make Austinites (and even New Yorkers) drool.  Fairly high speed, grade seperated, good vistas from CBD to the south.  CBD to the south is a desireable area, almost high enough density.  To the north goes through burnt out areas and pretty rough.

When it opened, Miami MetroRail was the premier example of a failed transit line and this, far more than TriRail, stalled expansion.  

MetroMover is a gadgetbahn that is very monorail like and was (and is) an even bigger disaster.  A 3 loop CBD circulator.

However, TOD has finally come to MetroRail (over half of the construction cranes that I saw In Miami were within 3 blocks of a Metro station).  The citizens have recently voted for expansion (the first 1+ mile NW opened earlier this year, airport next, then northward, later southward).

Expansion of MetroRail was stalled due to the early failure of MetroRail, NOT TriRail.  One lesson learned from Miami could be that a quality rail line will eventually (taking decades) create development around it and succeed.

The TriRail double tracking finished so far has increased on time performance from dismal to OK/good.  But many of the benefits (North bound after 7:30 PM, greater frequencies, higher speeds) will have to wait till Phase V is finished (2005 ?).  So you are judging the effects of this long drawn out effort prematurely.

If they get 60k daily riders by 2025, I would judge TriRail an early failure, but ultimate success.  And I think that they will.

BTW, LIRR offers a 2 seat ride into Manhatten and is a success by any measure.  And it is quite a hike from the LIRR to the NYC subways (and poorly marked).

Alan