Light rail in Huntsville?
Some people think it is a good idea.
Their initial vision is for a park-and-ride facility on the west side of Huntsville near Huntsville International Airport and Madison, connected by rail to a two-story station at Bridge Street Town Centre, where there is already a federally funded multimodal transportation hub.
From there, some people could take “loop” buses to jobs in Cummings Research Park, Gooch said. Others would go to the second-story platform at the Bridge Street station and clear a checkpoint for a secure train elevated across Interstate 565 to a station or stations across the arsenal, which could also be served by a bus system. Hopefully, there could also be service to the secured Martin Road station in the south, where another park-and-ride lot would be located.
I just don’t think we want or need it (at this point). Businesses and government agencies in Huntsville are just too spread out.
Here’s what would happen. The light rail would be built to ease congestion. But once a few people started riding congestion would ease up to the pain threshold of most motorists. There is a certain amount of traffic that Joe Commuter will tolerate before he succumbs to the indignity and inconvenience of driving (through traffic) to a parking lot, walking to a train station, waiting for the train, riding the train, and finally walking from the train station to the ultimate destination. God forbid there is a line change in the process. New York has an extensive rail network because their population and businesses are densely concentrated, but you’ll notice that the subways haven’t resulted in empty roads there. They are still jam packed. Same thing would happen here. Except the trains here would be nearly empty.
Here’s another thing to consider. Huntsville is a pretty smug town right now. We’ve been practically immune from the pain felt across the country. It hasn’t been all sunshine and daisies here, but we’ve fared pretty darn well. And everyone thinks BRAC is going to be the biggest thing in the history of mankind. I’m a little less optimistic. The federal government cannot maintain their current spending orgy. Even with Obama in the White House and Democrats controlling Congress the “come to Jesus” moment will happen before long. And that is when defense spending gets slashed and Huntsville gets hammered. That construction aimed at coping with BRAC will cause a glut of inventory and prices will fall through the floor as supply outstrips demand. We’re already seeing that in the high end home market. I’m hoping things aren’t as dire as what I suggest here, but I do expect some kind of a shock to our system. Is it really prudent to start pursuing light rail transit with the same “the economy only gets better” mindset that fueled the stock market and housing bubbles?
BTW, if you oppose mass transit then you hate minorities. Sorry to break that news to you.
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You are absolutely correct. I work on the Arsenal, and there is no way in hell I would ever use this. Why would I want to double my commute time, make myself have to do all that walking in the cold, heat, and rain, and have to put up with trying to find my car in the evening in a huge parking lot? If gas shot up to $8/gal., I would carpool first.
This is a nutty, la-la-land idea that would only end up having to be subsidized by a public that never wanted it to start with.
Almost on cue, the Huntsville Times comes out today with an editorial titled “Let’s give light rail a chance.”
The specific idea touted strikes me as insane. They want to put a train station at Bridge Street for workers on the Arsenal. By the time people in Madison or north of 72 fight through the traffic to make it to the south end of Research Park Blvd. they are home free. Why the hell would they pull off into a parking lot, etc. at that point to ride a train? I could almost understand the allure of taking a train from Harvest to the Arsenal because you would avoid the packed two lane roads.
Love the article by the Huntsville Times. Let me quote:
“Several challenges remain. Americans are addicted to their cars. They like the convenience and the flexibility cars give them to dart to lunch or run an errand after work. A commuter train will have a hard time luring riders as long as commute times here are only 15, 20 or even 30 minutes. Even when gas prices soared to over $4 a gallon, city bus ridership rose only slightly.”
In other words, this ain’t gonna work!
For more on Light Rail, I would invite you to take a visit over at the Cato Institute:
Light Rail Isn’t the Track to the Future
Light Rail Systems Are a False Promise
From the closing of that Times editorial:
“Surely the city that helped launch America’s space program can help pioneer futuristic transportation systems using light rail. It will take that can-do spirit to make it happen. And a willingness on all of us to embrace new commuting habits.”
Translation:
“Surely the city that helped launch America’s multi-billion dollar space program can throw a few more billion at developing a light rail system that will attract about as many riders as the Apollo program did. Sure, these two things are apples and oranges, but so what? The shopworn ‘we went to the moon so we can do anything’ trope is a favorite of liberals like us who want to spend money on things that have no chance in hell of ever working. It will take that can-do spirit, lots of federal tax dollars, some serious weed, and a little pixie dust to make it happen. And a willingness for all the little people to embrace new commuting habits (not that we would ever be caught dead riding public transit to our jobs at The Times, mind you). If you don’t do the right thing and ride ObamaTrak, well then, we may have to take drastic action… like reducing Research Park Boulevard to one lane or charging admission to the Arsenal. Don’t piss us off.”
There will be no Light Rail with out a Study ( COST BENFIT ANALYSIS) to the tax payers , All that was smoke and mirrors. Lets First look at are current transit constraints and work from that point. The North Alabama Transit Alliance (NATA) under the guidance of the Huntsville/ MAdison County Community and Economic Development Corp. has been in the process of researching the best approach from transportation planning aspect.
Thanks for commenting Chris, I appreciate your informed opinion. Can you tell us what the NATA is considering?
IMO rail is not a solution for HSV, at least until we grow ~10x what we are now. However, I like to see realistic planning. I even tossed out a heuristic cost estimate of $250 million (7 miles at $35 million per mile rounded up) for the proposed light rail (heuristic being a fancy term for rule-of-thumb or guess-timate). Time for real people to explain their cost estimates and benefits (and because it’s cool really doesn’t count much as a benefit).
I can understand the skepticism, but at the same time, marvel at the ignorance and unwillingness to change. What people need to understand is that many other cities in this country felt the same way until the system was put in place. Too many of us )especially here in this area) have become fat and lazy, and live in fear if anything ever caused them to leave their cars behind. It’s not just about health, it’s also about the environment. And it’s not so much about today as it is about 10 and even 20 years from now. And if nothing is done, people in 2020 will be lamenting on why politicians and planners failed to foresee their transportation problems. Smart modern cities revolve and thrive around robust state of the art transit systems. And that doesn’t mean more slabs of concrete highway. Mass transit systems such as these help to develop an economy, provide alternatives for mobility, and reduce costs for personal travel. It does all this in addition to allowing you to travel without the stress of having to negotiate the roads and the pleasure of relaxing in getting to your destination.