tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post7534995766674536051..comments2024-02-01T04:37:41.878-05:00Comments on Cap'n Transit Rides Again: Queens Boulevard ClarificationsCap'n Transithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-9742638078099738832008-08-25T10:58:00.000-04:002008-08-25T10:58:00.000-04:00Aerobus or similar technology would not take two l...<A HREF="http://www.aerobus.com/" REL="nofollow">Aerobus</A> or similar technology would not take two lanes for the dedicated transitway ... it would take up space for the stops, but not the transitway.BruceMcFhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08502035881761277885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-39934102680564139642008-08-11T22:45:00.000-04:002008-08-11T22:45:00.000-04:00I don't know, Alon. We're talking about building ...I don't know, Alon. We're talking about building light rail the whole length of Queens Boulevard; I think we'd have enough money to build a portal on the north side of the Sunnyside Yards leading to the 63rd Street tunnel, and another one leading to the 60th Street tunnel. Yes, it would be expensive, but not impossible.Cap'n Transithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-85999910707443408472008-08-11T03:52:00.000-04:002008-08-11T03:52:00.000-04:00It still won't work. For one, the 63rd Street Tunn...It still won't work. For one, the 63rd Street Tunnel doesn't connect to Queensboro Plaza. The only thing 63rd Street connects to is the QB line. The way the tracks are laid out, constructing a second connection from the IND to the BMT/IRT in Queens is at best a nightmare and at worst physically impossible. Track capacity constraints are such that even if the MTA stops using the 60th Street Connection, it's impossible to squeeze the Flushing and Astoria Lines together.Alon Levyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12195377309045184452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-91710526127216781562008-08-09T23:39:00.000-04:002008-08-09T23:39:00.000-04:00Thanks for your response, Alon. At Queensboro Pla...Thanks for your response, Alon. At Queensboro Plaza, lots of people transfer from the #7 to the inbound N or W; I think they're probably not all getting off at Lex or Fifth Avenue, so they'd be happy with a train that connects to the Broadway line through the 63rd Street tunnel. The tunnel will also someday connect to the Second Avenue Subway, giving people a one-seat ride to East Midtown.<BR/><BR/>I agree that the corridors you've suggested could use light rail, and if the political will can be mustered, light rail should be built there. I'm just suggesting that there might be less resistance along Queens Boulevard because of the traffic calming value.Cap'n Transithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-40639775896727939212008-08-08T03:07:00.000-04:002008-08-08T03:07:00.000-04:00I actually wanted to raise the issue of using the ...I actually wanted to raise the issue of using the 60th and 63rd Street Tunnels in my comment, but ended up writing a more concise version.<BR/><BR/>Basically, the problem is that it's still a net reduction in capacity. You can't use 63rd Street too much, because there isn't enough demand for it; 53rd bisects Midtown and 60th touches it, but 63rd is too far away to be of much use.<BR/><BR/>In addition, the Astoria line, which needs about 14 tph, only connects to 60th. This leaves only about 16 tph for the 7, which is too little. It's currently packed at 24, and Division B conversion would only add about 10% to each train's capacity. (To any other line it would add 20%, but the 7 runs 11-car trains). Even light rail on QB won't help too much, since very little of the 7's ridership comes from its QB stations.<BR/><BR/>As for the other issue, other light rail corridors, you're right that there are technical problems with most of my alternatives. Not with all of them, though - for example, Fordham is fine; the only reason it has delivery hours is that the BRT lanes are on the sides of the street instead of in the center. The main reason I'm offering them is that light rail there will complement the subway, by offering connections that there isn't the political will yet to build underground.Alon Levyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12195377309045184452noreply@blogger.com