tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post178469770385847038..comments2024-02-01T04:37:41.878-05:00Comments on Cap'n Transit Rides Again: Manhattan is specialCap'n Transithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-91812044879884678272011-11-01T09:23:58.869-04:002011-11-01T09:23:58.869-04:00I understand your skepticism of the two New Yorks ...I understand your skepticism of the two New Yorks meme, but there is plenty of truth to it. Polls show strong support for increased spending on transit in the outer boroughs, and if more people made the connection between congestion pricing and better transit service i'm convinced that its approval rating would skyrocket, again, even in the outer boroughs. <br /><br />Also, last winter i wrote a report detailing the truly astounding job growth and corresponding commuter growth patterns in areas of the outer boroughs that are not seeing any investments at all in transit. A precis is here: http://www.newgeography.com/content/002148-ny-borough-borough-commute-fuhgeddaboudit <br /><br />We weren't friends on twitter then so maybe you missed it. <br /><br />Of course nobody wants to see a Moynihan station built on Staten ISland but this mayor could spend a lot more of his political capital spelling out the benefits of BRT projects already under way, and they could have made a play for a much more ambitious and meaningful BRT system to begin with, targeting high growth areas like downtown Flushing, Jamaica, JFK airport, East Flatbush, Sunset Park, and St. George. Incidentally, the same reasoning extends to place making and public space. Manhattan has seen the lions share of investments when spaces like SI's north shore waterfront languish. Increased (and better) public transit options to and from the SI Ferry and some innovative placemaking around the ferry stretching all the way around the north shore, for example, could pave the way for an upzoning of St. George and radically increased building density. It sounds utopian but my impression is that most Staten Island politicos see the need for it and would welcome some real spending on the island.<br /><br />I take it you're sympathetic to these kinds of projects, but i don't understand why you don't think Manhattan-centrism in the form of often unfounded bias is not at the heart of it. I mean they want to spend billions on a Moynihan station! which is as far as i can tell just a prestige project.gileshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16858425617261794496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-69857604790279231582011-09-12T09:49:32.116-04:002011-09-12T09:49:32.116-04:00Alon, CB 8 just voted to extend the 1st and 2nd la...Alon, CB 8 just voted to extend the 1st and 2nd lanes through their area last week. CB 11 has been asking for it, but CB 8 has been the hold-out. Why? The CB 8 transit committee is stacked with bike haters, after hearing them rant about the evil cyclists at the meeting I was truly shocked that they actually voted to extend the lanes (as long as enforcement increases, etc.). We need people who care about these things, and younger people in general, on the community boards.Hollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02764249840248998590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-24535782646803200532011-09-01T13:51:49.125-04:002011-09-01T13:51:49.125-04:00There are some projects that are just as worthy as...There are some projects that are just as worthy as Manhattan projects, and yet the Manhattan projects are further along than the ones in the outer boroughs. For example, Utica Avenue in Brooklyn, while not as dense as Manhattan would yield a lot of ridership if a subway line were placed under it. Yet, while Manhattan has 3 rail extensions going on (ESA, SAS, and the 7 line), that line isn't being built.<br /><br />The same for Staten Island: The capital cost per projected rider is actually slightly less for the North Shore Rail Line than the SAS, and yet there is absolutely no progress that has been made in the construction of the line.<br /><br />Of course, part of the issue are NIMBYs. In Manhattan, there is pretty much unanimous support for those projects, whereas there is at least some opposition to the ones in the outer boroughs.<br /><br />The problem is that the opponents of the project tend to be more vocal than the supporters, for one reason or another, and that has to change.George Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15288033149559815848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-55347506609001402542011-08-29T23:02:55.042-04:002011-08-29T23:02:55.042-04:00Sure, but a lot of things get built in the gentrif...Sure, but a lot of things get built in the gentrified parts of Manhattan independently of density and car ownership. A good example is DOT's refusal to extend the protected bike lanes on 1st and 2nd Avenues to 125th Street, despite begs from CB 11.Alonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17267294744186811858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-68110993170214366532011-08-27T16:06:52.295-04:002011-08-27T16:06:52.295-04:00Yeah for sure, there's no doubt that Manhattan...Yeah for sure, there's no doubt that Manhattan is exponentially more dense than BK and Queens and in a technical sense the daily fluctuations in population in Manhattan because of commuters also create a bell graph of "population" unique to NYC in the States. At least at that magnitude.T.M. Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06802130442775675442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-90543149612854843572011-08-27T11:07:03.292-04:002011-08-27T11:07:03.292-04:00Thanks, T.M. I guess in (1) and (2) I'm reall...Thanks, T.M. I guess in (1) and (2) I'm really talking about two advantages of density. Density #1 makes it easier for any project to succeed, but some projects can't succeed at all without Density #2.<br /><br />There are certainly parts of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens that have both kinds of density. That's why projects like the Kent Avenue cycle track have been built in Brooklyn. But all three boroughs contain areas where there isn't that much density.Cap'n Transithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-27893098852020298262011-08-27T10:58:24.151-04:002011-08-27T10:58:24.151-04:00Hey man just as a little correction Number 2 on Ma...Hey man just as a little correction Number 2 on Manhattan is 100% correct but Number 1 is not: Brooklyn has about a million more people than Manhattan and Queens 700k more. Though they are gigantic in comparison, of course.T.M. Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06802130442775675442noreply@blogger.com