Good report from Chad Abraham. Up on the Aspen Daily News.
Just think.
All this just so we can have still more busses, running out of tricked-out transit sites, with state-of-the-art 'clean' energy.........yet still carry less than a 25% capacity load of bodies all day, every day up and down the valley. Subsidized by millions upon millions of dollars from local, state and federal taxpayers.
Great cash cow, if you're powerful enough to take it. Talk about a boondoggle!
"There's always more money for RFTA."
Chad Abraham:
"...Progress is never easy — projects involving a new recreation center and the realignment of roads in El Jebel are being scrutinized by five jurisdictions — and BRT is no different. The transportation authority has tried to soften the impact, dubbing the nation’s first rural bus rapid transit system VelicoRFTA, but those dealing with the agency says it has little problem playing hardball to get what it wants....."
(Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
Showing posts with label Demand RFTA changes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Demand RFTA changes. Show all posts
April 27, 2012
SandBoxBlogs: Glenwood Springs Post Independent "Downtown area eyed for central transit hub"
Any one of these options would be so much better than the old Subaru site. With downtown, the problem will still be parking.
John Stroud:
"The working group included representatives from the city of Glenwood Springs, Amtrak, Greyhound Bus Lines, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Nine potential sites for such a facility were evaluated through the planning process. The public got a chance to rate the various site options during an open house in February.
The transit facility would be intended to serve local commuters and long-distance travelers alike, by creating a central hub where people can make connections to various modes of transportation more easily.
The project is only in the planning stages, and funding to build the facility has not yet been identified.
The proposed multimodal facility is being planned in conjunction with RFTA's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) implementation. RFTA is working to secure the former Subaru car dealership property on South Glen Avenue to serve as the primary Glenwood Springs hub for the BRT system.
But a more central transit hub is envisioned in the city of Glenwood Springs' 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan, as well as the city's confluence-area plan.
Other possible locations included three sites scattered along Wulfsohn Road and Midland Avenue west of the Glenwood Meadows development. Another site on the north side of Interstate 70 at Soccer Road and Highway 6 in West Glenwood was also evaluated....." (Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
John Stroud:
"The working group included representatives from the city of Glenwood Springs, Amtrak, Greyhound Bus Lines, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA) and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
Nine potential sites for such a facility were evaluated through the planning process. The public got a chance to rate the various site options during an open house in February.
The transit facility would be intended to serve local commuters and long-distance travelers alike, by creating a central hub where people can make connections to various modes of transportation more easily.
The project is only in the planning stages, and funding to build the facility has not yet been identified.
The proposed multimodal facility is being planned in conjunction with RFTA's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) implementation. RFTA is working to secure the former Subaru car dealership property on South Glen Avenue to serve as the primary Glenwood Springs hub for the BRT system.
But a more central transit hub is envisioned in the city of Glenwood Springs' 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan, as well as the city's confluence-area plan.
Other possible locations included three sites scattered along Wulfsohn Road and Midland Avenue west of the Glenwood Meadows development. Another site on the north side of Interstate 70 at Soccer Road and Highway 6 in West Glenwood was also evaluated....." (Read more? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
April 15, 2012
SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Times "A whole new animal enters valley transit scene"
And....(drum roll, please)....all these bells and whistles and new busses that will still be running up and down the valley from Rifle to Aspen with partial loads 'round the clock'..........only cost us........$46 million bucks!!!!
Yowza! Such a deal.
Do you think that the entire 'RFTA on Steroids' campaign was boondoggled by local governments because they 'somehow' got the idea that if folks could ride faster to Aspen it would all pay for itself with a gazillion new riders? Remember those voting breakdowns now when 'voters passed' those bonds. All those special interests beating the drum and the minority isolated pockets who support them barely, barely got the thing passed. With a lot of unhappy folks just saying NO. Come to think of it, they never mentioned all the forcing of imminent domain and the little technicality that they had no real plan in place for the actual infrastructure before they put in on the ballot, did they? Remember now, fares are yet to be determined and the travel time is still just a guesstimate.
Oh, sure...there's always money for RFTA.
Scott Condon:
"The goal will be for VelociRFTA buses to make the trip between Aspen and Glenwood Springs in one hour...."
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
Yowza! Such a deal.
Do you think that the entire 'RFTA on Steroids' campaign was boondoggled by local governments because they 'somehow' got the idea that if folks could ride faster to Aspen it would all pay for itself with a gazillion new riders? Remember those voting breakdowns now when 'voters passed' those bonds. All those special interests beating the drum and the minority isolated pockets who support them barely, barely got the thing passed. With a lot of unhappy folks just saying NO. Come to think of it, they never mentioned all the forcing of imminent domain and the little technicality that they had no real plan in place for the actual infrastructure before they put in on the ballot, did they? Remember now, fares are yet to be determined and the travel time is still just a guesstimate.
Oh, sure...there's always money for RFTA.
Scott Condon:
"The goal will be for VelociRFTA buses to make the trip between Aspen and Glenwood Springs in one hour...."
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
March 22, 2012
SandBoxBlogs: Aspen Daily News/Letter to the Editor "Take a careful look at BRT"
Janine Gunning:
"Editor:
Ironically the new bus rapid transit (BRT) has taken on the logo VelociRFTA. Velociraptors have a predatory claw used to tear into prey, delivering a fatal blow. Putting aside their role as cunning killers, Velociraptor in Greek means “speedy thief.” VelociRFTA is tearing into the midvalley area with a plan sure to disembowel El Jebel. The rush to acquire federal dollars prompted the new El Jebel park and ride proposal.
A failed plan from the start, the proposal has misled residents. There is no scaled drawing to support use of 90 spaces, handicapped parking, entry and exit, proper set-backs, sidewalks, bathrooms, bike racks, commuter bus idling, turnaround and connection to the BRT highway stop without eliminating East Valley Road. The scaled drawing does not exist because it is impossible to achieve without immense community impact. The current lot is three times the size and yesterday hosted 100 cars, five handicapped spaces, port-a-john, bike racks and multiple buses.
The smaller site is not in alignment with growth. Yet, the unincorporated community of El Jebel is being rammed by the town of Basalt which benefits monetarily, while Eagle County commissioners and CDOT ignore their obligation to stop open ticket approvals.
Forty-five million dollars is about to be spent to cut travel time. However, the RFTA website states only five to 10 minutes will be cut from an express trip down the valley. Two BRT stops less than 1 mile apart in El Jebel does not speed up transit.
Of equal importance is that the existing bus stops in our area are not under control, like Catherine Store, El Jebel and Aspen Junction. The lots are unpaved, over crowded and not monitored. RFTA does not manage current use yet is asking for a rash approval. How will all of the lots be controlled in the future? How is it going to be better? The 138-page BRT environmental assessment did not show how it is going to work. Proper use, impact and mitigation measures are seriously tainted.
I’m OK with an advanced BRT system in our valley, but reporting lies as truth and ignoring history is simply fraudulent. Attend the Roaring Fork Valley Planning Commission meeting at the El Jebel Community Center at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 22. Demand that proposed development take responsibility for its impacts and insist this use approval be denied until looked at carefully...." (Read original letter? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
"Editor:
Ironically the new bus rapid transit (BRT) has taken on the logo VelociRFTA. Velociraptors have a predatory claw used to tear into prey, delivering a fatal blow. Putting aside their role as cunning killers, Velociraptor in Greek means “speedy thief.” VelociRFTA is tearing into the midvalley area with a plan sure to disembowel El Jebel. The rush to acquire federal dollars prompted the new El Jebel park and ride proposal.
A failed plan from the start, the proposal has misled residents. There is no scaled drawing to support use of 90 spaces, handicapped parking, entry and exit, proper set-backs, sidewalks, bathrooms, bike racks, commuter bus idling, turnaround and connection to the BRT highway stop without eliminating East Valley Road. The scaled drawing does not exist because it is impossible to achieve without immense community impact. The current lot is three times the size and yesterday hosted 100 cars, five handicapped spaces, port-a-john, bike racks and multiple buses.
The smaller site is not in alignment with growth. Yet, the unincorporated community of El Jebel is being rammed by the town of Basalt which benefits monetarily, while Eagle County commissioners and CDOT ignore their obligation to stop open ticket approvals.
Forty-five million dollars is about to be spent to cut travel time. However, the RFTA website states only five to 10 minutes will be cut from an express trip down the valley. Two BRT stops less than 1 mile apart in El Jebel does not speed up transit.
Of equal importance is that the existing bus stops in our area are not under control, like Catherine Store, El Jebel and Aspen Junction. The lots are unpaved, over crowded and not monitored. RFTA does not manage current use yet is asking for a rash approval. How will all of the lots be controlled in the future? How is it going to be better? The 138-page BRT environmental assessment did not show how it is going to work. Proper use, impact and mitigation measures are seriously tainted.
I’m OK with an advanced BRT system in our valley, but reporting lies as truth and ignoring history is simply fraudulent. Attend the Roaring Fork Valley Planning Commission meeting at the El Jebel Community Center at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 22. Demand that proposed development take responsibility for its impacts and insist this use approval be denied until looked at carefully...." (Read original letter? Click title)
"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)