Silver Lining: New DART rail line revs up North Texas transit, tourism ahead of World Cup 🚋
#DART #SilverLine #Dallas #DFW #FortWorth #Texas #MassTransit #Rail #Metro #RapidTransit
#rapidtransit
I just watched a very interesting video on the #REM. It discusses some of the technical questions, but more importantly, it also addresses the organisational strategies used to get the project built quickly and (based upon a $9B estimated capital cost) cheaply on a per km basis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlHqqA0onn0
This video has had the best explanation of the financing of the REM that I have come across.
#Montréal #CDPQ #LaCaisse #infrastructure
#RapidTransit #REMmtl
#TheFlyingMoose
With up to 116m below the ground, the #Hongyancun station of the Chongqing Rail Transit in #Chongqing, #China is the deepest metro station in the world. It was opened on January 25th, 2022. Prior to that, the #kyiv Metro's #Arsenalna station held the record.
#Paris is fully automating its busy #Metro Line 13, allowing driverless operation. #Siemens Mobility has received the contract, which includes an automation system, a new operations control centre, and equipment for 66 trains. The project should be finished in late 2032. Line 13 is 24km long, serves 32 stations with a daily ridership of ~500,000 passengers.
https://www.railway-technology.com/news/siemens-mobility-automate-paris-metro-line-13
The #TbilisiMetro opened on 11 January 1966, making it the fourth metro system in the former #SovietUnion. It consists two lines, serving 23 stations. Most of its stations are deeply built and vividly decorated.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tbilisi_Metro
Photo credit: Tbilisi Transport Company, CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tbilisi_Metro_departing_train_on_State_University_station.jpg
#RailwaySunday #Tbilisi #Georgia #transport #PublicTransport #RapidTransit #metro
The #RiyadhMetro in #SaudiArabia is the world's longest driverless #train network. It is 176km long, has six lines and transports 1.2M passengers daily.
https://railway-news.com/yeltech-x-riyadh-metro-powering-the-worlds-longest-driverless-train-network/
Photo credit: Siemens Riyadh Metro Train (self driving) - innoTrans 2016. ubahnverleih/CC0 1.0. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Riyadh_Metro_-_innoTrans_2016.jpg
#RailwaySunday #railway #RapidTransit #PublicTransport #Asia #Riyadh
YES! VICTORY! Public pushback makes a difference!
#MaineTurnpikeAuthority drops controversial #GorhamConnector project
by WGME Staff Thu, March 6th 2025 at 7:56 PM
GORHAM (WGME) – "The Maine Turnpike Authority is now dropping its controversial Gorham connector project.
"The project would have built a new highway from South Portland to Gorham, with the goal of easing heavy road congestion.
"The MTA paused the project last year after receiving backlash from local residents.
"The project would have required the demolition of nearly a dozen homes and confiscation of #farmland."
"'There was a lot of concern, and people wondered if it's the right-sized tool for the job, a lot of people have concerns that, building another highway, there's concerns that it will just fill up,' MTA Director of Communications Erin Courtney said.
The MTA says it's heading back to the drawing board to re-examine traffic conditions and review past mobility studies to find better ways to ease congestion in the area." [Like #LightRail, #RapidTransitBusLines and more #BikeLanes!]
https://wgme.com/news/local/maine-turnpike-authority-drops-controversial-gorham-connector-project-south-portland
#Maine #SaveSmilingHillFarm #SmilingHillFarm #InducedSprawl #GorhamConnector #MainersForSmarterTransportation #Maine #MaineNews #GorhamBypass #GorhamSpur #Maine #RapidTransit #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit
#SF #BayArea #RapidTransit officials weighing million dollar name change plan for #Oakland's Lake Merritt subway station to be recast as #Chinatown Station upon burst of political pressure from city council President and local Asian community activists.
https://www.ktvu.com/news/name-change-proposed-lake-merritt-bart-station-oakland-chinatown
Wishing the New York City subway a happy 120th birthday. #transit #rapidtransit #subway #newyork #newyorkcity
The Addis Ababa Light Rail in Ethiopia's capitol is the first of its kind in eastern and sub-saharan Africa. The two lines began operation in 2015 and have a total daily ridership of 56,000. The rolling stock consists of 41 low-floor trams by CNR Changchun.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addis_Ababa_Light_Rail
Photo credit: A.Savin, Wikipedia/Free Art License (cropped)
#RailwaySunday #Africa #Ethiopia #AddisAbaba #AddisAbabaLightRail #RapidTransit #Tram #LightRail #EthiopianRailwaysCorporation
#ScarboroughMaine Town Council rescinds support for #GorhamConnector
The 6-1 vote on the resolution follows increasing opposition among town residents to the controversial $331 million, 5-mile highway, which would affect 35 property owners in town.
by Drew Johnson
10/2/2024
"The vote was not unexpected; a majority of councilors had voiced support for the resolution at a meeting last month.
"Myles Smith, a member of the #MainersForSmarterTransportation group that organized a rally outside Town Hall Wednesday night, commended the council for taking up the resolution.
"'We’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘There’s nothing we can do about this project,’ ‘It’s a done deal,’ or ‘It’s decided by the state,’ ' Smith said. 'But that’s not true. When people come together and stand up for what they believe in, and our elected leaders listen to their concerns, we can make changes that people want to see in their community.'
"The resolution rescinds the council’s support for the connector, citing the failure of the #MaineTurnpikeAuthority to fulfill the terms of its agreement with Scarborough and three other communities, as well as town residents’ widespread opposition to the project.
"The resolution is not binding on future councils and leaves open the possibility of collaborating with state and regional transportation groups to resolve traffic issues should such efforts garner significant public support.
"The Maine Turnpike Authority, Scarborough, Gorham, South Portland and Westbrook signed an agreement in May 2022 pledging support for the project. While those other communities have not officially considered withdrawing their support, officials in the other municipalities have been watching the Scarborough council’s deliberations closely as public opposition to the project mounts.
"The project, estimated to cost at least $331 million, was proposed by the turnpike authority to alleviate traffic congestion through the Gorham area and has been contentious from the outset.
"The four-lane, 5-mile connector would stretch from Route 114 at the Gorham Bypass into Scarborough with interchanges at County and Running Hill roads before linking up with Interstate 95 at Exit 45 in South Portland. It’s designed to alleviate traffic in other parts of those communities, such as on Route 114 and Route 22, which provide connections to the highway.
"According to a turnpike authority presentation to the Scarborough council in February, about 50 landowners would be impacted by the project via easements, 35 of them in Scarborough. The connector also would weave through #wetlands in the northern portion of town, sparking #environmental concerns.
"The preferred path also is set to cut through a portion of #SmilingHillFarm in #WestbrookMaine, a family-owned farm on 500 acres that has been in the Knight family for 13 generations, which spurred widespread opposition to the project.
"'I’m hoping today that the Town Council members decide to put a pause on this and to talk to the MTA about finding alternate routes or scrapping this project altogether,' Ben Wallace, a 12th-generation farmer at Smiling Hill Farm, said ahead of the vote."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/10/02/scarborough-town-council-votes-to-rescind-support-for-gorham-connector-project/
Archived version:
https://archive.md/dkvkB#selection-2485.0-2541.254
#Maine #MaineNews #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #ProtectTheWetlands #BrookTrout
UPDATE: Scarborough withdrew their support for the Gorham Connector!
So, the word I'm hearing is that so many people showed up at a recent meeting voicing their opposition, the #ScarboroughMaine Town Council has no choice but to withdraw their support.
Scarborough council to vote on withdrawing support for #GorhamConnector
by Aysia Reed, WGME
Wed, October 2nd 2024
#Maine #MaineNews #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl
This guy at the transit station has been thru some stuff.
#publicart #metalsculpture #PublicTransport #rapidtransit #rta
Workshop in #ScarboroughMaine Wednesday, September 18th
Community group opposing #GorhamConnector discusses alternatives
A coalition run by volunteers, #MainersForSmarterTransportation , held a community forum about the Gorham Connector, with all present opposing it.
"Offering alternatives to the connector, Gorham resident Tina Ruel talked about traveling this summer in Switzerland and France and riding aboard electric trams on tracks and buses. 'Building more roads and widening roads is no longer the answer,' Ruel said in a printed statement to the American Journal."
by Robert Lowell, September 12, 2024
"Opponents of the proposed #MaineTurnpike toll connector to Gorham spoke out last week in a community forum held in Westbrook.
"A grassroots coalition, Mainers for Smarter Transportation, organized the meeting. It has more than 11,000 signatures on a petition to halt the connector, according to its website m4st.org.
"#SmarterTransportation volunteer Myles Smith of Portland said the connector could cost upward of $400 to $500 million and quality of life suffers when new roads are constructed. '#Highways often lead to #sprawl, Smith said.
"Two ways to solve transportation problems, Paul Drinan, who is a member of Westbrook Recreation and #Conservation Commission, said, are #RapidTransit and active transportation such as #bicycling and #ElectricScooters.
The proposed 4.8-mile connector would link the Bernard Rines Bypass in Gorham to Turnpike Exit 45 in South Portland. It is aimed at easing bumper-to-bumper, rush-hour congestion in the routes 22 and 114 commuter corridor through #GorhamMaine, #ScarboroughMaine and #WestbrookMaine. The connector alignment would cut a 50-acre swath through historic #SmilingHillFarm.
"Retired Gorham tax assessor Mike D’Arcangelo said Maine is a tourist mecca and the state’s beauty needs protection. 'Are we going to put in a forever, four-lane highway?' he said.
"The Scarborough Town Council will discuss the Gorham connector in a workshop scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Scarborough Municipal Building, 259 Route 1."
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/09/12/community-group-opposing-gorham-connector-discusses-alternatives/
Archive:
https://archive.md/CrtWs
#InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #LightRail #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit #BikeLanes #MainersForSmarterTransportation #MaineTurnpikeAuthority
Grassroots group’s report sharply criticizes #GorhamConnector proposal
#MainersForSmarterTransportation recommends alternatives to the project as #ScarboroughMaine town councilors consider calling for changes to address growing public concerns.
September 5, 2024
by Kelley Bouchard
“Tyson and others say the connector proposal is based on stale #commuter data and obsolete #highway design goals in an attempt to shave an average of 4 minutes off morning and evening drive times. They question the design, cost, safety and need for the project, as well as its impact on the #environment, regional economy and overall quality of life in #SouthPortland, Scarborough, #WestbrookMaine, #GorhamMaine and beyond.
"#M4ST is a coalition of individuals, nonprofits and other groups seeking alternatives to highway expansion in #GreaterPortland. So far, over 12,000 Mainers have signed the group’s petition calling for a halt to planning the Gorham Connector.
"Coalition members include #GrowSmartMaine, #TroutUnlimited, #SierraClubMaine Chapter, #SmilingHillFarm, #MovingMaineNetwork, #PortlandBikePed Advisory Committee and Westbrook #SafeMobility and Access Committee.“
Original article:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/09/05/gorham-connector-target-of-grassroots-groups-report/
Archive:
https://archive.md/axABu
#SaveRedBrook #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #LightRail #HuskyLine #RapidBusTransit #BikeLanes #MainersForSmarterTransportation #MaineTurnpikeAuthority
Coalition proposes alternatives to controversial #GorhamConnector project
Maine Public | By Nicole Ogrysko
Published September 6, 2024
"A coalition of #environmental, planning and #transportation groups is advocating for alternatives to the controversial Gorham Connector project.
"The #MaineTurnpikeAuthority has proposed a toll road that would run from Exit 45 in South Portland through Westbrook and and Scarborough to the #GorhamBypass at Route 114. Turnpike authorities have said the 4.8-mile, four-lane highway would significantly reduce traffic congestion [by a whole 10 minutes, according to MTA's own study!!!].
"But the coalition, known as #MainersForSmarterTransportation (#M4ST), is out with a report this week that details a long list of recommendations for reducing congestion in the region.
"'Simply replacing some of the existing traffic lights with #roundabouts would reduce congestion and reduce #GreenhouseGas emissions,' said #PaulDrinan, active transportation director for the #BicycleCoalitionOfMaine, which is part of Mainers for Smarter Transportation. 'We could also convert some of the old traffic lights with what they call smart lights.'
"Other recommendations include improving the shoulders along nearby roads and adding #BikeLanes. Drinan said the group is also urging the Turnpike Authority to delay the Connector project for at least two years, so that a #RapidBusTransit plan developed by the Greater Portland Council of Governments can take shape.
"The group also believes outdated and flawed traffic data are being used make the case for the project."
[Plus contracts and kickbacks from #PikeIndustries and other vendors]
#SaveRedBrook #SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #SaveTheForest #Wildlife #LightRail
It looks like #GorhamMaine is seriously considering a #RapidTransit alternative to the #GorhamConnector!
Special Town Council Meeting
Event Date: Tuesday, September 3, 2024 - 5:30pm to 6:30pm
Gorham Municipal Center
From the Agenda:
"Action to consider endorsing a conceptual rapid transit design process request from the Greater Portland Council of Governments along Route
25 connecting Gorham to Portland.
Proposed Order #24-124
"Ordered, that the Town Council formally endorses moving forward with concept design planning and survey a rapid transit service to enhance the
#HuskyLine, between Gorham and #PortlandMaine; and Be It Further Ordered, that this initial endorsement is not an official
approval of any specific design aspects of the project to include right of way layouts, traffic prioritization and/or changes in funding allocations
that will need to be carefully considered as the project moves forward."
https://www.gorham-me.org/town-council/events/45231
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms
Upcoming meeting! Find out about alternatives to the #GorhamConnector in Southern #Maine! #LessCars, #MorePublicTransportation!
Gorham Notes: Aug. 29, 2024
by Robert Lowell
"Gorham connector forum
#MainersForSmarterTransportation have a community forum planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the #WestbrookMaine Community Center on the proposed Gorham Connector to the #MaineTurnpike.
"The #MaineTurnpikeAuthority is proposing a 5-mile, four-lane connector from the roundabout on Gorham’s South Street to Exit 45 in South Portland.
The plan calls for the connector to slice through #SmilingHillFarm and has generated an extensive public outcry. The connector is aimed at easing the heavy commuter traffic in the routes 22 and 114 corridor through #GorhamMaine, #ScarboroughMaine and Westbrook."
Original article [may be behind paywall]:
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/08/29/gorham-notes-aug-29/
Archive:
https://archive.md/qDpDR#selection-2399.0-2413.250
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl #SaveRedBrook
YES!
Peter Mills stepping down as head of Maine Turnpike Authority
Gov. Janet Mills' brother, who has served as executive director of the quasi-governmental agency since 2011, said his health factored into his decision to not seek reappointment in September.
by Rachel Ohm
June 27, 2024
"Mills’ decision comes at a busy time for the turnpike authority, which is working on a controversial proposal for a 5-mile, more than $200 million toll road from South Portland to Gorham known as the #GorhamConnector, among other projects. The agency has faced strong resistance to the project, including from the family-owned #SmilingHillFarm in #GorhamMaine."
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamSpur #GorhamBypass #MTA #Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl
Four FREAKING minutes! That's all the time saved by destroying #SmilingHillFarm and the #RedBrook watershed!!! And that was from Maine Turnpike Authority's owm study!!!
Residents continue to voice concern over Gorham Connector highway plan
June 25, 2024
"A traffic study by the MTA says when the new highway opens, the average driver in the surrounding area will save about 4 minutes off their commute."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/some-mainers-voice-concerns-over-gorham-connector-plan/ar-BB1oT454
#SaveSmilingHillFarm #GorhamConnector #GorhamBypass #SaveSmilingHill #GorhamSpur
#Maine #RapidTransit #LightRail #SaveTheFarms #ProtectTheForest #InducedDemand #Sprawl
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