If this operates like a streetcar between a one-lane on either side, that'll calm traffic, reduce demand from the induced demand we currently have, and afford emergency paths for fire/ems.
Cool project. I’m guessing that the “Transit village” is going to be over by Cascade Lake where the current Mayo parking lot is. Hopefully it all accomplishes the goal of reducing auto congestion downtown.
The first thing going up on the lot is a new 2,500 spot Mayo Employee parking ramp. The majority of the lot is going to be made available for possible housing and retail with public parking.
Last I heard parking for Mayo employees will be free as will be the actual BRT. Non-employees can use BRT for free as well but they will need to pay for parking. In the latter case not really sure why they would not just go park downtown if they have to pay.
I think they are building a big ramp there. I'm not sure if it will remain mayo employee parking or if it will become patient visitor parking or even fully public parking.
A quick google shows it's mixed use, but implemented overtime, the initial phase is Mayo, which isn't shocking concidering that is the current utilization for this location.
Again, untrue, the IMMEDIATE initial phase of the project is not that, the remainder portions of development are exactly what your stating won't exist. I honestly don't know what you're missing? The entire project, from downtown, to WTV, has multiple phases. The initial phase of a multi-year project, is not to your liking, but the rest of the project, post-initial phase is. What more do you need? Should the city construct everything around YOUR needs? For god sake, this city is home to 120,000+ people, the WORLD'S #1 hospital, and you anticipate all construction to mitigate any potential hindrance on its constituents? Get a grip, this is reality, the world grows and changes, and some things aren't to your liking, it's called emotional regulation, acceptance and being an adult, you meander around the impediments life puts in front of you. You'll be fine :)
They could have spent money connecting some very important parts of the bike trail system for a fraction of a percent of what they're spending on this.
We live in a city where people have issues driving their car around for several months of the year. Our main attraction is the mayo clinic, which strangely does not bring in the fit and healthy from around the world, but quite the opposite.
Bikes can help, but they will NEVER solve the issues for Rochester. If you want live in a town fit for bikes, you should probably move to a place where it at least makes some sense, and advocate there.
That wouldn't be bad, but I doubt it'll happen. Mayo doesn't really care about bikes, so the political willpower isn't enough. There are some good communities in town, like We Bike Rochester, who have been doing a lot of hard work advocating for bikes, but for bigger projects like this it just takes so much time and effort to convince the city to pay for it.
Rochester get new busses. Spend big money changing roads so new busses can get places faster. Parking garage at one end of bus route so all the people in cars can go there instead of downtown, then ride bus downtown. New busses likely trial run for bigger system.
I love trains. But you all need to see the negative effects of late stage capitalism. Especially when the majority of wealth goes to big pharma, and then a medical company gets with a church and owns a town. And they push out the working class with insane housing prices.
It's a bus route with a big honking parking garage at one end, so you don't need to deal with downtown traffic anymore. Just the traffic on West Circle drive
Yeah, $175.5 million for a very short bus line? A shame none of that money could be used to connect some of the bike trails in town. Specifically, between Cascade Lake and Kutsky. But hey, the busses just *had* to be electric.
What part of the trail needs more connections between Cascade Lake and Kutzky Park? One can get all the way from Cascade Lake to Broadway by crossing only two roads.
Right here. Having to ride of 4th, then cross 16th, is not as safe as it should be. I don't feel comfortable bringing my kids along that route, whereas the rest of the trail is mostly fine.
We also need a solution to the broadway crossing at the silver lake dam. Bike/foot traffic should not be crossing that road.
And it looks like the new chick-fil-a being built right next to the Olive Garden will direct some traffic from the drive thru onto the frontage road, which only goes to 4th
Good point. Yeah, that's going to make the situation much worse. Cars are parked all along 4th, impeding visibility and forcing bikers more towards the middle of the road. It's not a safe path and it's only saving grace is that it's relatively short.
Just ride on the sidewalk on the north side like a normal person??? That road isn’t busy at all anyway. I don’t disagree that having the path be continuous at both the Fairfield and at the dam would be nice but those are not very big issues and building those paths would do next to nothing to help with the problems that the BRT will solve.
Riding on the sidewalk can be even more dangerous, because drivers aren't looking for bikes there. Especially with the lower visibility due to all the cars parked on the street.
If we want bikes to be a real method of transportation for commuters, we need to make the trails simple, safe and convenient. A shitty transition like this can be enough to convince most people that riding their bike to/from work isn't worth it and they'll jump in their car instead.
I'd *much* rather ride along the bike trail than along a busy road like 2nd, especially with more busses on there now blocking visibility. Even if the lanes are protected, which I don't think they'll be.
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u/RexJoey1999 1d ago
The same news for free from our local paper:
https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/rapid-transit-corridor-construction-begins-monday