Mid City and Regional Rail

As anyone who lives in Mid City, I constantly dream that one day I can be independent of my car. However, there is a chicken and the egg complex. As a person living in an area that can easily be sustainable, what form of mass transit is needed first? Short distance? Or long distance? One without the other still requires a car.

The point of the question relates directly to the New Orleans/Baton Rouge rail. While I'm obviously a heavy supporter of the rail. I have many issues with the background planning for the project. One of the fundamental reasons will be the location of the station. Memorial Stadium, while central, isn't convenient. Non of our current transportation systems are centered on that specific location. Nor is this location heavily populated in the immediate area. So every person taking the train will be required a commute. Our current bus system would have to dedicate a special route specifically for the station, which would require a transfer and therefore over an hour bus ride to the average citizen. So most people will be arriving by car (I-110), with lots of cheap parking. This isn't even mentioning the people arriving to Baton Rouge. The train station, like the bus station, would have no immediate destinations nearby. Requiring further transfers for people out of town.

Another fundamental problem with the train will be cost. A ticket will more than likely be $40 r/t. LA Swift offered the same round trip at a cost of nothing, and now at $10. The ridership is still low. People say they will use a train instead of bus, but when it comes down to it, the same amount of convenience is offered on both. It's all a perception. Even if new rail lines are laid (which probably won't happen), its almost impossible that "high-speed" will ever be achieved on a short-run, multi-destination trip. So we are probably looking at a two hour ride between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. 

Being from the Midwest, we had a daily Amtrak train to Chicago that operated from downtown to downtown. The ride was 2.5 hours, 120 miles, at $40 (similar to the proposed New Orleans route). The station was located within a half mile of a 40,000 person university, had a high transit ridership, and the destination city of Chicago was much less automobile reliant than New Orleans. Yet the train was barley used.

My point isn't suppose to be cynical. Although it is. My point is personal fear. Investing all of this time, money, and effort into a single-line destination train might be the downfall of further investment. There isn't any long range vision. It seems to be forgotten that we already have a rail line connecting New Orleans to Houston. Yet no discussion on improving that service has taken place. While Baton Rouge could possibly be connected to Houston, it couldn't physically include Lafayette and Lake Charles (two of our large metro areas). So I wish this discussion would look at the long-term ramifications of a comprehensive regional rail study, instead of just a commuter line between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. If we are only looking at a commuter line, than we need to look at other short term transit options which is completely different from the regional, high-speed rail being discussed. In order for a commuter line to work, it needs to be well connected - a truly multi-model transportation network. There are three levels to this type of transit. Local bus service, light rail, and commuter rail. Small steps need to be made in each to succeed. Focusing all our resources on one level is as failing as focusing all our transportation money into the automobile.

Sidewalks

A lack of blogging, I know. But I’m starting again with a talk about sidewalks. Something most people would say Government Street is lacking, Yet Government Street is "lucky" because it actually has sidewalks along the entire corridor. Most major corridors in Baton Rouge cannot claim this honor. While it's required for developers to build sidewalks in all of their developments (Section UDC 13.6), it is (apparently) not required for the city to put sidewalks in their projects. This can be seen citywide as many of the Major Street Projects have not considered pedestrian accessibility at all (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). (Yet, I think their coming around, and more and more projects do consider pedestrian accessibility).

So why does Government Street - and urban corridor with heavy population density, and numerous pedestrian destinations - not provide a seemingly safe climate for pedestrians, you ask. 

Answer? I don't know.

Actually, almost all the signalized intersections do have pedestrian lights. Of course this excludes 22nd Street and Jefferson Highway, and (the last time I used it) Acadian Thruway's pedestrian signals didn't work. While minor, pedestrian signals help give the pedestrian an idea of safety so they can take their legal right of way (1) (2).

However.

Walkability boils down to perception. While Government Street holds the population density necessary for walkability, along with numerous destinations, people don't perceive Government Street as walkable. A huge problem lies in-between the signalized intersections. The first problem being the lack of intersections. Signals are sometimes spaced at a half mile, which requires you to find an intersection, or cross the street mid block (without a cross). Mid block crossings are legal (as long as there isn't an a near by signal), but I myself will rarely make the dash due to the four lanes of traffic moving at 40mph. Which leads us to the next reason people don't percieve Governmetn Street as "safe". With sidewalks around four feet wide (adequate by city code, but not adequate by Government Streetcode), it doesn't make your leisurely stroll a-brush with traffic very lovely. 

How is any of this fixable? Well first the city should require development to abide by laws already in place. Government Street requires all redevelopment over 40% to install five foot sidewalks. While the ordinance is shaky, I would think that applies to all sidewalks. This includes sidewalks along the street, and for pedestrian circulation onsite. There have been many developments since this ordinance that have not held this provision. In fact, it was pulling teeth to have the city incorporate pedestrian amenities in the Foster Drive Greenlight Project. At first, they were going to block any pedestrian movement (like most Greenlight Projects) until they were asked to make the intersection friendly to pedestrians. One can argue a dedicated right hand turn lane, and five lanes of traffic is not pedestrian friendly. But the signals do work, signage is in place, and a crosswalk has been provided that is ADA. I honestly have to say I feel better crossing at that intersection.

Other than sidewalk width, another one of my favorite features of Government Street is the semi-parking lots along the street. I say "semi" because the majority of parking seemingly lies within the state right-of-way. Not only is this incredibly unsafe to cars, its even more unsafe to pedestrians as cars attempt to back onto Government Street amongst cars traveling at 40mph. Parking that backs onto a public street is illegal by Baton Rouge standard (UDC 17.4), but one would assume everyone has been "grandfathered in". Yet, one would also assume this feature would be of top Government priority because it's unsafe, and it is all taking place within right of way. If our city attorney is concerned about bike using the street legally, I'd think they would be even more conerned with the parking mess along Government Street. But I digress.

Another thing that can be done to correct these problems would require better attention from city officials. While I commend everything that has been accomplished downtown, other areas of the city need attention. Since I live along Government Street, I of course advocate a major street scape project along Government Street. There are lots of federal funds that assist in these efforts, and would only cost a fraction of other major street renovations. Baton Rouge is still in the mindset of transportation improvements that move more traffic faster. Yet most transportation projects can be solved if people start shopping locally because people won't have to use the expensive five lane interstate, or flyover ramps. The majority of my shopping occurs within a half mile of my house. Imagine if everyone did this. We wouldn't need multi-millions (billions on a loop). 

What can we do? Well first is to understand the pedestrian laws. Cars have to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks (if there isn’t signalization). Once the pedestrian footsteps in a crosswalk, cars should come to a complete stop and let the pedestrian cross.  I could go on a rant on how this law isn’t followed anywhere in the city, but since Government Street doesn’t have stand alone, mid-block crosswalks. Nor should Government Street have standalone crosswalks. It’s a high speed road, and would cause more problems for pedestrians than solve. Since there are no mid-block crossings, state and local law requires pedestrians to cross at a signalized intersection, when available. So assuming a quarter mile stretch of no signalization would be considered "not available", you can cross at any point along Government. Yielding to cars of course. In addition, you have the right away at any point the sidewalk crosses over a driveway or side street with an unsignalized intersection. Most drivers will try to run you over when you cross in front of them, but take the right of way (and maybe hit their car if they try to hit you).

Most of all. Just take the opportunity to walk down the street. The more people do it, the more people will want to do it, and the city will take note and begin upgrading their infrastructure.