I'll admit that I've never used CATA, but have always been a big supporter of it and public transit in general. However, a friend of mine relies on CATA, to the point that when looking for his house it wasn't just important that it be near a bus stop, but that it's also a useful bus stop.
For him, an hour for travel isn't unheard of. A lot of the routes run only once an hour. To get to East Lansing, Haslett was better served. I was surprised when I learned of this simply because I'm always seeing buses around but upon looking into it, in nearly every circumstance it would be better biking, often walking would get you there faster.
I definitely think frequency is something that needs to improve, along with a good evaluation of their routes which was previously mentioned. However, I know that also is dependent on riders...it also has to be profitable for them. It's a tough spot. I've got to admit, out of the metros I've been in, we have, by far, some of the newest buses. I think that is a plus as I have been debating using it more (despite going from the Westside neighborhood to downtown taking close to an hour). However, maybe there can be a balance with some older equipment that's maintained and improved routes/frequency?
It is a shame about the BRT...that would've actually persuaded me to use it.
I saw this super cool bus/train on youtube. It's called the O-bahn Busway in Adelaide, Austraila. Check it out, just search bus/train on youtube. I don't know where we could build one of these busways here maybe along the railroad right of ways but it sure would be a great thing if they did.
I am thinking that the busses themselves would be much less expensive than light rail cars and the infrastructure of electricity or locomotives that are needed for light rail. I could see a circle line around the whole metro area, with stops on the outer ring of community centers connecting with bus routes going into the city. I think it is kind of cool how these buses can go on the busway and be taken out of traffic to travel some distance at high speed and then go right back onto the city street. It's true that on a street like Michigan Ave a BRT would be a better fit. Just dreaming!
Is the ROW the green line/space with no tracks that go along to the north of Eastwood and then down crossing Lake Lansing Rd. by High street? I agree that would a very good space to put a bus lane or way. Even though rail lines are not exactly lined up with major roads they do cross them. I think this is where the stops or stations would be located at the crossings of major roads with bus connections to the other routes. Like, say at Walker Street and E Grand River that old ROW seems to go point right down that street from the former Demmer [it's called something else these days] plant. It is interesting to follow the old line on the north side of the urban area. There is even an underpass under 127! and it goes all the way to Owosso. There could be several stations starting at I-69 and the Chandler Rd area. Great idea let's tell the new guy!
I wonder how much weather effects ridership? It would seem like a lot of people who might have walked or biked get on the bus when it's around 10 degrees above zero every morning for weeks. It was not that cold in Oct. and Nov. so this looks like CATA is doing a good job getting people on the bus.
Wow that ROW is really cool to see on the satellite view of Google Maps. I don't know how I didn't notice it/follow it before from the northern tier. Even in the cheapest sense we could build a non-motorized pathway along the ROW to extend the Lansing River Trail.
I read about a very interesting project called The Great Lakes Hyperloop. Cleveland to Chicago in 28 minutes! Via a tube with magnetic levitation "trains". Let's get Lansing in that loop!
Thank the powers that be for #2!!! That section of roadway has to be one of, if not the worst of the major thoroughfares in East Lansing... it is actually crumbling away in huge chunks... I usually take Lake Lansing road or Grand River just to avoid that stretch of rotten highway!!!
Comments
I'll admit that I've never used CATA, but have always been a big supporter of it and public transit in general. However, a friend of mine relies on CATA, to the point that when looking for his house it wasn't just important that it be near a bus stop, but that it's also a useful bus stop.
For him, an hour for travel isn't unheard of. A lot of the routes run only once an hour. To get to East Lansing, Haslett was better served. I was surprised when I learned of this simply because I'm always seeing buses around but upon looking into it, in nearly every circumstance it would be better biking, often walking would get you there faster.
I definitely think frequency is something that needs to improve, along with a good evaluation of their routes which was previously mentioned. However, I know that also is dependent on riders...it also has to be profitable for them. It's a tough spot. I've got to admit, out of the metros I've been in, we have, by far, some of the newest buses. I think that is a plus as I have been debating using it more (despite going from the Westside neighborhood to downtown taking close to an hour). However, maybe there can be a balance with some older equipment that's maintained and improved routes/frequency?
It is a shame about the BRT...that would've actually persuaded me to use it.
I saw this super cool bus/train on youtube. It's called the O-bahn Busway in Adelaide, Austraila. Check it out, just search bus/train on youtube. I don't know where we could build one of these busways here maybe along the railroad right of ways but it sure would be a great thing if they did.
Very cool indeed. I checked out the O-bahn Busway article in Wikipedia. I'll try to view the YouTube later on.
I am thinking that the busses themselves would be much less expensive than light rail cars and the infrastructure of electricity or locomotives that are needed for light rail. I could see a circle line around the whole metro area, with stops on the outer ring of community centers connecting with bus routes going into the city. I think it is kind of cool how these buses can go on the busway and be taken out of traffic to travel some distance at high speed and then go right back onto the city street. It's true that on a street like Michigan Ave a BRT would be a better fit. Just dreaming!
Is the ROW the green line/space with no tracks that go along to the north of Eastwood and then down crossing Lake Lansing Rd. by High street? I agree that would a very good space to put a bus lane or way. Even though rail lines are not exactly lined up with major roads they do cross them. I think this is where the stops or stations would be located at the crossings of major roads with bus connections to the other routes. Like, say at Walker Street and E Grand River that old ROW seems to go point right down that street from the former Demmer [it's called something else these days] plant. It is interesting to follow the old line on the north side of the urban area. There is even an underpass under 127! and it goes all the way to Owosso. There could be several stations starting at I-69 and the Chandler Rd area. Great idea let's tell the new guy!
I wonder how much weather effects ridership? It would seem like a lot of people who might have walked or biked get on the bus when it's around 10 degrees above zero every morning for weeks. It was not that cold in Oct. and Nov. so this looks like CATA is doing a good job getting people on the bus.
Wow that ROW is really cool to see on the satellite view of Google Maps. I don't know how I didn't notice it/follow it before from the northern tier. Even in the cheapest sense we could build a non-motorized pathway along the ROW to extend the Lansing River Trail.
I read about a very interesting project called The Great Lakes Hyperloop. Cleveland to Chicago in 28 minutes! Via a tube with magnetic levitation "trains". Let's get Lansing in that loop!
You can find that article at Curbed Detroit.
MDOT has a statewide construction map for 2018.
Thank the powers that be for #2!!! That section of roadway has to be one of, if not the worst of the major thoroughfares in East Lansing... it is actually crumbling away in huge chunks... I usually take Lake Lansing road or Grand River just to avoid that stretch of rotten highway!!!