[tabi] Re: Nova 2010 Plan

  • From: "Easy Talk" <easytalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2009 11:25:55 -0400

From the description that William posted, how do we know where the bus stops,  
We know what roads they go on but that is all.  For example Village square is 
mentioned but where on village square.  From what I see so far, there has been 
no consideration for disabled people to be able to use the system
How are people in wheel chairs going to get to the stop.  If you notice the bus 
still goes down ross road near Gibbs manner which are the low income housing 
for people with disabilities.  I guess we are suppose to all live there.

So what's new.

Robert

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Sila Miller 
  To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 8:35 PM
  Subject: [tabi] Re: Nova 2010 Plan


  Lynn, This is absolutely excellent and I truly appreciate your time, effort 
and spokesmenship!
  The below info came from a sighted but non-driving friend who takes the bus 
DAILY to the R.A. Gray building, and for virtually all her errands.  She saw 
these weaknesses with the map as published on the website. Have a look and use 
what you need. I too liked Robert's suggestion of feeder routes (smaller buses.)
  Thank you again!
  Sila

  1.  No bus access on Ocala Road between Tharpe and Tennessee
  2.  No bus access to schools on Miccosukee Road (Leon High, Trinity 
  Catholic, Cobb Middle and Kate Sullivan)
  3.  No bus going into either Tallahassee Mall or Governor's Square Mall
  4.  No bus to Griffin Middle School or Ruediger Elementary
  5.  No bus on South Bronough Street between Pensacola Street and Gaines 
  - access to R.A. Gray Building
  6.  No bus on West College Avenue
  7.  No bus on Governor's Square Boulevard
  8.  No bus access to Lincoln High, Apalachee Elementary or Adult 
  Education
  9.  No bus to Trousdell Gymnastics Center and pool

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Lynn Evans 
    To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 3:54 PM
    Subject: [tabi] Re: Nova 2010 Plan


    Ok how does this sound. 

    I will definitely begoing to one of the meetings at the senior center and 
maybe more on the 21st and 28. 

    I have made a folder and I will funnel your concerns about the Nova 2010 
Plan into this folder and print the items out to take to the meeting. I am 
starting with Robert's message. I will remove the names to protect the 
innocent. 

    Now if someone thinks this is a bad idea or just wants to sound off and not 
have it printed out then I want do it. 


      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Easy Talk 
      To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
      Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 9:15 AM
      Subject: [tabi] Re: Nova 2010 Plan


      This new system will pretty much make most of us home bound since federal 
law says Pari Transit only has to go 3 quarters of a mile out of the fixed 
route system and from what I can tell and is clearly stated in the plan busses 
will no longer go in to neighbor hoods.  You can run buses up and down major 
roads in Tallahassee all you want but it looks like they will be empty since 
people can't get to them.

      If it rains, the city might as well shut down the buses.  Not many people 
are going to walk a mile or 2 to catch the bus and dial a ride will no longer 
be required to pick you up.

      Robert
        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Chip Orange 
        To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
        Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 5:53 PM
        Subject: [tabi] Re: Nova 2010 Plan


        Hi William and all,

        thank you for the posting.

        I'd like you to know I've been speaking with another blind individual, 
who is neither associated with TABI or TCB, so most of us are unlikely to know 
what he knows and vice versa.

        He in turn has been speaking with Sam, and has mentioned to him that 
the new routes as planned, do not go directly up to the malls (such as 
Governor's Square), but only approach a near-by street corner (I believe he 
said the Parkway and Park Avenue for instance).

        This would mean quite a walk for someone going to Gov Square, and even 
worse, part of it would have to be across the parking lot without any landmarks.

        He has also mentioned that several routes would require transferring by 
walking across a difficult to cross street such as ThomasVille Road or Capitol 
Circle, in order to achieve certain routings.

        In general, he believes Star Metro has made these decisions without 
considering the difficulty a blind pedestrian would face in following the plan.

        I don't know if his understanding is correct, and even if the current 
plan is still this way, but I thought I'd point it out for those who are 
interested as an item I would judge to be of importance.

        hth,

        Chip







        ------------------------------

        Chip Orange
        Database Administrator
        Florida Public Service Commission

        Chip.Orange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
        (850) 413-6314

         (Any opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not 
necessarily reflect those of the Florida Public Service Commission.)






----------------------------------------------------------------------
          From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On 
Behalf Of blindwilly
          Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 5:40 PM
          To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
          Subject: [tabi] Nova 2010 Plan


          Greetings,

           

          The following is an on going discussion I have been having with Sam 
Scheiv of Star Metro.   In fact here is his first message, back to me.

           

           

          Dear Mr. Benjamin:

           

          It was nice speaking to you yesterday.  Please find attached the 
document describing the Nova 2010 project.  Below I have written descriptions 
of each route

          as they are now.  I have not included every turn or small street, but 
enough to understand the general direction.  These routes are still in flux.  In

          fact I just made a change this morning.  So this is not final.  We 
are taking suggestions from the public and incorporating them into the plan.  
That means

          we need to know what people DO like as much as what people don't 
like.  I hope you find this interesting and I appreciate you calling.

           

          Sincerely,

           

          Samuel L. Scheib

          Senior Planner

           
           
           
          Nova 2010 Overview
           

           

          For many years transit concentrated in downtown Tallahassee where 
shoppers, moviegoers, employees, and diners invariably traveled.  Over the 
ensuing decades, the downtown share of the city's employment decreased as 
shopping centers, restaurants, movie theaters, and even government jobs 
relocated to the periphery (Tax World, Koger Center, CCOC, etc.).  

           

          The practice of transit is changing, and a growing number of agencies 
have found serving multiple destinations has been tremendously successful, 
starting with West Coast transit properties in Portland, Oregon, and San Diego, 
California and then spreading to places like Colorado Springs and Madison, 
Wisconsin, a state capital with a large university presence like our own.  In 
Florida, Pinellas and Broward Counties have similarly restructured their 
systems.

           

          Concurrent with the 2005 StarMetro Renaissance Plan, the 2005 Transit 
Development Plan, the November 2008 City Commission Target Issue Meeting and 
the City Manager's 2009 Resolutions, StarMetro has taken preliminary steps to 
create a decentralized route structure plan for the City of Tallahassee.  Once 
implemented, the plan, known as Nova 2010, would distribute transit services 
mostly along major roadways in Tallahassee; several routes will not serve 
downtown at all.  By not sending every route to C.K. Steele Plaza, passengers 
would experience greater frequency of service and a system that more closely 
resembles contemporary vehicular travel patterns.  

           

          In developing the draft plan, there were several assumptions about 
conditions in Tallahassee.  First, the system would, like the present one, 
serve the city of Tallahassee with the few exceptions currently in place, such 
as Bradfordville on the 80x.  Second, we would work to use, to the best extent 
possible, existing facilities.  We have Steele Plaza and approximately 105 bus 
shelters, and have adapted a draft plan to use these resources as a starting 
point on implementation day.   Expanding with additional facilities would be 
added as the plan gains popularity, as needed and as fiscally feasible.  
Lastly, we assumed two lanes on Tennessee Street between Monroe and Ocala would 
be converted to transit-only use, as is currently recommended in a study by 
Genesis Group.  Beyond that, our goal was to use similar existing resources-the 
number of buses and drivers, the funding level-all would remain as close as 
possible to current levels.  The above is based on our cursory draft plan.  
This draft plan is subject to changes based minimally on a full system 
analysis, review of alternatives, considerable public involvement, a thorough 
origin and destination study and Commission approval.

           

          We focused our analysis on employment density, as the planning 
literature consistently points to employment density being better at generating 
transit trips than population density; although having high densities of both 
is best.  Since employment densities are highest on major roadways, we assigned 
routes to these roads while trying to approximate a grid network as seen on the 
attached map.

           

          Nova 2010 is intended to accomplish several things:

            

          q       Reduce Downtown Trips: The most common customer complaint is 
that all the buses go downtown.  At a recent listening session, a customer 
lamented the only way to get from one section of Orange Avenue to another was 
to first go to Steele Plaza at the corner of Tennessee and Adams Streets.  In 
order to mimic contemporary travel patters (i.e. to go to jobs on the 
periphery) passengers often must make the V-shaped trip of going downtown first 
and then back out again to the customers final destination.

          q       Reduce Redundancy: The current hub and spoke system requires 
all buses to meet at the same time at the central hub. Since C.K. Steele Plaza 
is located along a major arterial (W. Tennessee Street, near the intersection 
with Monroe Street), every bus must travel along this corridor at the same time 
in order for passengers to make their transfers. This results in two or more 
buses arriving and leaving from the plaza in tandem to travel along the same 
corridor for a significant distance, passing the same stops. With the concept 
Nova 2010 plan, the importance of C.K. Steele Plaza is downplayed as buses 
operate independent of each other. This allows for one bus to cover an entire 
corridor, instead of five buses covering the same corridor, as is the case of 
W. Tennessee Street. 

          q       Increase On-Time Performance: Another complaint staff 
receives is buses run behind schedule. This is primarily due to two reasons - 
buses traveling at lower speeds in neighborhoods, and routes being dependent on 
each other for transfers (i.e. if one arrives late, the other buses are held 
for transferring patrons). Under Nova 2010, buses will remain on the major 
roads allowing for higher travel speeds as  applicable. In addition, the routes 
operate independent of each other. This means if one arrives late, it does not 
affect the operation of the other routes. Patrons are would be accommodated 
better with Nova 2010 with higher service frequency leading to shorter wait 
times (10 to 30 minutes during peak hours verses up to an hour with the current 
system).

          q       Increased Ridership/Decreased Carbon Footprint:  StarMetro 
expects Nova 2010 to make transit significantly more attractive to a much 
broader part of the community, and each single-occupancy-vehicle driver that 
shifts to transit represents reduced carbon emissions, cleaner air, reduced 
congestion, less road maintenance, etc.

          q       Reduce travel time for patrons using transit: Instead of 
going in and out of neighborhoods, the Nova 2010 plan would have more direct 
service to major employment and shopping/recreation centers.

          q       Increase frequency: Buses will arrive more often giving our 
customers more options for using transit service with greater convenience.

          q       Increased Opportunities for Regional Travel: With few 
exceptions (80X, Route 17, and Route 21), there are no opportunities for 
regional travel in the current system. By decentralizing the system, 
independent cross-town routes along major corridors create the opportunities 
for regional expansion.

           

          While there are many distinct advantages in addition to the 
aforementioned ones of the Nova 2010 concept plan, there are a few perceived 
disadvantages, which have proven to be advantages across the country:

           

          q       Routes would no longer circulate within neighborhoods. This 
will, however, allow StarMetro to serve a larger population by providing higher 
frequency and better service to the most popular destinations.

          q       Related to the above, walking distances to StarStops are 
anticipated to increase. On the other hand, this will lead to fewer stops, 
increased mobility, a more pleasurable riding experience and a healthier 
community.

           

          The benefits, however, would far outweigh the few discrete 
disadvantages, which are better communicated in a longer visual presentation.  
StarMetro would have a more dependable system going where our patrons want to 
go doing so in a timely, efficient fashion.

           

           

          After I got this message, as per Sila requested, I asked for a 
discription of the routes for the eleven bus routes, and they are as follows..

           

           

          US 90 (1), 20 minutes: Fallschase, W US 90, S Appleyard, W Pensacola, 
N Blountstown, E US 90

           

          US 90 (2), 20 minutes: Fallschase, W US 90, N Capital Circle, loop 
through Commonwealth, S Capital Circle, E US 90

           

          Orange, 15 minutes:  Loop through Paul Dirac, W Roberts, S 
Eisenhower, E Lake Jackson/Orange Ave, S Capital Circle, loop through Capital 
Circle Office Center

           

          East, 15 minutes.  Village Square, Capital Circle, Southwood/Capital 
Circle Office Center

           

          Southside, 15 minutes: Ross Road, N Shelfer, N Crawfordville, Gaile 
Ave, N Monroe Street, Steele Plaza

           

          Frenchtown/Bond, 15 minutes: Orange, Saxon, Wahnish/Macomb/Old 
Bainbridge, Volusia, Alabama to Preston Loop, and back.

           

          Pensalachee, 20 minutes:  Pensacola, Gaines, Lafayette, Apalachee 
Parkway

           

          Hospitals, 30 minutes:  Woodland, Tuscan, Sunnyside, N. Ridge, E 
Springsax, E Bragg, E Paul Dirac, N Jim Lee, N Magnolia, E Miccosukee, Capital 
Medical,

          Bufford, NE Centerville, SE Fleischmann, W Misscosukee

           

          West Loop, 30 minutes (both directions): N Monroe, SW Fred George, S 
Mission, S Appleyard, E Jackson Bluff, N Woodward, E St. Augustine, through 
downtown

          to Monroe

           

          NE to Innovation:  N Pottsdamer, E Iamonia, N Lake Jackson, E Gaines, 
Gadsden, Thomasville

           

          North Mover, 30 minutes: Commonwealth, Hartsfield, Pullen, Allen, 
Henderson, Meridian, Bradford/Betton

           

          CommonWalmart, 30 minutes: Commonwealth, Tharpe, MLK/Duval/Bronough, 
Park, Gov. Square Blvd, Park Conner Blvd, Walmart.

           

           

          It has been that discriptions brings up more questions than answere, 
so here it is to work with.\

           

           

          William benjamin

          William Benjamin, Piano Tuner Extraordinaire.
          The tuner alone preserves the tone.

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