Category / Transit/Transportation

by Leo Suarez

Raleigh’s Union Depot

I’ve recently been following The Infrastructurist blog [Update: broken link] and one of my favorite blog posts recently has been “Demolished! 11 Beautiful Train Stations That Fell To The Wrecking Ball (And The Crappy Stuff Built In Their Place)”. [Update: broken link] Check it out and look at the gorgeous train stations that cities once had but demolished because train travel use was heavily decreasing.

This led me to do some research to see what has happened to some of Raleigh’s old train stations. I’ll have to give a tip of the hat to the Piedmont and Western Railroad Club for this page listing all the train stations in Raleigh. Fortunately for us, most of them have survived and the website lists Union Depot, at the corner of Dawson and Martin Street, still standing today since 1890. Go to the page for more photos, past and present.

See a picture of Union Depot in 1928 on Flickr (via North Carolina State Archives)

by Leo Suarez

“More than 60 percent of 1,006 registered voters in Durham, Orange and Wake counties said they…”

“More than 60 percent of 1,006 registered voters in Durham, Orange and Wake counties said they support light rail, buses or a combination of the two, along with dedicated lanes for circulators in downtown areas.”

– Poll: More than half of voters support mass transit :: WRAL.com

“More than 60 percent of 1,006 registered voters in Durham, Orange and Wake counties said they support light rail, buses or a combination of the two, along with dedicated lanes for circulators in downtown areas.”

– Poll: More than half of voters support mass transit :: WRAL.com

by Leo Suarez

“Beginning this weekend, wayfinding signs will be installed in Downtown Raleigh. The signs will help…”

“Beginning this weekend, wayfinding signs will be installed in Downtown Raleigh. The signs will help direct visitors to downtown from Raleigh’s major entryways and direct them to locations within downtown, such as parking areas and attractions. Signs for both pedestrians and motorists will be used.”

– Raleigh Installing Wayfinding Signs Downtown – Wake County – MyNC.com

“Beginning this weekend, wayfinding signs will be installed in Downtown Raleigh.

The signs will help direct visitors to downtown from Raleigh’s major entryways and direct them to locations within downtown, such as parking areas and attractions. Signs for both pedestrians and motorists will be used.”

– Raleigh Installing Wayfinding Signs Downtown – Wake County – MyNC.com

by Leo Suarez

R-Line A Month Later

A month ago the R-Line started making its rounds in downtown. Today, yet another Friday the 13th, is time to look at the past month and discuss the new downtown service. RalCon’s page to rep the R-Line is here or through the link at the top.

Ridership

I have no hard numbers to show but from what I have seen and heard, the ridership is busier during the most obvious of hours. Lunch during the weekday and Friday/Saturday nightlife hours are the most popular times to see groups of people on the R-Line. I’m rarely in downtown during the lunch hours so I’ll trust the few people who have told me this, including one of the bus drivers. There were about 10-14 people riding on the few Friday and Saturday nights that I have been on. I’m not sure what the city expects but these seem like solid numbers in its first month of service. As with anything, it will take some time for people to absorb the R-Line and incorporate it into their routine. As for visitors and convention center mobs, they are steered toward using the R-Line with the Downtown Raleigh Alliance’s new marketing campaign, You R Here, which is a great looking website and I applaud them for re-designing the site.

Convenience

The R-Line is pretty convenient and it makes downtown seem a little smaller. Fayetteville St. and Glenwood South are now a short ride away. However, it is a game to see how long you will wait at a stop for a bus. I have not seen any times posted so I’m guessing the bus is not on a set schedule. There have been times when I have caught the R-Line the minute I walked up to a stop. Other times, I have seen it pull away as I turn the corner resulting in a ‘long’ wait. The 10-15 minute wait time has been accurate though and in my experience, I’ve rarely waited more then 15 minutes. While not necessary right now, a website similar to TranLoc could be created to show people the bus’s current location. A mobile version of this website would be even more powerful, especially now that the city is flirting with the idea of bringing free wifi all over downtown. Its just an idea but not needed right now as the bus is pretty convenient overall.

Signage

The R-Line stop signage may need a little upgrade. On a positive note, the signs are large and clear with the stop name and number at each location. The problem with the signs is that a casual pedestrian that does not know of the R-Line is not well informed. There is a number to call but I think it would be much more informative if a map and route were shown on the signs. Also, the extended route after 6:30pm needs to be highlighted so people are not confused by the change in route.

Hybrid Buses

Have you seen the buses? They stand out pretty well in the middle of traffic and draw attention to themselves. This should self promote the R-Line and get people talking. Also, the hybrid buses are noticeably quieter then the CAT buses coming out of Moore Square. Another thing I’ve noticed is that the buses sometimes look too big and making turns can be a little tight at times. In some instances, I’ve seen cars backing up to let it pass. This might take a slight tweaking of the lines on the street so that the R-Line can flow more smoothly.

by Leo Suarez

Downtown Raleigh Wayfinding

If you have been lurking around Hargett or Wilmington St. recently, you may have noticed some holes in the sidewalks. I’ve started to notice more and more of these wood covered holes at the intersection of Fayetteville and Hargett, Wilmington St. near the museums, and near the Moore Square parking deck. At first I thought these were the parking meters that we have discussed before but that would be too quick a move on the city’s part. It finally hit me though and these holes have to be the locations for the new downtown signage that will go up soon.

The signage was approved last year and the city’s website has all the info. Looking at the pdf files confirms that these holes will have new signs to help people get around downtown Raleigh. Here are some key links for those that want more info.

  • Sign design drawings
  • Signage locations map
  • Signage messages


Three holes at Fayetteville/Hargett St.


On Hargett St. across from the bus station.

by Leo Suarez

Public Meeting on Transit in Wake County

This Thursday, March 5 at 6:30-7:30 pm, there will be a public meeting showing the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s transit proposal through 2035. The meeting is at city hall, which is at 222 W. Hargett St. for the clueless.

Click here to view the entire CAMPO plan (pdf) or visit CAMPO’s website.

To sum up the plan, the proposal will involve:

  • Doubling of bus service throughout the county, including express service to several towns beyond Raleigh.
  • Light rail from NW Cary through West Raleigh, NCSU, downtown Raleigh and up to Triangle Town Center

For those freaking out over the snow in the area, remember that light rail can still get you around if Raleigh reaches gridlock status.

by Leo Suarez

You R Here, The R Line Starts Rolling

This morning, Mayor Meeker and his downtown buddies introduced the R Line, downtown’s new circulator. We have recently talked about this and today is the day that the hybrid electric buses start rolling. Buses stop every 10 to 15 minutes and run during the following hours every week:

Mon-Wed: 7am – 11pm
Thurs-Sat: 7am – 2:15am
Sun: 1pm – 8pm

This week I found out that there will be a route extension after 6:30 pm. Take a look at the google map embedded here and you will see what I mean (shown in red).


View Larger Map

I’m working on a dedicated page for all info that is the R Line. Along with the google map, I have also made a printable map of the route and a few key stops. I’m working on that one too and am trying to make it match the excellent map on the Downtown Raleigh Alliance website. How will you use the R Line?


My printable map in pdf format, updated 2/13/09.


The R Line fleet.






Signs for each stop.