Arlington, TX is the LARGEST city in the country without a mass transit system in place. You don't have to tell me twice how hard it is to get around Arlington because I went to college there for 4 years. I remember the University had shuttles on the weekends at certain times to take you to shopping and back, but that isn't mass transit. That is a shuttle, bus like vehicle that went up and down Copper St and that's it.
Mass Transit has tried to pass in Arlington for many years, since the 70's and no one seems to agree that raising taxes to pay for it is beneficial... I don't think they're calculating the numbers correctly.
The idea that is currently floating around is Arlington would team up with Ft Worth and receive about a dozen buses for rush hour traffic to pick up in Arlington, drive only on the highways, I30 and 287, and then drop off in Ft Worth where riders could then get on mass transit in Ft Worth or walk to nearby downtown jobs.
This latest proposal is supposed to cost only $75,000 a year from Arlington which would be matched by Ft. Worth. They also predict it only taking about 100-200 cars off the road. With about 300,000 people in the city, and those are actual residences, not college people claiming outside addresses for their permanent address, I don't see how taking 100-200 cars off the road is going to help much.
Personally, without getting a complete mass transit system in place in Arlington in the near future, it's going to get even more chaotic. Arlington currently has the Texas Rangers baseball team, Six Flags Over Texas theme park, and also Hurrican Harbor. The Dallas Cowboys will move their home to Arlington in 2009, and there is no way for people to get anywhere within the city without driving. This is CRAZY!!
Any other thoughts? I'm just so glad I don't live out there anymore. Here's the full story.
Our mass transit over here in Houston has not fared well either. I don't know the answer the population keeps increasing but nothing is being done about the infrastructure.
My daughter went to UNT and I was always so stressed when she was driving through Dallas. I would have her call me as soon as she was through; but driving through Houston is not any better. Luckily we live on the north side so at least she didn't have to drive through there also.
Charles, are you talking about the monorail that just goes down the strip? That thing is horrible!! You have to walk 1/2 a mile into a casino to get on it at some places. I might as well have walked 1/2 mile down the street and keep going. I stayed at the Royale while friends were at the mandolay Bay back in February... what a LONG walk!!
Marchel, The drive through Dallas up to UNT is actually not bad anymore. Highways have been extended, some are 4 and 5 lanes each way. They've got several HOV lanes to get the carpoolers out of the traffic. That's an easy drive. And yes, driving North of HOuston is much better than Houston. My brother lives in Spring for a couple of years. I knew when I hit the Woodlands, I was almost there, but my migraine with the humidity always told me that sooner!
Agree with Linda, hopefully they will do it right. It's crazy that this comes up now that we are getting the Super Bowl - I guess better late than never! It sounds more like a bandaid system honestly...
Linda, I agree.
Leigh, but I don't see how it would work during the Super Bowl because that will play on a Sunday, and the new system they're trying to implement will only run during rush hour during the week. No benefit with thousands of people coming to town.... the taxi services are going to LOVE it!