The new $29 million high speed (Choke) EmX bus line, which is scheduled to go live this Sunday with special roadways and priority traffic light controls promises to run between Eugene in Springfield within an average time of 16 minutes, versus 22 minutes over the current system.(source)
However, during five weeks of training, the new bus line has not even come close to that goal.
About that 16-minute goal, EmX driver “Don” says, “Well, anywhere from 40 minutes to 45 minutes is what I’ve been averaging."
LTD claims that getting pedestrians and drivers accustomed to the new light signals and traffic is going to be one of the biggest hurdles.
LTD supervisor Karl Hayes admits, "As with anything new, it's not perfected the first time out."
All rides on the new EmX buses will be free for at least the first three years.
several things I have noticed so far...
#1 with passenger loading/unloading in the middle of Franklin Blvd., which sometimes slows the vehicle traffic down due to college students walking against the light going to and from classes, how is this going to impact the EmX?
#2 from Franklin Blvd. going west on West 11th, if you have the EmX bus in the left-hand lane, and a regular LTD articulated bus in the right lane, it "appears" like it is going to be a very tight fit for the car in the middle.
#3 what will happen to the project if it never gets close to its promised goal?
7 comments:
So far I have heard a LOT of response to the EMX and not one, I repeat NOT ONE of the responses was positive. How in the world did this project get off the ground with zero support from the community? Since the Board is appointed, do we blame sleepy Ted for this fiasco?
Community leaders even wrote letters to the editor and made the local news. No one is in favor of this white elephant. And now they have a 'cute' commercial on TV! More wasted funds.
if it fails, I hope that they at least stop their plans for extending the route and wasting more money.
They can buy a LOT of small buses and employ more people for the same money with added flexability.
It is just wrong!
According to the Register Guard editor that was on the radio, we will appreciate the project in 10 years or so. Probably after the city has messed up the traffic flow so bad we can't get anywhere.
The "Big Dig" in Boston probably looked good on paper. More routes and more frequency are what make a mass transit system work.
The Big Dig is the most expensive highway project in America. [1] Although the project was estimated at $2.5 billion in 1985, over $14.6 billion had been spent in federal and state tax dollars as of 2006. [2] The project has incurred criminal arrests, escalating costs, leaks, poor execution and use of substandard materials. The Massachusetts Attorney General is demanding contractors refund taxpayers $108 million for "shoddy work."
Has anyone noticed the foreground in the new EMX commercial? I'll swear I see packets of M&M's in the flowers. Wonder if they got a sponsor to pay.
Maybe we should draw national attention to our "big dig" before it gets worse.
whoa. you are so wrong. i rode EmX today and it took 12 minutes. everyone supported the project - city councils, lane county, federal government funded it. it is a great idea and will look great in the years ahead. i wish the city i came from would have thought ahead like this.
I agree that the idea of a bus that has control over the traffic lights is a good idea, and that using a bus hybrid like the smaller breeze busses would be a major inpact in the travel time between citys, however I have a really big problem with a bus that cost $960K each and required special roadways to function.
for example, Pioneer Pky to the new hospital is not expected to go on line until 2010. why so long???
if they used the Breeze like bus, they could cover that route next and provide better coverage.
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