Comments on: Tappan Zee Picture Clearing Up, But Finances Still Cloudy

By: Alon Levy

Alon Levy — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 02:27:26 +0000

I second Clark Morris’s proposal for a cross-county commuter rail line, which should help White Plains become more transit-friendly toward commuters from areas outside the Harlem Line. And I’ll add that they should consider building a new station in Tarrytown, south of the Tappan Zee Bridge, with service to both Croton-Harmon and Suffern. As Tarrytown expands as a job center, such a train station will help promote TOD and reverse the development of the area as an edgeless city.

By: Clark Morris

Clark Morris — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:08:52 +0000

I suggest eliminating the BRT and replacing it with commuter rail from Suffern that both connects directly to a line to Grand Central and has a line that allows every fifteen minute service through downtown White Plains to a station on the New Haven Region. This service could be run using two to four car trains. Both services should share the same fare structure with the buses and indeed for intracounty services be just a peculiar bus route. The operating costs will be far less than bus. The stations can be located to focus development and based on the Sacremento experience, the coordinating of the buses with the rail system will also coordinate buses at a given station with each other improving local trip possibilities. If this is done in conjunction with limited or no lane expansion on the Tappan Zee bridge and the Thruway, costs should be reduced. This also would work well with extending service to Stewart Airport since it would provide rail access from much of Westchester to the airport. My recommendation is high level platforms and overhead electrification at 12.5 KV or 25 KV AC overhead. Based on Swiss experience 12.5 KV is safe for street running if so desired for part or all of the connection to the New Haven Region. Standard rail size cars have been used in street running in both Michigan City, Indiana and on Amtrak services in Oakland, California.

By: Cap'n Transit

Cap'n Transit — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:20:42 +0000

“Of the study’s many unanswered questions, the biggest is how to fund the project.”

No, the biggest question is “Why did they use such a simplistic model of population and driving, and refuse to consider anything with less than ten car lanes?”

http://capntransit.blogspot.com/2009/06/crc-not-ok.html

By: James

James — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:08:04 +0000

Steven, hold on a second. The timeline for the 5 year financial study makes no sense if NYSDOT is to hold to their original timetable of a 2017 construction completion date. Are we to believe that the study would be concluded in 2014 at that construction would commence immediately, with a 3 year build time? Given our recent history of infrastructure projects in this area, I find this HIGHLY unlikely.

Do you have any additional information on the forthcoming TOD trainings?