Post by nickv on Jan 16, 2008 19:45:42 GMT -8
MTS January 2008 Service Changes
Sunday schedule changes take effect on Sunday, January 27, 2008. Weekday schedule changes take effect on Monday, January 28, 2008.
----> View Changes <-----
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It was very disappointing to see that every service change cut that was proposed in last fall's public hearing except for the cancellation of their public on-demand "DART" bus was approved.
The three service cuts I was really concerned about were the following:
MTS Route 89, the Sorrento Valley Coaster feeder route. This was mainly due to the high volume of employment centers in the Carmel Valley and northern Sorrento Valley areas in which this route previously served. Several of the centers require drivers to pay a toll to park. The Coaster feeder route will be cancelled from these key employment areas and there will be no replacement service offered. Employees who relied on this route to connect from the Coaster train may now be forced to drive since there are no other transit services in the Carmel Valley. Carmel Valley also has several areas of high density housing which clearly warrants transit service. This service cut may cause an undesirable increase in commuter traffic along the I-5 corriodor into San Diego during rush hours. I've therefore requested that MTS staff work with SANDAG and the employers in the Carmel Valley and Sorrento Valley areas with transit/Coaster/rideshare incentives (including cash in lieu of free parking) for employees working in these areas which would attract more riders to the Coaster and therefore remove more cars from the I-5 corridor. This area is also starving for low cost housing units for the support staff who work at these centers.
Further inland in the Scripps Ranch area, the Scripps Ranch Bl corridor is served by a mix of high density residential developments, shopping, employment centers, and a high school. The realignment of MTS Route 964 caused service to Scripps Ranch Blvd to be cancelled north of Carroll Cyn. Rd and half of the trips will now bypass a transfer hub in the area which connected this line to four other routes. I therefore requested as an alternate proposal to have the existing segment between Camino Village and the Mira Mesa Market Center serve as the "short trip" trunk line with 30 minute headways, with hourly and school tripper branch extensions eastward to Alliant University via the existing route. This area also lacks sufficient low cost housing units for support staff working at the neighboring employment centers; much of the support staff comes from the Inland Empire.
The last concern was cuts to the San Diego Trolley Green Line. The last two eastbound and westbound trips between Old Town and SDSU are cancelled. The last eastbound trip to SDSU will now depart Old Town at 12:00 midnight. The last westbound trip to Old Town will now depart SDSU at 12:32am. Therefore the span of service was cut by one hour. My strongest concern was the negative impact on people who rely on the late night trains to get to/from home/work at that hour of the night. There are no bus alternatives and these cuts may have a ripple effect on the connecting Blue Line Trolley.
Sunday schedule changes take effect on Sunday, January 27, 2008. Weekday schedule changes take effect on Monday, January 28, 2008.
----> View Changes <-----
.................................
It was very disappointing to see that every service change cut that was proposed in last fall's public hearing except for the cancellation of their public on-demand "DART" bus was approved.
The three service cuts I was really concerned about were the following:
MTS Route 89, the Sorrento Valley Coaster feeder route. This was mainly due to the high volume of employment centers in the Carmel Valley and northern Sorrento Valley areas in which this route previously served. Several of the centers require drivers to pay a toll to park. The Coaster feeder route will be cancelled from these key employment areas and there will be no replacement service offered. Employees who relied on this route to connect from the Coaster train may now be forced to drive since there are no other transit services in the Carmel Valley. Carmel Valley also has several areas of high density housing which clearly warrants transit service. This service cut may cause an undesirable increase in commuter traffic along the I-5 corriodor into San Diego during rush hours. I've therefore requested that MTS staff work with SANDAG and the employers in the Carmel Valley and Sorrento Valley areas with transit/Coaster/rideshare incentives (including cash in lieu of free parking) for employees working in these areas which would attract more riders to the Coaster and therefore remove more cars from the I-5 corridor. This area is also starving for low cost housing units for the support staff who work at these centers.
Further inland in the Scripps Ranch area, the Scripps Ranch Bl corridor is served by a mix of high density residential developments, shopping, employment centers, and a high school. The realignment of MTS Route 964 caused service to Scripps Ranch Blvd to be cancelled north of Carroll Cyn. Rd and half of the trips will now bypass a transfer hub in the area which connected this line to four other routes. I therefore requested as an alternate proposal to have the existing segment between Camino Village and the Mira Mesa Market Center serve as the "short trip" trunk line with 30 minute headways, with hourly and school tripper branch extensions eastward to Alliant University via the existing route. This area also lacks sufficient low cost housing units for support staff working at the neighboring employment centers; much of the support staff comes from the Inland Empire.
The last concern was cuts to the San Diego Trolley Green Line. The last two eastbound and westbound trips between Old Town and SDSU are cancelled. The last eastbound trip to SDSU will now depart Old Town at 12:00 midnight. The last westbound trip to Old Town will now depart SDSU at 12:32am. Therefore the span of service was cut by one hour. My strongest concern was the negative impact on people who rely on the late night trains to get to/from home/work at that hour of the night. There are no bus alternatives and these cuts may have a ripple effect on the connecting Blue Line Trolley.