Raise the Hammer

The morning commute to the 403 is constrained to two lanes. There's also the compromise option of making Main a 2-way street, but use a dynamic center lane (out of 5) with overhead electronic arrows. This would allow 3-lanes towards the 403 during the morning commute, and bypass the IV bottleneck.

If we put the LRT tracks on King Street instead, we really truly have tremendous flexibility of future options. Main can be a 2-1-2 arrangement (center turning lane, dynamic center lane, or both (peak vs offpeak). Or a 2-2-1 arrangement (permanent curbside parking), or permanently 2-2 arrangement (curbside parking on both sides) with bike lanes fifty years from now if car traffic falls enough due to LRT/RHVP/LINC expansions. We can even convert Main Street between all these options over time.

Whatever happens, we have more flexibility on Main Street's future if we install all LRT lanes on King, and keep IV car-free. We don't even need to convert Main to a 2-way street NOW, but the door is permanently left open.

And if RHV/LINC expansions + LRT actually decrease Main-King car traffic even further, actual voters may even be more comfortable with Main 2-way conversion. Heck, they may actually vote to install bumpouts and bike lanes on Main about 30-years from now -- if most eventually concedes we no longer need Main/King to be urban expressways.

As a result, I feel we must install LRT on King Street, even though Main Street seems a more logical lower-cost LRT routing in theory. Also, King is closer walking distance to areas needing further revitalization (e.g. Cannon, Barton). I agree with the city's opinion that potential is maximized if LRT is on King.

We would be shooting ourselves in our foot if we make the mistake of installing any LRT lane in the wrong location. If any car-excluded LRT lane is on Main, it becomes much harder for cars to turn left and/or right, and that slows down cars behind them greatly. By making Main a 2-way street, we avoid this problem, AND we can gain 3-lanes towards 403 in the morning using dynamic center lane (overhead electronic green arrows). Everyone wins!

Comment edited by mdrejhon on 2015-06-02 12:40:33