http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle...triangle (Triangle Business Journal)&page=all Change is here, say Research Triangle Park execs, and that change is bringing RTP its own landmark. Buildings at Park Center are being razed to make way for a big park expansion — one execs say could make room for 100,000 new jobs. And, at the center of that expansion will be a structure that Research Triangle Foundation CEO Bob Geolas has called "a mix between a Guggenheim, a World’s Fair and the Epcot Center.”
RTP really hit the mark for growth in the 1970's and 80's, but there have been a number of economic and societal changes that have made it a bit less relevant. They have discussing this for some time and IMO they should have pulled the trigger about a decade ago. I am glad to see they are concentrating on planning efforts to re-engineer it to fit updated living, working and commuting practices. To be sandwhiched between Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Apex it is far too important of an area to be an office space desert. It needs more than just hulking complexes.
It is also to be tied into the light rail system as part of the basis. It is going to need a lot of vision and money too.
playing devils advocate I haven't heard anybody call it a boondoggle yet. First thing I would hear when I lived in South Florida when they mentioned light rail and also up here in the triangle when ever light rail was mentioned. All the 'money' people would call light rail a boondoggle and that no one would ride it. I sure know I would ride it as opposed to traveling I-40 to rtp. I know when I lived in south Florida and they were planning for Tri-rail it was called a boondoggle and that no one would ride it. 1) tri-rail was going to run on the FEC tracks between scheduled freight, so no new tracks had to be run. 2) it was running from the airport in West Palm Beach to just outside Miami international 3) I-95 traffic (which runs parallel to Tri-rail) was already a parking lot. I-40 through RTP has nothing on south Florida traffic 4. And this was in the late 1980's Now they have built their own tracks right beside FEC's tracks. Added two more cars (at the begining the trains were only 3 double deckers, now its 5) they have more scheduled trains going between West Palm and Miami. And its a money maker. Sorry I don't have exact figures but you can google that on your own. I would like to see them update RTP and to build a light rail through out the area. IMHO
Why? Investments on the cheap do not have the same return as quality investments where property is involved.
San diego has a wonderful light rail mass transit that ties in with their buses very nicely. We spent a week there once where the rental car never left the hotel parking building except to go back to the airport. Other times we drove some.
I certainly hope someone steps in and crushes this whole mass transit BS! Light rail will not be paid for by the wealthy as much of it is paid for via vehicle rental taxes. Many, many folks have said light rail will never work here because the major employment center is RTP and it is so spread out without any rail stations, etc, etc, etc. Well, here we go.
its so spread out that light rail would probably not work well. you could have several stops but it would be a major walk for people even if you were dropped off at the company gate. It would take the companies having a few vans to haul people back and forth from station to the company.
