So I guess we can cross off “commute times” as a good reason to adopt a regional transit system. We rank 59th in commute times, yet we have a “sprawl problem” that is killing our way of life. Somehow this way of like seems to be just fine for most of us. Maybe private time in our cars relaxes us.

If you are not planning on getting motivated all day at the RBC Center, then you need to get motivated about finding a different way to work if you normally travel Wade Avenue or Interstate 40 near the Wade Ave. exits. The sessions end at 5pm, so make provisions in the afternoon as well.

Tickets are still available, last time I checked. Note that a videocast of the RBC Center’s event will be shown in the Raleigh Convention Center ballroom (none of the speakers will actually be in attendance at this venue). As for those of you going…interested in a meetup? Follow me on Twitter. We’ll arrange something.

The Raleigh Convention Center will be the first venue for the Plug-In Conference that will be held outside of California. The shift in location was envisioned as a way to offer wider access to potential attendees. Next year’s conference will be co-organized by EPRI, Progress Energy and Duke Energy. 

“We decided to offer a bit of geographical balance to our conference schedule as a way of exposing more people to the significant progress made toward integrating plug-in hybrid and other electric vehicles into the transportation system,” said Mark Duvall, director of Electric Transportation at EPRI. “The Research Triangle area is an appropriate location that is well-known as an incubator of entrepreneurship, innovation and thought-leadership.”

The Plug-In Conference was launched in San Jose in 2008, moved to Long Beach (Southern California) in 2009 and returned to San Jose this year. It attracts automotive manufacturers, component suppliers, electric utilities, government agencies, the environmental community and academia to exchange ideas and gather information needed to make key decisions related to plug-in hybrid and electric transportation.

Plug-In 2010 includes high-level plenary sessions and 21 breakout sessions and mini-panels focused on driving, connecting and launching technologies required to fully commercialize and integrate electric drive into the marketplace.

The exposition floor, which includes vehicles, electric infrastructure and batteries, and related components, features more than 40 exhibitors. July 27 is Public Night, an open forum where visitors can see the exposition floor and participate in a panel discussion. For more information about Plug-In 2010, organized by EPRI and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, visit www.plugin2010.com.

(and don’t go squatting plugin2011.com just because this group hasn’t gotten the wherewithal to buy it yet!)

The three maps for downtown are the most interesting (map 1, map 2, map 3 – all pdf). The show alternative routes and possibilities for new crossing arrangements. One proposal puts the railway between Capital Blvd and Whitaker Mill Road. The other two put the railway on the Mordecai side of Capital Blvd.

The Task Force presentation falls on page 19 of the City Council’s 24-page agenda. So, while the agenda is not followed at a constant pace, and is sometime ignored, we can at least get a sense of when the presentation will be.

• If you are going straight on Pullen toward Cameron Village (CV), then stay in the left lane
• If you are going straight on Hillsborough toward Meredith, then stay in the right lane.
• If you are going straight on Pullen toward Western Blvd or on Hillsborough St toward downtown, then either lane will do.

(and they say this will reduce the number of accidents?)

Simple enough? Now read the manual or this will happen to you! (NSFW)

Many of the Southeast’s premier classic cars be featured at the Carolina Classics at the Capital, including a 1940 Cadillac LaSalle, a 1961 Chevy Impala Bubbletop and a 1969 Camaro RS/SS, just to name a few.

Top vendors already committed to the show include Danchuk Manufacturing, Pypes Performance Exhaust, Northern Tool and Equipment, Hamlett’s Chevy Parts, Detailer’s Dream, Page’s Custom, Ausley’s Chevelle Parts and Quality Air Tools.

With no charge for viewing the classic cars that will be parked on the closed-off Fayetteville Street, plus just $10 for admission to the Convention Center, this first-of-its-kind event is expected to attract thousands of attendees. Tickets can be purchased on site at the Raleigh Convention Center.

The festivities will culminate with an awards ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. on the Fayetteville Street Stage, with awards for Top 50, Sweet 16 and the Sir Walter Raleigh Cup.

“We’ve gotten great cooperation from the City of Raleigh, the Convention Center and automobile enthusiasts to make sure that everyone will have a good time,” said Greg Cox, one of the event’s organizers. “We hope this family-friendly event will become an annual tradition on the auto show circuit.”

The article does not address how buses keyed into traffic signals along South Boulevard could have accomplished the same transit function during almost all periods during the year. Nor does it address the real estate value inflation for land convenient to Lynx line stops, making affordable living out of reach for many who could have benefited from a half-billion dollar taxpayer investment.

The article raises some good points. However Lynx has exceeded anticipated ridership numbers. The only question there is: were the numbers cooked to insure the investment’s “success”. More of a concern, though, is that the current Blue Line is only Phase I of a master plan that cannot be built with the system’s own funding. What’s next? Probably more sales pitches by government and transit officials to get taxpayers to expand a system which doesn’t even remotely come close to paying for itself…all in the name of “sustainable development”.

Par for the course in state government, something is being done, but it isn’t the right way. The City of Raleigh has the right attitude about graffiti: get it off and get it off quickly. The point is that publicly visible marks should be removed to avoid rewarding this disrespect for personal and public property. The state? Oh they did something about it, by leaving scars. I wonder if these people would be happy with amalgam fillings in their front teeth.

How hard is it to buy some tinted paint? Answer: It isn’t, for people who take pride in their work. This is one of the many cases where it costs no more money to do it the right way than to slop together some result and call it “done”. What a great message to the public from our government.

You can call (919) 733-2191 to request the job be done right, but honestly, you’ll probably get some self-hating, excuse-making slacker who can’t muster enough pride to do a job the right way.

As designed the 162-mile project will be completely grade-separated, so around 100 new bridges and overpasses will have to be implemented. One such location will be Jones Street at 518 West. Due to the adjacent rail corridor Jones street will either have to be cut-off or fly over the tracks. Detailed situations like this can have impacts on neighborhoods and businesses, and are a part of this discussion.

The meeting for Raleigh will be held on July 26 at the Raleigh Convention Center. AN open house will run from 5-7pm and the formal public hearing will begin at 7pm.

It just wouldn’t be a Raleigh amphitheater if The Connells couldn’t open it! Almost exactly 19 years ago The Connells opened Raleigh’s Walnut Creek Amphitheater. Tonight’s open house gives citizens free entry to their newest public property with the city’s most popular music act to date. It also gives the amphitheater staff a dry run on how the place really works with people attending. This event will be packed, so be sure to check out the parking ideas below.

The Amphitheater (which should be named for Sir Walter Raleigh) is located across the street from the Raleigh Convention Center Shimmer Wall, at McDowell and Cabarrus. (map it)

Open House

The events kick off at 5pm with this schedule for bands:

• 5:20 to 5:50 Th’ Bullfrog Willard Mcgee
• 6:00 to 6:25 The Small Ponds
• 6:45 to 7:10 Sleep Control
• 7:30 to 7:55 Old Avenue
• 8:15 to 8:40 Mosadi Music
• 9:00 to 9:35 I Was Totally Destroying It (video)
• 9:55 to 10:55 The Connells

Access/Parking

First off, I would avoid the SW of quadrant downtown when going to events, unless you are eating at Humble Pie, Five Star, or Jibarra beforehand.

For those coming on-I-40 from Wilmington, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Greensboro, take the Hammond Rd. exit, get on Northbound Hammond Road (From Wilmington, turn right. From RTP, turn left). (map it) This will become Person Street. At Cabarrus Street, turn left, and park across from the Lincoln Theatre in the Progress II Deck (map it). The amphitheater is a short, 3-block walk.

For those in Raleigh coming from the North, the best bet is probably to shoot for any of these decks: City Hall (map it), Progress II Deck (map it), or Martin Street Decks (across from Progress II). Best of all, though, would be the Hannover Deck (underground) or the Cabarrus Deck (across from the Sheraton). Those two are best accessed by coming down Salisbury Street from the Capitol.

There are many, many more parking options, though, and a map of all of them can be found online.

R-Line

Don’t forget the R-Line! Downtown Raleigh’s free circulator bus comes every 10-15 minutes, and goes right to the door of the amphitheater. Because of routing uncertainties, I’m not sure I’d rely on this method until after the facility has had some events. The City of Raleigh will undoubtedly make moves to ease the ensuing vehicular/pedestrian strain on McDowell Street, and this may involve closing the street for periods around events. This could affect the R-Line’s routing and timing. We’ll see. You can check the R-Line real-time bus locations online.

If the R-Line turns out to be a good idea, then eating in the Glenwood South area will be a fantastic option before a concert. The R-Line’s counterclockwise routing makes this area favorable.

Rickshaws

No doubt, a rickshaw is the coolest way to take your baby to the show. Raleigh Rickshaws tend to be most popular in the Fayetteville Street area.

I called the department and spoke with someone who explained that the department’s highest priority is maintaining roadways, and that graffiti is not a high priority this week given the number of roadway situations due to the rains. Sorry, but the state has ignored ALL graffiti markings on I-440 since mid March, and it sure hasn’t rained for that long. I also explained that painting over graffiti on red brick walls with beige paint does not quite accomplish the goals set forth by the city.

PLEASE take a moment to call the transportation department at (919) 733-2191 and explain that you care about the beauty of Raleigh and are concerned about this exponentially growing problem. This needs to be nipped in the bud before some idiot tries to argue that this type of vandalism is “art” and should remain.

Of course, if you spot graffiti in Raleigh that is not on an interstate highway, contact the City of Raleigh immediately at 919-996-6001 or email graffiti@ci.raleigh.nc.us.

Earlier in the day, be sure to check out the British Classic Car Show at North Hills. Over 100 antique British Classic Cars will be on display from 8:30am to 3:00pm in front of Coquette.

One night in 2005 a Good Samaritan, attempting to aid motorists after a collision, jumped over the bridge median wall, not knowing that the two parallel bridges for unconnected. He fell to his death 40 feet below. This prompted the erection of a pedestrian fence on one bridge, but not the other. A similar incident occurred on November 27, only this time the pedestrian jumped over the remaining unfenced wall and fell to his death. Green pedestrian fencing was installed within a week on that second side of the bridge. A similar situation happened in the 90’s at the bridge slot on Glenwood Avenue crossing Crabtree Creek.

map it

A link to the R-Line’s status page will live in the “Maps” section over to the right, and in the Mobile Tools, for easy access while you’re out and about.

Activities will include a live remote broadcast by G105 and an R-LINE prize wheel featuring over $1,500 in gift cards provided by Downtown Raleigh businesses. Residents and visitors can also stop by to pick up an R-LINE wristband. Many businesses will be offering specials to those wearing the wristband. There also will be a speed dating event on an R-LINE bus to be hosted by PreDating.com. There will be two sessions of the speed dating event. Various stops along the R-LINE route will be promoted, and daters will have a chance to win gift cards based on answering trivia questions about the R-LINE and Downtown Raleigh. Space on the R-LINE bus for the speed dating activity is limited; participants must register prior to the event by visiting www.PreDating.com. 

The City of Raleigh’s Capital Area Transit system offers free rides on the R-LINE seven days a week. The bus connects employees, residents, conventioneers and other visitors in the central business district to retail and entertainment venues, restaurants and parking. Two environmentally friendly hybrid electric buses — both with 36 seats — are used on the R-LINE route The R-LINE runs every 10 to 12 minutes. Hours of operation for the service are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 2:15 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

No details are out yet about what these improvements specifically entail. At half a billion dollars, it is unlikely that any rail crossings will be converted to bridges. Most likely some nonessential crossings will close, but most will get upgraded signaling. It is doubtful that any of the Raleigh or Cary crossings will be affected, in contrast to the preliminary plans to improve the Raleigh to Washington corridor.

Tonight the “Designing a 21st Century City” lecture city continues! The presentation is by both John Robert Smith, the former Mayor of Meridian Mississippi and full-time rail zealot, and James Corless, the Director of Transportation for America.

The session runs from 6:30 to 8:00 in the Fletcher Opera Theater and aims to answer questions such as:

• What will the new national transportation policy look like?
• How can Raleigh be ready to take advantage of national transportation policies and emerging resource?
• What examples are there of American cities that have adapted to the new transportation realities?
• How will high speed rail affect Raleigh?

MEET THE PRESENTERS:
John Robert Smith is the former Mayor of Meridian, Mississippi, and a long-time activist on behalf of passenger rail. He is co-chairman of the National Forum on the Future of Passenger Rail, is a member of Amtrak’s board, and a member of the transportation committees of the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He is a veteran of the station-centered community development movement, and led the drive to renovate the City of Meridian’s Union Station, a $7 million historic restoration project that created a new multimodal transportation center, dramatically increased use of the station, raised property values and city tax receipts, and lowered crime in the station’s neighborhood. He served on Reconnecting America’s board for five years, and was a founding partner and board member of Reconnecting America’s predecessor organization, the Great American Station Foundation, voting to expand its mission and change its name in 2004.

James Corless is the Director of Transportation for America, a coalition of over 250 organizations working to promote a new national transportation policy that’s smarter, safer, cleaner and provides more choice.   Prior to Transportation for America, Mr. Corless was a senior planner for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in the San Francisco Bay Area where he managed the agency’s efforts to promote smarter growth, transit-oriented development and mobility options for low-income communities.  Mr. Corless was the author of California’s groundbreaking Safe Routes to School law and legislation that paved the way for smart growth “blueprints” to become part of the regional transportation planning process throughout the state.

For more information and to pre-register to attend email trisha.hasch@ci.raleigh.nc.us or call 919.807.8480.

Find directions to the Performing Arts Center and parking locations at www.progressenergycenter.com and click on “An Evening Out.”  Find information on public transportation at www.triangletransit.org

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Raleigh honors requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities.  Requests can be served most effectively if notice is provided at least 48 hours before each event.  Call 919-996-3000 to request special accommodations.

ALL LECTURES ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
www.raleighnc.gov

This forum will be an excellent opportunity to learn about transit in the Triangle region, how one’s life is affected by transit, what does transit look like today, and how other metro regions have adopted transit and transit-oriented development.

The schedule appears as such:

• 5:00 – 5:30   Networking
• 5:30 – 5:35   Welcome
  • Anita Brown-Graham, Director, Institute for Emerging Issues
• 5:35 – 5:45   Introduction to Blueprint America
  • Shannon Vickery, Director of Production, WUNC-TV
• 5:45 – 6:15   Transit and Our Quality of Life
  • Nina Szlosberg, President, Circle Squared Media
• 6:15 – 6:45   Transit Options for the Triangle
  • David King, CEO and General Manager, Triangle Transit
• 6:45 – 7:15   The Dallas Example: Opportunities for the Triangle
  • speaker invited
• 7:15 – 7:30   Closing
  • Representative Deborah Ross, NC General Assembly
• 7:30 – 8:00   Networking