TARC plans to eliminate 24 routes in 2010, and cut most of the remaining 31 routes. Tommorow TARC's planned service cuts from this winter go into effect, but Louisvillian's revenue keeps on tanking, so TARC is having to cut more service for July. About $5m annually will be saved by this second round of cuts. The second round will be the subject of public meetings. See below for details.

TARC Routes, 2010

1 - 4th Street Trolley cut Feb, eliminate July
2 - Second Street cut Feb, cut again July
4 - Fourth Street cut Feb, cut again July
6 - Sixth Street cut Feb, cut again July, route change July
12 - Twelfth Street cut Feb, eliminate July
15 - Market Street cut Feb
17 - Bardstown Road route change July
18 - Preston / Dixie route change July
19 - Muhammad Ali Boulevard cut Feb, cut again July
21 - Chestnut Street route change July
22 - Twenty-second Street cut Feb, eliminate July
23 - Broadway route change July
25 - Oak Street cut Feb cut again July
27 - Hill Street cut July
29 - Eastern Parkway cut July
31 - Middletown cut Feb cut July
35 - Indian Trail-hikes Lane eliminate July
37 - Iroquois Park - Fairdale Express cut Feb eliminate July
38 - Deering Road Express eliminate July
40 - Jeffersontown Express
43 - Poplar Level/portland cut Feb
45 - Okolona Express cut Feb, eliminate July
46X - West Louisville / GE Express eliminate Feb
49 - Westport Express cut Feb, eliminate July
50 - Dixie Express eliminate July
52 - Medical Center Circulator
53 - Breckenridge Express cut Feb, eliminate July
54 - Manslick Express eliminate July
55 - Westport Road
58 - Bashford Manor - Oxmoor cut Feb, eliminate July
59 - River Road eliminate July
61 - Plainview Express cut Feb, eliminate July
62 - Breckenridge - Shepherdsville route change July
63 - Crums Lane cut Feb
64 - Fincastle-forest Spr Exp cut Feb, eliminate July
65 - Southern Indiana I-65 Express
66 - Mt Washington-shepherdsville, eliminate July
67 - Oldham I-71 Express cut Feb, cut again July
68 - Prospect Express eliminate July
69 - New Albany Express eliminate Feb
70 - Clarksville - New Albany Express eliminate Feb
71 - Jeffersonville cut Feb
72 - Clarksville - New Albany cut Feb, cut again July
73 - Charlestown Road Express cut Feb, eliminate July
74 - Jeffersonville / Riverfront
75 - Bluegrass Circulator eliminate July
77 - Main St. Trolley cut July
78 - Downtown/bluegrass Express cut Feb
80 - Hurstbourne Parkway eliminate July
84 - South Louisville
93 - Ups Shuttle - U of L
94 - Cardinal Shuttle Mon - Thurs
95 - Cardinal Shuttle Friday
96 - West Louisville Circulator eliminate Feb
99 - Ups Shuttle West Louisville

More on what you can do below the fold...

Leadership Void Paralyses Louisville

All these new developments are from the last 7 days:

• Nashville's mayor spearheads $6.5 billion plan for expanded mass transit - Tennessean, WPLN
• Indianapolis' transportation plan could link region with light and commuter rail - Transport Politic, Indystar.com
• St Louis' referendum on transit spending is set for April, new system plan unveiled - Transport Politic
• Cincinnati's mayor vows to forge ahead on downtown streetcar despite challenges - Cincinnati.com

Lastly, its not exactly news, but Dayton continues its unbroken nation-leading streak: 120 years of continuous electric transit operation - Wikipedia

Meanwhile, Louisville has no serious plans for modernizing mass transit, and indeed is cutting back at a breathtaking rate.

• Improved Bike/Ped bridge for the Ohio River!

• Freight Rail Improvents in Appalachia!

Everyone's favorite stimulus program, the TIGER grants, have been released today. The grant process was very competitive, with $60 billion of requests for a scant $1.5 billion of funding. The great thing about TIGER is that the money is not pidgeon holed for a single mode of travel (e.g. roads), but rather competitive based on benefit/cost analysis across all modes. So you see freight rail projects competing with highway projects competing with sidewalk improvement projects.

Update: No, its not the Big 4 ... added fresh info on the Big 4 below the fold...

Well, another Car Free Happy Hour has come and gone. Whit presented on the upcoming Bike!Bike! Southeast conference, and Zach and company presented on the Louisville Student Cycling Society. Here are some random photos from the event!

When Bicycling for Louisville decided they needed a new office, they also didn't want the tedium normally associated with moving - a truck, packing boxes for hours, back pain. Instead they decided to do a 'bike move' - a green alternative. It works like this: invite lots of people to each move a small bit of furniture on their bikes. Part work, part party, the bike move today went from downtown Louisville to Clifton.

Witness, if you dare, Extreme Green Alternative Transportation:

super size me

Lots more pix below the fold...

Cleveland residents demand a bridge refurbishment include bike/ped facilities. Amazing how they shoe-horned the cantankerous language of transportation into such smooth verses.

Indystar.com:

Officials today launched Indy Connect: Central Indiana’s Transportation Initiative, a more than $10 billion proposed mass transit plan that includes rail systems, an expansion of the region’s highway system, expanded bus service and tolled express lanes.

Commuter Rail, Light Rail, massively beefed up bus service, and roads, oh my! Be sure to check out their interactive graphic that lets you see the systems overlayed.

That's right, Bicycling for Louisville is moving its office by human power, and you're invited to be part of it!

Photo via bikeportland.

When:

Saturday, February 13,  10 am -1pm

Where:

Starting at 425 S. Second St, in the basement, and ending at our new office-- We'll be renting office space at 2132 Frankfort Ave., adjacent to the Bike Couriers Bike Shop.

How:

by Bike, Trike, or other human powered vehicle

Who:

YOU and your friends

Why:

Because it's fun, and we'll have coffee and snacks!

Please come and be prepared to haul cargo on your bike, even just a small box. The more the merrier!  Please bring trailers, baskets, rope, bungee cords, even empty boxes if you have them. You get the idea. And be prepared to smile for the TV cameras.

And now for something completely different! This amphibious bus could cross the Ohio River in 2-3 minutes, linking communities that will never be linked by bridges. Blankenbaker Lane to Oak Park? Zorn Ave to Jeffersonville? Grant Line Rd / Vincennes St to Portland? Watch the video. This puppy is already operational in New York.

Obligatory question: can we get a bike rack on that?

What a great sound: it tinkles like a bike bell!