2018 - Stop and Move

California High Speed Rail Posts Summer Update Video

On August 19, 2018October 27, 2019 By jamesinclair

The California High Speed Rail Authority used to post videos every month or two summarizing their construction progress. Unfortunately, that ended around October of last year. Now they’re back with a new video highlighting what has been going on. At under four minutes, it’s a good watch.

While they’ve been stingy with their videos, they have continuously updated their Flickr account. Usually new photos go up every 3-5 weeks.

Here are some of my recent favorites. I especially like the ones from angles I cannot get myself.

I’m hoping that in 2019, we see these various construction sites linked up with rails and walls. I think that once that happens, the project will really seem to be real, even though we know train service is still far away. Click to read more!

Categories : Amtrak FresnoTags : ace amtrak merced modesto san joaqins stockton valley rail2 Comments

Major improvements in rail service coming to Northern Central Valley

On August 15, 2018April 3, 2020 By jamesinclair

I love plans. I have also learned that every plan should be read with a heavy dose of skepticism because many of them don’t go anywhere. California publishes a State Rail Plan every couple of years, and it is always full of exciting ideas, including new rail lines, increased service, and better operations. However, I never post about those plans because most of them just never happen, so why waste time? For example, from the State Rail Plan:

The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) has been studying passenger service in a 141 mile rail corridor between Los Angeles Union Station and Indio, CA since 1991.

One such proposal I’ve seen a lot about involves a big increase in rail service in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley including shifting the Amtrak San Joaquin over to a completely separate rail line into Sacramento, adding a bunch of stations, and increasing service. Cool stuff, but it’ll never happen, right? Click to read more!

Categories : Airlines FresnoTags : FAT jetblue moxy southwest airlines1 Comment

New airline emerges – could they serve Fresno?

On July 25, 2018October 27, 2019 By jamesinclair

A frequent topic here has been about how expensive it can be to fly out of Fresno. Specifically, how the lack of lower-cost airlines (especially Southwest) has kept prices high. Even though the city was the birthplace of Allegiant Air, that company is now based in Las Vegas and only flies from Fresno to Vegas (although they have previously flown to Honolulu and Mesa/Phoenix as well). Frontier is low cost, but their flights to Denver come and go based on airport incentives. On the nicer end, Jetblue is nowhere to be found, nor is Spirit at the low end.

In comparison, Boise (metro population of 709,845, less than Fresno’s 972,297) has low cost flights to 15 different cities through Southwest, Allegiant, and Frontier. A couple of years ago, I looked at some peer cities and found this: Click to read more!

Categories : Fresno TransitTags : bus FAX fresno area express ridership transit1 Comment

Fresno added bus service, and riders appear to be responding

On July 16, 2018October 27, 2019 By jamesinclair

In February of this year, Fresno finally launched the “Q,” a new express bus line with increased peak service along the two busies transit corridors in the city. In addition, the system expanded service hours past 9pm and added live bus arrival times. While it is way too early to make any definitive statements about how Q has impacted FAX (Fresno Area Express), the early data looks promising. We now have data showing three full months under the new service plan, and the initial results are good.

First a reminder. Here is what Fresno bus ridership looked like for ten years, from July 2008 to October 2017. Pretty scary. You can read my full analysis here. Click to read more!

Categories : Fresno HousingTags : cogs planning rtp transportation2 Comments

Fresno COG’s 2018 Regional Transportation Plan Available for Public Comment

On April 5, 2018November 18, 2019 By jamesinclair

The Fresno Council of Governments (COGs) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Fresno area. Basically, their job is to ensure planning is done on a regional basis, rather than a city-by-city basis. Or in their words:

The Fresno Council of Governments (Fresno COG) is a consensus builder, developing acceptable programs and solutions to issues that do not respect political boundaries. Fresno COG is a voluntary association of local governments, one of California’s 38 regional planning agencies, and one of 500+ nationwide. In 1967 elected officials of Fresno County and its incorporated cities informally created the agency, formalizing Fresno COG in 1969 through a Joint Powers Agreement. Fresno COG undertakes comprehensive regional planning with an emphasis on transportation, provides citizens an opportunity to be involved in the planning process, and supplies technical services to its members. Click to read more!

Categories : Amtrak Bakersfield FresnoTags : 8th daily 9th daily amtrak san joaquins morning express new service roundtrip Siemens5 Comments

Amtrak San Joaquin Plans for 2018 and 2019

On March 22, 2018October 27, 2019 By jamesinclair

The Amtrak San Joaquin line, running from Bakersfield to Sacramento and Oakland, is operated by the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority (SJJPA). This local operation means we get a good amount of info on their upcoming plans. Recently, they released a draft of their new business plan. Additionally, they have a public meeting later this week. Here is a summary of what is coming up:

Early Morning Express Service

The early morning express, from Fresno to Sacramento launches on May 7. Trains will arrive in Sacramento at 7:41am. I talk about the schedule in this post.

As part of that project, which is aimed at attracting day-trippers and business travelers, parking is being expanded at various stations: Click to read more!

Categories : FresnoTags : downtown Fresno FC fuego soccer stadium USL12 Comments

Will Fresno FC bring people downtown?

On March 15, 2018October 27, 2019 By jamesinclair

I’m not a fan of flashy “silver bullet” projects that promise to revitalize depressed areas. Most recently, Fresno promised that removing the Fulton Mall and turning it into Fulton Street would revitalize the area. That hasn’t happened. Fifteen years ago, Chukchansi Park was sold with the same promise. Build a new stadium,, and people will come downtown to watch AAA baseball!

Well, sort of. People do go to the stadium to attend events and Grizzlies games. But they drive in, park across the street, watch the event, and then drive away ASAP.

Currently, most stadium attendees drive in and out without visiting local businesses.

That shouldn’t have come as a surprise, for a number of reasons. Click to read more!

Categories : Clovis RetailTags : Clovis construction update old town photo tour5 Comments

January 2018 Old Town Clovis Construction Update

On March 6, 2018October 27, 2019 By jamesinclair

All the changes at FAX took my attention last month, but now I finally have time to post my latest update on the changes going on in Old Town Clovis!

Previous updates:

September 2017
February 2017
May 2016
July 2015
February 2015

We start in the center, which is the area surrounding the new Centennial Plaza. Construction here is all done, and the new new buildings and plaza are looking good.

For reference, this is what the area looked like in 2011, according to Google Streetview:

And after the plaza was built, but before the buildings went up:

Here’s what we have now:

I like the sign. Click to read more!

Categories : Bakersfield Highways HousingTags : bakersfield highway highway expansion5 Comments

Bakersfield did demolish a neighborhood to build a highway

On March 5, 2018November 18, 2019 By jamesinclair

A few years ago, I made a post about how Bakersfield was planning to bulldoze a neighborhood to build yet another freeway. I am rarely in Bakersfield, so in those 5 years, I didn’t really follow the project, aside from knowing it was chugging along. (I actually did stop in Bakersfield in August for dinner, coming back from Six Flags, but didn’t explore). Usually, big infrastructure projects take years to happen. At the time, Bakersfield was looking at alternative routes. If it takes Fresno 10 years to build improved bus stops, Boston 30 years to extend a trolley route, and NYC 60 years to add a subway station, surely things in Bakersfield would move slowly. Demolishing an existing neighborhood is no small feat. Click to read more!

Categories : Fresno TransitTags : FAX fresno fresno area express ridership transit5 Comments

12 years of FAX ridership – the decline in riders (and service) is real

On March 2, 2018October 27, 2019 By jamesinclair

With the recent launch of the new “Q” bus service in Fresno, many articles have been asking if this will stop the decline in bus ridership. However, I have yet to see any article actually talk about numbers. What has the decline been? How long has it been happening? Well, let’s solve that mystery and dive right in!

I last looked at ridership in July 2015. That post was titled “7 years of decline.” Unfortunately, it hasn’t gotten better.

We begin with the big picture: Ridership by month on Fresno’s bus system, FAX, from July 2005 to December 2017. These numbers are for regular buses only, not including para-transit. Clovis, which operates its own system, is also not included. Click to read more!