LRT TAKES SHAPE

First of all:
THANK YOU, SIMMANIA, FOR VOTING ME DDOTM! IT'S AN HONOUR!


Now then, beginning in the City of Manatee, the new Holt District LRT system is beginning to take shape. Its inaugural line is well under construction, with track laid and now station construction beginning to take shape. Although not earth-shatteringly long, this is the beginning of what will eventually become a region-wide, massive transit system. It will get closer to residents than any other type of transit before it in the region, perhaps besides busses of course. We also see the beginning of the transformation of the EL-Rail system in Holt District to the LRT system. A small segment in Manatee will be the start, connecting the new LRT line to the existing EL-Rail system. So let's get moving (pun not intended ) and see what's taking shape where!






[b]24.1 | We start our update on the edge of Manatee, bordering Norecount. While one day the LRT will extend to Norcount (along with the completion of the new 4-lane road) for phase 1 of this first line it ends here.






24.2 | Moving north towards Downtown Manatee we reach this familiar scene. In our last full update, where "X" marks the spot, a station is now under construction. This will open transit to one of the most poorly-accessible areas in the region. This area has often lagged due to poor road infrastructure. Now a new LRT line and large avenue service the area.






24.3 | As we creep ever closer to Downtown, we reach the first major intersection this line encounters. Here we see the line snake to what was the once landscaped median of this avenue, right before a large shopping centre. Due to space constraints the LRT moves to roadtop here. No stations are yet present, but will be soon along this stretch.






24.4 | Traffic is getting used to the lanes being slightly more offset to the edge of the roadway. Although no LRT trains yet run through here, so it should be interesting for the first while as people get used to the LRT running between directions of traffic. A station will likely make its way here. For road-top stations the stations are being trucked in pieces and will be assembled on site. Think flat-pack Ikea furniture. Though the directions will be a bit more clear.






24.5 | The scene many of you are probably waiting for, the area around Shorerock Shopping Centre. This scene is the future station and station+mall parking. All offices and houses formerly on this site have been demolished and the 2 massive parking garages have just started construction. The roadway through the station can be seen as well. The small crane by the track is working on the station platforms itself. We once again see the track curve off the road.






24.6 | The first segment of mall parking lot has been torn up, creating a bit of a confusing maze in the parking lot. Large blue panels keep motorists from going where they shouldn't be. This particular area will eventually be a pedestrian bridge over the road so people can easily get from parking garage to the mall. The area currently torn up will be turned to a walkway with possible landscaping.






24.7 | Looking at the tracks a little more in detail, you will notice they go underground. Because of the busy nature of this road, transit planners decided it would be best to have the LRT go underground while travelling East (left) towards the shore and the eastern EL-Rail Line, which will partially be converted to LRT in this phase. Motorists applaud this decision, and transit riders are happy this connection was cancelled alltogether, which was a potential option.






24.8 | While the LRT still runs underground at this point, it doesn't mean this large office building and surrounding residential community won't be able to access the system easily. Although close to the Shorerock LRT Station, it was decided to have a large station in this area because of the many people who work in the office building, which suffers from a chronic lack of available parking. Since many of the people who work in the building will live along the LRT system at some point in the mid-term future, a station was easily approved. A local architecture student won the design contest help for the street-level design of the station.






24.9 | Further east we once again see where the tracks will come back above ground. The tracks haven't been laid here yet, but you can see where they soon will be. The EL-Rail line in this vicinity will be converted to LRT during this phase of expansion, though not the line's entire length through Manatee. Just enough for the junction and larger, relocated station.






24.10 | For the final picture today you see the site of the future LRT station in the area. It will be replacing the station next to Save-On-Foods. A building was purchased and demolished for a new entrance off the main road. It will be a signalized entrance. The 3 houses abutting the future ground-level line have been offered by the region to have their houses and land purchased. The purchase is conditional on all 3 accepting. The region wishes to install sound walls, and also feels these homeowners won't like a ground level-trail passing directly next to them. So far 1 has accepted, with the other 2 still mulling the offer over...








K50 x2
As you can see I've already replied.

Blake
Sweet! Look forward to the month up here in the sticKed thread zone!

CONSTRUCTION & TRANSIT IN MANATEE

If you've been following updates recently you'll know that Holt District is in the process of building a new, state-of-the-art LRT system. Including new lines and the existing EL-RAIL system, the vision is to not only serve as transport along major corridors, but have secondary/feeder lines into the majour neighbourhoods all over the region. Today's update takes the tour of the first completed line: In Manatee. We're also going to see some construction along the line's main station, mainly the redevelopment of a portion of the Shorerock Shopping Centre's western parking lots. So let's get a move on and into the update!





25.1 | We begin in South Manatee, where the line nears the border with Norecount. This station, located in the heart of the area that was devastated by the Manatee Tornado, is now open. This early in the morning it doesn't see much activity, with a mostly empty parking lot. The station is gaining traction in the weeks after officially opening to riders.






25.2 | The area hit hard by the tornado is recovering very nicely, with many new homes completed and others well under construction. As part of the LRT line and avenue extension projects, sound walls and treescapes were installed/planted here. It adds a nice touch, perhaps better than backing onto a grass strip.






25.3 | As we move north to downtown we come accross the first in-road station, right by Lowe's and Pine Place Centre, both popular destinations. This also serves residents nearby, and to those working at the HD Police station in the bottom right of this image.






25.4 | On the outer limits of downtown we come accross another station, this one directly in front a large and busy office complexe. This also currently servers as one of two downtown stations, although they're not in the heart of downtown.






25.5 | We now reach the line's main station, across from Shorerock Shopping Centre. The station, which features 2 large parking garages (which also allow mall parking) has a large glass-covered platform. This station also marks where the line begins travelling underground for a short distance. You can also see parking lot redevelopment at the mall from here.






25.6 | The station is nicely landscaped to help break up the large mass of parking garage that's now gracing the landscape. This station is often quite busy, usually the busiest on the line because of its location in the centre of the line, close to the mall, offices, schools and residences. The regional school board is contemplating a switch to LRT transit for some students once the lines pass closer to schools. This would help reduce bussing expenses and redirect funds to educational programs.






25.7 | The first of 2 west-side parking lots have been ripped and have begun being redeveloped at Shorerock. The parking lots will house new office and residential towers and additional retail space. Construction has just begun, so there is still a fair amount to do.






25.8 | With another view of the construction you can notice the now-open pedestrian walkway to the mall. The original plan called for a bridge, but the designer did not account for the train platform in their design, and as such a light was installed instead. The walkway materials will be used on another project. This sometimes causes traffic problems, but the lights have been re-synchronized in the area to ease this congestion.






25.9 | As we head east, towards the water, we reach where the LRT line comes back above ground and intersect with the former EL-RAIL line. Most of the line remains EL-RAIL, however a small portion was converted to LRT to allow integration of the new line with the el-rail system. The old station was demolised and moved north (down in this image) to a large locale.






25.10 | The new station features ample parking for the surrounding areas, and occupies formerly empty land. A building was demolished to allow entry from the main avenue in the area, however unlike the original plan the main entrance was located off the residential road, upgraded to include a signalled intersecion.






25.11 | As night falls, we head back west a litle to view the large under-ground station featuring a beautiful glass atrium. The design has been a hit with residents and has really changed the once dull intersection.






25.12 | As we finish this update, a view of downtown Manatee. This area may, one day, have an LRT line of its own running through it...








Cheeseguy
Thanks! It's fun to come back and not always focus on sprawl, but redevelopment in existing areas.

bben
Thanks Brian, I can't imagine SC4 without them anymore.

forthwall
Thank you! I aim for realism, so maybe that's why... I can hope anyways.

Republicmaster
Hope you enjoyed more progress today!

SPRAWL MOVES OUTWARD


Taking a break from the game-changing LRT system, we're moving to one of the more rural areas of the region, part of the Town of Flynn. This small village had not seen a lot of change up until recently, that is until HDHIP resulted in a massive resulted in a highway running nearby. At first sprawl was concentrated along the highway ROW, but it is now moving in directly next to town. Today we capture a quick glimpse of what the area was like, and what some of the changes coming its way are...






26.1 | Many years ago, the rural area wasn't home to much. A few wind turbines, surprisingly large buildings in its downtown core, houses and a school. The area saw little change during the 90s and early 2000s, save for the wind turbines. The last major change were the construction of new buildings in the downtown area in the 80s.






26.2 | This small residential area is the main area for homes in the rural area, or at least was. A quiet area during the time of this photo, it was known for its frequent street parties and neighbourly atmosphere, with everyone largely knowing everyone.






26.3 | Some people were even lucky enough to be able to live near this body of water, a quiet area further back from the main road in town, and close enough to the perfect spot to go skating when the water occasionally froze over.






26.4 | It wasn't until this, Highway 82, that things began to change. Now with easy access things began to change, including the construction of this travel centre. An exit leads to the town, although it is not the main road through town. The highway began to bring a lot of traffic to the area which was once sleepy due to its distance from the developed portions of Holt District.






26.5 | Soon after the highway was constructed this industrial area popped up, thanks to cheap real estate since land in this area was, and still is, abundant. Plas are already underway to construct an expansion to this park.






26.6 | Just to the south (left in this and the above photo) this residential development popped up. It houses people from both the people who work in the industrial park nearby and again from people seeking cheaper real estate. Houses in this area are, for now, about 10-20% cheaper than comparable locations in the region - this discount not including houses like this in Sherkston and Manatee proper.






26.7 | However, residential development is now not just occurring on the outskirts and near the highway. The Town of Flynn recently approved a massive development that will eventually engulf the small village. Construction has already begun, as this photo shows.









Republicmaster
Thanks - the lines will indeed keep rolling.

Ceafus88
Thanks!

CoastRunner
Thanks! I aim to make everything put together/realistic, glad you found so.