Metropolis Transit's President Nikki Casey Talks 47, 22/26 Extension & Other Plans

Metropolis, BR. Nov 14th 2014

Nicholette Casey has been the president of Metropolis Transit since 2008.

In a recent interview with Metropolis Transit's President & General Manager, Nicholette Casey, a lot of light was drawn on the future of the transit system that's currently in the mist of two major expansion project after recently completing another that was called a "boondoggle". The 2012 opening of the 47 elevated was a bittersweet victory for Casey's early career at MT. 

"I got death threats," she said, "as well as lot of insults such as one telling me to go back to the girl's bathroom of the high school I came from."

The hate came from a lot of property owners along Ballerman Blvd's main trunk who felt the elevated tracks over the street would cause a change in how people would see the community. The line, like all other Metropolis Elevated Railway Lines, was originally a streetcar/trolley line that ran from Uptown to Morrisville. 

"One thing I possibly till this day regret is not sending the line to Morrisville like the trolley did," Casey explained. She originally faced a lot of lawsuits for putting the elevated over the Bayway part of the line. "Nobody wanted an el over Bayway. Hell even I didn't want it. I even came up with the compromise for a terminal at Southside & Bayway but the lawsuits kept pouring in. Had one pillar went up in that intersection, I would've still been sitting in court now trying to clear this up."

Casey also went on to describe the current westward leg of the 47 as "The Grand Compromise" since the tracks the elevated was put on were dormant for eight years prior when the N trolley was cutback from 19th Street to Freehold in 2004 due to deteriorating track conditions. Today, this leg of the 47 see the most ridership with Multilevel parking garages at Morganville, 35th-Hamilton & Freehold. 

Currently, Metropolis Transit is working on two major extensions. The first being the long-awaited 22 & 26 extension that will bring the two short elevated lines into Downtown via a new subway tunnel under Trees Avenue. The other is the 67 trolley extension into Metropolis International Airport. Both extensions were mapped out and executed on Casey's order. 

"Randall Mourie for years before he converted the 22 & 26 into Els wanted to build a Rapid Transit link from Boga Island to Downtown, he didn't want to bore through Mount Lover to build a ramp on the 65 line, this is why Blue Beach Transfer exists today. Why he never though of tunneling downtown is beyond me," she explained. "The reason why I wanted to do this was because I personally hear from the Boga Islanders about how annoying the transfer is. Tourist also do not understand or get why the 22 doesn't go into Downtown. Some even feel that 45 second ride is pointless until they walk that mountain by foot then are grateful it's there. Probably why nobody can pull the plug on it, it makes a great funicular railroad. Now think of it like this, unlike a funicular, my trains have the ability to run right to Downtown. Why give them the cake and not let them eat it too?"

When all said and done, the new 22 & 26 extension will run from their respective endpoints to a new terminal downtown near either Colette Street or Downtown Square with stops at Metropolis Central & The Interfair. The first phase to Metropolis Central is fully funded and under construction.

The future of Metropolis Transit is questionable for now according to Casey.  She current has no other long term plans other then expanding the DARK Bus network. There was a lot of mention of further partnerships with DashTransit Service like the current CERT Bus the M30 & M34 line that use to be Metropolis Transit lines. There's a possible expansion in the CERT Network as well but under DashTransit's control.

"I want us to move forward in our city. We have the nation's biggest trolley system, the third biggest elevated subway in the county next to NYC & Chicago and we can have the greatest transit system in the county if we put our minds to it. Certain transit companies rather spend millions abandoning trolley tracks and yanking them out while we're spending millions to keep our running in the grade A shape they are. I'm confident Metropolis Transit will be a remember name in the transit community for being a leader in change," she closes. Nicholette Casey currently is 22 Years Old, unmarried, and plans on staying with the company long term.

DashTransit's Christine-SPL Airport BRT To Start In Late July

Alexandra, BR. April 27th 2014.

DashTrasnit To Start BRT Service Using These Buses.

DashTransit and the State of Bridgerissa has been in talks for the longest for a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) line utilizing the Christine Bay Bridge to connect Downtown Metropolis to South Portland International Airport. The BRT Line will run from the brand new Bay of Silence Bus Terminal through Downtown Metropolis then using Ballerman Blvd and Lindsay Avenue to reach the Christine Expressway where it use it private lane at each major exit to stop right on the off-ramp. In Port County, there is space to add a two new private bus lanes to run BRT down the median of the highway where buses will have their own dedicate stations that passenger can walk up and wait for the bus.

There is no talk of how the line is going to be named, what the finally paint job would look like or where the buses will even stop, but it's clear what buses are going to use the line. DashTransit ordered 50 New Flyer Industries Xselsior Buses that run on both electric and diesel power. 40 of these buses will be dedicated to the service with the last 10 being use for the branch-line service that will connect Hook Beach and Pier Village to the BRT Line in Port County. 

Drawings of the Xselsior Buses being use for SPL BRT.

Currently only Metropolis Buses 17 & E buses connect to the Airport and both do not touch Downtown Metropolis forcing passengers to transfer to either the 47 Elevated or Woodland Subway with heavy loads of luggage. The transfer between the Rt 17 bus and the Woodland Subway requires a block long walk to the 36th Street subway station that is NOT wheelchair accessible nor has an elevator. When the SPL BRT opens, passengers can have a one seat right to Downtown & Midtown Metropolis without the need to lug heavy belongings down or up long flights of stairs. The service is expected to go live late July-early August. No word on how fares will be collected but we can expect something similar to the DARK Busway in Glittertown.