Toll Lanes are coming

[Ocklawaha]

So we're going to blow a few hundred million so a few impatient people can get to work 5 minutes faster then everyone else... and it will NEVER, EVER, MAKE MONEY!

Gee, Larry was all over a rail system because everyone knows:

Assuming the Skyway continues to run deficits of about $4 million a year, that would be an additional $100 million of taxpayers’ money gone away. Larry Hannan

Constructing a 90-mile commuter rail system on existing railroad tracks in Northeast Florida would cost about $622 million. Commuter rail would also be a money loser, like most public transportation systems in the United States. Larry Hannan

JTA is now examining the three lines to determine which one would be built first by estimating which one would have the highest ridership. The total cost of the project was estimated at $622 million, but it wouldn't cost that much if only one of the three lines is constructed. Larry Hannan

The St. Johns River Ferry will never be profitable. Neither will the Jacksonville Transportation Authority bus system nor the downtown Skyway. Larry Hannan

This can safely be said because no major public transit system in America makes money. Transportation experts can't name a single major transit system that is a moneymaker in this country. Larry Hannan

http://www.youtube.com/v/GGUDDw8lGF0?version=3&hl=en_US
Sharp eyes will note that the FREEway in this flick has tolled 'express lanes.' Look's like the Light Rail sort of blows it away...

The toll lanes are fair because people don’t have to use them. Bill Bishop

The toll lanes would help with economic development. Jacksonville Transportation Authority Chairman, Edward Burr

The revenue will go toward maintaining I-295 and other roads in Northeast Florida, (FDOT) Bennett said.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are in the presence of the last colony of extant Homo Floresiensis on the face of the earth.

OCKLAWAHA

[Ocklawaha]

Now that was funny! WTF?

[tufsu1]

Luckily I don't think I'll ever run into one! Too far away from the core.

don't count on that...any widening of I-95 or I-10 will also be tolled....and FDOT is studying feasibility of I-95 from Intl. Golf Pkwy to new Atlantic interchange

[fsujax]

The comments on the TU site, WOKV facebook page are a trip. You would think it was the end of the world. I know when they converted the HOV to HOT lanes in Gwinnett County (Atlanta) along I-85, there were the same kind of reactions from the public up there, so it isn't just a Jax thing.

[SightseerLounge]

"So we're going to blow a few hundred million so a few impatient people can get to work 5 minutes faster then everyone else... and it will NEVER, EVER, MAKE MONEY!"

Yes! They should just make a light rail or a commuter rail where the toll lanes are going to be located! They would move a lot more people!

Could this be a backdoor to the bus lanes that they want?

Get those SunPasses ready!

I thought the tolls ended in, I believe, '89!

[fsujax]

They will be bus lanes, commuter express buses can use them for free.

[tufsu1]

I know when they converted the HOV to HOT lanes in Gwinnett County (Atlanta) along I-85, there were the same kind of reactions from the public up there, so it isn't just a Jax thing.

Interesting thing happened there....the HOV lane was 2+ occupants...when converted to an HOT lane, they went to 3+ occupants....that, combined with what seemed to be a high toll led to the lane not being used and congestion on the general purpose lanes being worse.

That led to a call from Gov. Deal to FHWA getting permission to allow HOV 2+ to use the HOT lanes for free....and a reduction in the tolls....and now they've reached a comfortable balance for all lanes.

[tufsu1]

They will be bus lanes, commuter express buses can use them for free.

maybe

[fsujax]

^^you must know something I don't.

[tufsu1]

^^you must know something I don't.

not really...just that the studies aren't done yet...I'm not sure all of these will be deemed feasible as toll lanes...it seems possible that the extra lanes on I-295 from Heckscher to I-95 could be truck only lanes.

[mtraininjax]

FDOT seems lazy to me, why not just raise the gas tax, and penalize all who purchase fuel? We need fuel, so why not continue with the tax? This plan for 295 will be for the people who live in that area, as the tourists and bypass people will still use 295 west, so those of you in OP and US17, it will not get any better, only worse.

[fieldafm]

FDOT seems lazy to me, why not just raise the gas tax, and penalize all who purchase fuel? We need fuel, so why not continue with the tax? This plan for 295 will be for the people who live in that area, as the tourists and bypass people will still use 295 west, so those of you in OP and US17, it will not get any better, only worse.

Yes, b/c raising the gas tax is totally and politcally feasible 



I understand FDOT has been talking about congestion pricing on this new outer beltway boondoggle.  An interesting study here:
http://usj.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/09/10/0042098011417017.abstract

[fsujax]

i say we just continue to let our infrastructure crumble. I sometimes wonder what happend to the can do attitude of the generations before us. The U.S. used to build the biggest buildings, the largest dams, the mightest bridges, etc, etc. now God forbid we spend a dime doing any of that or even maintaining it.

[tufsu1]

This plan for 295 will be for the people who live in that area, as the tourists and bypass people will still use 295 west, so those of you in OP and US17, it will not get any better, only worse.

umm...did you not see that the first toll lanes will be on 295 west (from I-95 to the bridge)?

[carpnter]

i say we just continue to let our infrastructure crumble. I sometimes wonder what happend to the can do attitude of the generations before us. The U.S. used to build the biggest buildings, the largest dams, the mightest bridges, etc, etc. now God forbid we spend a dime doing any of that or even maintaining it.

Politicians are too busy using our tax dollars to buy votes.