JTA Opens Kings Avenue Parking Garage For One Spark

[Metro Jacksonville]

JTA Opens Kings Avenue Parking Garage For One Spark



Due to expected demand this weekend at the One Spark 2014 crowdfunding festival, starting Friday through Sunday the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) will offer parking services at the JTA’s Kings Avenue Parking Garage located at 1201 Kings Avenue.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-apr-jta-opens-kings-avenue-parking-garage-for-one-spark

[spuwho]

They listened!

Score 100 points for JTA.

City Council writing a tome to FDOT and JTA responding to the need, all in the same week.

[fsujax]

Great news. Good for JTA. New leadership is showing.

[coredumped]

I don't get why they won't let people park past 11? Why not have it open all night, or free after 11?

[ProjectMaximus]

I was actually on my way to park there yesterday and decided not to when I saw the sign that said til 11pm. I guess maybe I wouldn't have even been able to do it yesterday. (Worked for me, as I got street parking closer to the skyway station)

[brainstormer]

Core, the parking garage is only staffed to enter until 11:00pm.  The garage doesn't close until 3:00am which is the same time the Skyway shuts down for the night.  I personally think this is pretty reasonable.

[ProjectMaximus]

^ah ok. That's critical information.

[iMarvin]

Why does JTA not add more cars to the trains for OneSpark? It would allow a lot more people to ride at one time.

[Gamblor]

Why does JTA not add more cars to the trains for OneSpark? It would allow a lot more people to ride at one time.

Because buying cars for one weekend is a tough sell, especially in this city. If the skyway was used more year round, more cars would be added.

[thelakelander]

Skyway cars aren't designed to be coupled together like LRT or heavy rail.

[ProjectMaximus]

Delays/capacity issues were slightly frustrating yesterday coming from kings avenue. not enough to bother me much but definitely not a good impression for some folks.

The first interval I witnessed was about 16 min between trains, second interval was about ten, at which point I was able to get on. So about 25 minutes waiting. Not horrendous but the platform was completely full of people. And anyone trying to get on at San Marco or Riverplace were SOL, except for the few who smartly got on going in the opposite direction and rode it back in.

[thelakelander]

I don't remember people being sorted into single file lines last year. Was there confusion from last year?  It seemed pretty simple to me but I'm an above average user and last year's event was much smaller in attendance.

I only rode the Skyway once and that was from Hemming to Central yesterday.  I didn't realize they were sorting people into lines based on whether they were going to the convention center or Kings Avenue from Hemming, so I ended up missing a train or two for being caught in the wrong line (both routes stop at Central). In the end, I could have walked to Central just as fast, but it wasn't a big deal. 

[Ocklawaha]

Lake the cars might not be designed for day to day coupling, but I believe there ARE mechanical provisions for drawbars so this is something that could be worked out before our next downtown event. The trains should be able to run in A-A+A-A configurations but they might have to modify the gate system at the stations. One has to wonder with the Skyway's new found popularity how much longer JTA will drag its feet on expanding east, south and southeast, as well as how much longer we'll have to wait for either new equipment or remanufactured equipment. A through remanufacture of the cars and the additions of the 'B' units between the 'A' cab units might be economical enough to pull off. It would also open space for Bike transport all day, 365 days a year. Dallas just did this with their LRT fleet adding new low-floor center units between the cab units.


The new center cars on the Dallas DART



Here a monorail 'switcher' moves cars around using a drawbar, you'll recall that we have a similar switcher at the carbarn.


Here are the new Bombardier/Adtranz/VonRoll cars:
Length: 32.12m (105.3") (7-Car Train)
Width: 2.06m (6.8')
Maximum Speed: 26 mph (42 km/h)
Bogie Arrangement: 8 Bogies (7-Car Train) Bogies are located between passenger compartments. End bogies are
not powered. There are two load bearing and four guiding wheels per bogie. There is no passageway between
passenger compartments.
Tires: (16) 29.5" Load Bearing Wheels (7-Car Train)
Motors: (6) 37kW DC (7-Car Train)
Power Supply: 500V AC
Passenger Capacity: 130 Normal, 170 Crush (7-Car Train)
Beam Configuration: Steel Box Beam 832mm high x 700 mm wide (32.8" x 27.6") with 940mm Top Flange (37")
Maximum Grade: 4.6% Up and 6.6% Down
Minimum Curve Radius: 20m (65.6')

[thelakelander]

For some reason, I seriously doubt JTA is going to spend millions retrofitting the Skyway for a five day annual event.

[ProjectMaximus]

I don't remember people being sorted into single file lines last year. Was there confusion from last year?  It seemed pretty simple to me but I'm an above average user and last year's event was much smaller in attendance.

I only rode the Skyway once and that was from Hemming to Central yesterday.  I didn't realize they were sorting people into lines based on whether they were going to the convention center or Kings Avenue from Hemming, so I ended up missing a train or two for being caught in the wrong line (both routes stop at Central). In the end, I could have walked to Central just as fast, but it wasn't a big deal.

No, i didnt observe that last year. When the platform was packed, JTA officials were suggesting some people ride the bus from Kings Ave. I heard people ask if it was free as well, and balk when they found out it wasn't.

Hate to bring up this debate again, but at least during One Spark it would be awesome if the skyway to ran east down Bay Street. Oh well.