JTA to begin DT Jax-St. Augustine commuter rail study

[Jason]

I will be attending a focus group tonight to discuss the proposed south segment between DT Jax and St Augustine.

I will check back in tomorrow with the results.

[thelakelander]

I'm looking forward to your update!

[cjwest31]

Yeahhhhhhhhhhh I'm so happy

[ProjectMaximus]

I will be attending a focus group tonight to discuss the proposed south segment between DT Jax and St Augustine.

I will check back in tomorrow with the results.

Will you be receiving $60 in compensation??

[Jason]

The meeting last night was great.  Although, not quite what I had in mind.  The discussion was more of a Q&A session with other St. Augustinians, and was intended to get very preliminary input in preparation for a full feasibility study.  I was expecting a more involved technical discussion, although, in hindsight, understand that this was only a small first step in the overall process.  Hopefully I will be able to attend more meetings that get into the nuts and bolts.

It was refreshing to discuss our concerns, wants, and needs with other like minded people.  The organizers were very nice and seemed to have a personal interest in the proposed route. 

The proposed route is nothing different than what has already been posted here in the past. 

[fsujax]

Was JTA involved at all? who led the focus group? very curious?

[spuwho]

I can think of alot of weekend tourists who would want to avoid the parking/driving logjam in St Augustine, especially around July 4th and around Christmas Lights time.

I would much rather spend my dough taking a train from Bowden Station with free parking to St Augustine than wait in that eternal jam to reach a paid parking garage.

But you have to have weekend service to support it.

Is there enough demand?

[Jason]

Was JTA involved at all? who led the focus group? very curious?

Honestly, I don't recall the name of the group.  Pretty sure they were just an independent agency that was working for Parsons.

[Jason]

I will be attending a focus group tonight to discuss the proposed south segment between DT Jax and St Augustine.

I will check back in tomorrow with the results.

Will you be receiving $60 in compensation??

Yes, we were compensated.

[Jason]

I can think of alot of weekend tourists who would want to avoid the parking/driving logjam in St Augustine, especially around July 4th and around Christmas Lights time.

I would much rather spend my dough taking a train from Bowden Station with free parking to St Augustine than wait in that eternal jam to reach a paid parking garage.

But you have to have weekend service to support it.

Is there enough demand?

Honestly, the line would not break ridership records if it were to open tomorrow, however, the potential is there for massive future growth along the corridor.  Now is the time to establish the plan before development overtakes all of the available land.  This would allow for all of the new growth to be built around the line versus having to shoehorn it later.

Tourism/leisure travelers would likely make up the majority of the riders in the beginning, until the developers bring in the true working commuters that would use it daily.

[ProjectMaximus]

I will be attending a focus group tonight to discuss the proposed south segment between DT Jax and St Augustine.

I will check back in tomorrow with the results.

Will you be receiving $60 in compensation??

Yes, we were compensated.

I asked because there was a poster on here trying to get people to participate in a focus group in exchange for $60. I think had she been able to reveal the topic she would have gotten much more interest from those on this board. Had I known what it was about, I would've done it for free lol.

[mvp]

I am a subconsultant to Parsons Brinckerhoff on the JTA commuter rail study and I'm handling the market research tasks.  No connection with the other poster asking for focus group participants.  We solicited from people who live and work along the corridor, and had previously expressed interest via a survey.

It was nice to have Jason at the St. Aug group.  All the participants' input has been very helpful.

[ProjectMaximus]

oh ok. I don't feel bad about not reaching out to that lady then.