How Jax Compares: The Different Faces of Density

[Ocklawaha]

What Tampa did right was:

1. Go to streetcar
2. Build infrastructure that is LRT compliant
3. Get a leg from a near CBD to a tourist area
4. TOD

What they did horribly wrong:

1. Not pushing for an immediate extension into Carver City/TPA and Bayshore (another famous historic streetcar route)
2. Properly link it with all other mass transit

What Jacksonville did right was:
UM?

What they did horribly wrong:

Didn't complete the line to UF
Didn't complete the line to Riverside
Didn't complete the line to Eastside
Didn't complete the line to San Marco
Didn't coordinate it with the transit system
Went for PIE-IN-THE-SKY techno crap as a mode (the first phase, 1. a elevated highway 2. a guided railway  3. rubber tires)
Went for slightly more mainstream monorail crap as the mode (the second phase, 1. elevated highway 2. elevated railway/beamway 3. rubber tires 4. out of scale for the needs
Coin operated (worked once or twice a month) fare collection
Ban bicycles (until recently and even then it should be left up to the passengers on the platform as to when a bike fits and can ride)

[gjosephunf]

In order to avoid getting too far off topic Hillsborough MPO is pushing for SunRail to extend into Tampa or utilizing Brooksville to DT Tampa on CSX line.  Over 300 constituents rallied against the TBX (express lane) project in Tampa. The board has voted for it, HOWEVER FDOT has to follow the boards recommendations ($1 million for streetcar, and a fixed-guideway/multi-modal system) more news will be released in the coming months....

I am very aware of the discussions...in fact, I've been involved peripherally.  Before moving to Jax, I lived in Tampa for 7 years.  And I still do plenty of work down there.

I stand by my original statement that, at this time, Tampa is not ahead of Jacksonville regarding rail transit.  Keep in mind that JTA has been conducting commuter rail studies for several years. 

Also note the CSX study referenced in the TIP (which has not started or been funded yet) is not for extension of SunRail...CSX has been adamant that the rail lines from Plant City to Tampa is too lucrative for them...this would be for the corridor that comes down from Pasco County into Ybor City.

Actually, the TIP has started for freeway expansion, streetcar, and greenways. Helped aid with pushing the first cycle track on Cass St.
http://www.planhillsborough.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Final-TIP-14-15.pdf



The community has been adamant against express lanes. The MPO has pushed FDOT to do it the boards way or no express lanes at all. Either streetcar expansion up Florida Ave., or Commuter Rail from Brooksville. A "plan" is in place due to the Vinik Development, and grassroots organizations like Connect Tampa Bay, URBN Tampa Bay pushing for mobility.

[Ocklawaha]

OCKLAWAHA'S CRYSTAL BALL!

Watch Sunrail morph into Central-North Florida regional rail al la CAL-TRAIN eventually reaching from Jax to Tampa via Orlando. Freight will not stop the trains, according to the AAR the only rail line in Florida that might approach/hit the 10-15 trains daily would be Jax to Lakeland. The Santa Fe operates 100-200 daily over it's entire Chicago-Los Angeles mainline. We apparently fear what we don't know, even AAF plus the FEC freight traffic will be a pip-squeak compared to hundreds of other locations. The San Diego sub of the BNSF handles more trains then most of Florida's railroad's combined and does some of it with signaled single track with sidings.
Meanwhile
Watch AAF grow into regional HrSR along the east coast corridor including the Orlando branch.