JTA study names potential sites for commuter rail

[BridgeTroll]

The Florida Times-Union

July 14, 2008

JTA study names potential sites for commuter rail

By LARRY HANNAN,
The Times-Union

A Jacksonville Transportation Authority consultant has identified 28 potential locations where commuter rail stations could be built in Northeast Florida.
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The consultant, Gannett Fleming Inc. of Pennsylvania, has identified the sites as part of an ongoing $400,000 study into the feasibility of commercial rail in the Jacksonville area.

This study is looking at where rail service could go by using some existing rail lines owned by the private companies CSX and Florida East Coast Railway. The study is expected to be completed in early 2009.

The stops recommended by the consultant go as far south as St. Augustine and Green Cove Springs and as far north as Yulee.

The 28 locations were picked on the assumption they would be the best locations for people to get on and off the trains, JTA regional transportation planner James Boyle said.

JTA is not yet looking at specific parcels of land. The locations are rough ideas of where the train stations could go, Boyle said.

Boyle said there was no guarantee all 28 stations would be built. It's also possible stations would end up being built at other locations.

Other potential locations include behind Shands Jacksonville hospital, Main Street in the Springfield warehouse district, U.S. 23 near Kings Road, Moncrief Road and at 64th Street near Main Street, Boyle said.

The study comes as interest in creating a commuter rail appears to be increasing in the Jacksonville area. Reaction to commuter rail has been largely positive in the community, and several Web sites have popped up advocating the transportation mode.

JTA Executive Director Michael Blaylock has said he believes rail will be coming to the area. He also thinks it's possible that JTA will eventually put down extra tracks for commuter rail in areas where the existing train tracks don't go.

Jacksonville resident Ennis Davis said he was happy with what he'd seen of the rail station proposal but is concerned there isn't enough focus on the downtown area.

Davis is one of three men behind MetroJacksonville.com, a Web site that supports using rail in Jacksonville.

Taking rail up to Yulee or down to Green Cove Springs might be too expensive. It makes more sense to focus on the downtown area and have more stations in areas like Riverside and San Marco, Davis said.

He'd also like to see a proposed station on East 21st Street moved to Liberty Street and more of a focus on Springfield and the warehouse district, Davis said.

St. Johns County Commissioner Tom Manuel said it's only a matter of time before commuter rail comes to the area, and it's best to come up with a plan for it as soon as possible.

Beyond train stations, counties like St. Johns also need to identify collection points people can easily walk to. Buses can then pick them up at those collection points and take them to the train station.

St. Johns has begun the process of doing that, Manuel said.

Clay County Commissioner Harold Rutledge, who is also president of the Northeast Florida Regional Council, said Clay County is in the process of identifying land the county could buy for train stations.

People have not asked him about the possibility of rail coming to Clay County, but he expects those questions to start coming his way soon.

With gas prices continuing to go up, people who never thought about taking the train will soon be open to the possibility, Rutledge said.

larry.hannan@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4470

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/071408/met_303463419.shtml

[Jason]

Clay County Commissioner Harold Rutledge, who is also president of the Northeast Florida Regional Council, said Clay County is in the process of identifying land the county could buy for train stations.

People have not asked him about the possibility of rail coming to Clay County, but he expects those questions to start coming his way soon.

IMO, Clay County could benefit much more than St. Johns in the short term.

[thelakelander]

Considering Tri-Rail is finally having success in South Florida and Clay already has the worst commutes in the State, commuter rail would be a great short and long term solution for that County.  Especially, since there's no telling when the Outer Beltway will open.

If the Orlando commuter rail deal passes, imo, JTA should agressively move forward on finding away to get commuter rail up and running on the A-line between Clay and Downtown.

[thelakelander]

[blizz01]

JTA Executive Director Michael Blaylock has said he believes rail will be coming to the area. He also thinks it's possible that JTA will eventually put down extra tracks for commuter rail in areas where the existing train tracks don't go.

Jacksonville resident Ennis Davis said he was happy with what he'd seen of the rail station proposal but is concerned there isn't enough focus on the downtown area.

Davis is one of three men behind MetroJacksonville.com, a Web site that supports using rail in Jacksonville.

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