High-Speed Rail is the Tim Tebow of Florida Transportation

[FayeforCure]

Hmmmm, I guess I couldn't have said it any better!

By Bill Rufty
THE LEDGER


Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 1:41 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, August 18, 2009 at 1:41 p.m.

LAKELAND | There's a bullet train headed for Lakeland and Central Florida if a newly formed group and more than a hundred people attending a kickoff at Lakeland City Hall on Tuesday have anything to say about it.

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A graphic art presentation for "Connect Us," a group formed to get "Florida High Speed Rail built, greets audience members during a meeting at the Lakeland City Commission Chamber Tuesday. August 18, 2009. The Ledger/Michael Wilson
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MICHAEL WILSON | The Ledger


Former Hillsborough County commissioner and founder of "Connect Us" Ed Turanchik makes a point Tuesday.
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MICHAEL WILSON | The Ledger

State Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, hosted 'Connect Us,' a group formed by former Hillsborough County Commissioner Ed Turanchik and others from Tampa, Orlando and Miami who are working to get a high-speed rail line built in Florida.

'This is all about showing the president of the United States that this is important to Florida when he begins to make his decision on who gets the high-speed rail stimulus money,' Turanchik said.

All seven Lakeland city commissioners appeared for the kickoff, and the five Polk County commissioners recessed their own meeting in Bartow so they could come to show their support.

Also, 40 legislators from the Tampa Bay area, including all of Polk's legislators, have voiced support for the project, said Rep. Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland, chairman of the Tampa Bay Area Legislative Delegation.

The idea of the kickoff is to energize politicians and the general public in hopes they will write letters of support and work to get an application for $2 billion in federal high-speed rail stimulus money for a Florida bullet train.

'What has changed in the years of effort is that we now have grass-roots support, political support and we are dedicating $1 billion in right of way already in state hands to obtain the stimulus,' Dockery said.

'Florida is further along with a shovel-ready project than any other state. This is the beginning of the spine of a fast mass transit system that will benefit all of Florida.''


A FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN

Turanchik urged members of the audience to join 'Connect Us' by going to http://www.fastrailconnectus.com and then to tell everyone on Facebook to join as well.

'We believe that high-speed rail is the Tim Tebow of Florida transportation. It is the game-changer,' Turanchik said. 'If we organize together by 2011, we can start construction. And by 2013... we (will) have trains running 150 miles an hour down the I-4 corridor and then on to Miami. And that changes everything forever.'

Lakeland was the second of three stops by the group Tuesday. Rail supporters first held a kickoff in Orlando and finished in Tampa. Today, the group heads to Jacksonville.

Lakeland Mayor Buddy Fletcher called the full-house audience in the City Commission chambers Tuesday a good sign for the long sought high-speed rail project through Lakeland.

'We haven't seen this kind of turnout in years,' Fletcher said

. 'I think this just shows that working together ó Lakeland, Tampa and Orlando ó that this project is finally going to become a reality.'


A LONG FIGHT


Florida officials have discussed high-speed rail for decades. The current incarnation began in 2000, when Dockery's husband, Lakeland businessman C.C. 'Doc' Dockery, spent $3 million of his own money to get an amendment to the state constitution on the ballot.

The amendment, requiring the state to build a high-speed rail system connecting at least five metropolitan areas in Florida, was passed by voters over the objections of then-Gov. Jeb Bush.

Bush, who took office in 1999, ended the old Florida High Speed Rail Commission and turned the money set aside for high-speed rail over to interstate construction.

Dockery, who had been appointed to the old commission by Republican Gov. Bob Martinez in the 1980s, maintains much of that money never went to pay for interstate highway work. Dockery's work to get the amendment approved caused a

schism between him and Bush. They had been close political allies.


A NEW RAIL AUTHORITY


The Florida Legislature created the current Florida High Speed Rail Authority in 2001, and hired consultants, advertising for contractors and completing environmental engineering studies for the first phase between Orlando and Tampa. Bush, in the meantime, had supporters get enough petition signatures to put the amendment issue back on the ballot, and voters repealed the requirement that the state must build the system.

However, the governor miscalculated, because the rail authority, having been created by the Legislature, was not tied to the amendment, so it continued to operate. He asked the nine members to disband, but they refused.

The Legislature, which created the authority, also refused to decommission it, and the authority went into a kind of hibernation for the last two years of Bush's administration.

Authority members and other high-speed rail supporters were heartened by the election of Charlie Crist as governor in 2006, but Crist has yet to reappoint members of the authority or to meet with them.

Since the offer of federal stimulus money, however, Crist has announced his support. He said again on Tuesday that he supports the push for federal funding to pay for the rail project, but he offered little detail about his efforts.

'We're working with our friends at the federal level, our congressional delegation, those in the (Obama) administration. I think it's very important,' Crist said.


MONEY AND JOBS

With the election of President Obama and the addition by Congress of stimulus money for high-speed rail throughout the nation, the Florida authority has begun holding regular meetings again, and supporters along the first two phases ó Orlando to Tampa and Orlando to Miami ó have begun a grass-roots push to get the projects under way quickly. Many speakers Tuesday spoke of the thousands of jobs that could be created by the project.

The idea of obtaining federal money for the project has drawn strong support from state officials, including Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach.

In a letter he sent earlier this month to Florida DOT secretary Stephanie Kopelousos, Atwater said, 'Government does not create prosperity; however, it is our duty to seize every opportunity to affect the odds in favor of our citizens, our communities and our businesses.

'Transportation, efficiently moving people and goods, is a central component of Florida's future economic strength. Investing in (high-speed) rail is an opportunity that we should vigorously pursue for the good of all Floridians,' he said.


HIGH-SPEED RAIL IS DIFFERENT


High-speed rail is different from the Orlando area commuter rail Sen. Dockery helped defeat in the 2009 session of the Legislature. She said that plan would have created increased liability for the state's taxpayers.

Unlike a commuter train, which makes multiple stops within a single urban area, a high-speed rail train goes from city to city without stops in between, traveling at high rates of speed.


[ Bill Rufty can be reached at bill.rufty@theledger.com or 863-802-7523. His political blog is at politics.theledger.com. ]

http://www.theledger.com/article/20090818/NEWS/908189965/1410?Title=Bullet-Train-Backers-Rally-in-Lakeland

[FayeforCure]

Ah, so John Mica is a HSR supporter but NOT for Florida!! Imagine that,......

Here is the list of Federal Officials who've endorsed HSR for Florida:

Federal Officials
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
U.S. Senator Mel Martinez
U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown D-Jacksonville, Orlando
U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor D-Tampa
U.S. Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Miami
U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami
U.S. Congressman Alcee Hartings, D-Ft. Lauderdale and Miami
U.S. Congressman Alan Grayson, D-Orlando
U.S. Congressman Suzanne Kosmas, D-Orlando
U.S. Congresman Kendrick Meek, D-Miami
U.S. Congressman Adam Putnam, R-Lakeland
U.S. Congressman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Ft. Lauderdale
U.S. Congressman Robert Wexler, D-Palm Beach

http://www.fastrailconnectus.com/cms.php?action=Endorsements

[fsu813]

that is a very, very, very bad analogy. tim tebow is _______________, while high speed rail is a pretty good idea.

[buckethead]

High speed rail is neato.

[kramer2k]

Nice find Faye.  Interesting read.

that is a very, very, very bad analogy. tim tebow is _______________, while high speed rail is a pretty good idea.

That is a very, very, very bad post.  fsu813's post is __________, while all other posts aren't useless and unimaginative. 

[DavidWilliams]

Can I be all for high-speed rail and Tebow?...Both are an idea whose time is here  Perhaps Tebow when he is done with football can be a conductor of the transit system that will magically appear in Duval proper in the not to distant future.  ....and then (after the cancer cure announcement) Tebow can solve the rest of the issues at City Hall.

[reednavy]

Nice find Faye.  Interesting read.

that is a very, very, very bad analogy. tim tebow is _______________, while high speed rail is a pretty good idea.

That is a very, very, very bad post.  fsu813's post is __________, while all other posts aren't useless and unimaginative. 

Nice, what a childish response.

I'm all for HS rail in the state, just no more stupin analogies with reference to Tebow. Thank God we only have year left of this media circle jerk.

[tufsu1]

if only you were right reednavy....remember, the Jags could draft him....and even if they don't, Dan Hicken will continue to update us on Tebow's every move in the NFL (including his bench warming duties) :-)

[Ocklawaha]

author=FayeforCure link=topic=5980.msg94585#msg94585 date=1251843074]
Hmmmm, I guess I couldn't have said it any better!

That inability to think independently doesn't speak well for aspirations of leadership. Following this herd of lemmings off a cliff won't make you more lovable then John Mica.

LAKELAND | There's a bullet train headed for Lakeland and Central Florida if a newly formed group and more than a hundred people attending a kickoff at Lakeland City Hall on Tuesday have anything to say about it.

More then 100? After the new wears off, that's about what the daily ridership is going to be too.

"Connect Us,"

This plan does ANYTHING but connect us. The reason for the failure of ridership, will be laid on Florida High Speed Rail, and not FDOT, where the blame belongs. Frankly by missing every single City, except Disney World, and Tampa, this will be the Billion Dollar train to nowhere, and worse, it won't be as convenient as our Skyway! When it crashes financially it might take down everything from Amtrak to BRT in Florida. How is it that the California High Speed Rail plan isn't terminated at Disneyland. Caltrans, has years of experience building a rail system that really has taken the #1 automobile society and turned them on to trains.

'This is all about showing the president of the United States that this is important to Florida when he begins to make his decision on who gets the high-speed rail stimulus money,' Turanchik said[/b].

This might prove the wisdom of our new President, if he rubber stamps this Disney ride, all bets are off. Hopefully he won't be fooled by Mickey fueled hype, that is meaningless to the bulk of Central Florida residents. I didn't vote for him or McPain, I just hope he takes a stand and backs SEHSR, MWHSRI, CALHSR, GULFHSR etc.  

to energize politicians and the general public in hopes they will write letters of support and work to get an application for $2 billion in federal high-speed rail stimulus money for a Florida bullet train.

As Lakelander said, everybody pile on, HSR is sexy! Nobody wants to take a stand and say NOBODY LIVES ON I-4!

grass-roots support, political support and we are dedicating $1 billion in right of way already in state hands to obtain the stimulus,' .

Big Deal, this is nothing that any other community couldn't get by turning highway right-of-way into an investment asset, this is hardly "grass roots," more like a Mouse furball.

'Florida is further along with a shovel-ready project than any other state. This is the beginning of the spine of a fast mass transit system that will benefit all of Florida.''

Leave it to Florida, to have the WORST plan of ANY HSR project in the country, and some folks are claiming this is the CORE of Florida's railroad future. Sad, because these people have been removed from "Railroad Think," so long that none seem to have a clue what they are talking about. Mythical numbers, from mythical cities, on a mythically perfect transportation system, doesn't anyone else smell the RAT?

A FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN

Whoopee Frigging Do! My daughters have one too!

Turanchik urged members of the audience to join 'Connect Us' by going to http://www.fastrailconnectus.com and then to tell everyone on Facebook to join as well.

Yeah, build a railroad with an electronic chain letter, just send in your tax dollars and we'll make you rich.

'We believe that high-speed rail is the Tim Tebow of Florida transportation. It is the game-changer,

Well, Tim is about to fumble the ball if he lets FDOT HSR call the play. I agree that it WILL BE a game-changer, but your not going to like the results.

Lakeland was the second of three stops by the group Tuesday. Rail supporters first held a kickoff in Orlando and finished in Tampa. Today, the group heads to Jacksonville.

Oh God PLEASE! Just what we need, a bunch of Mickeys friends up here to promise us how sincerely they intend to serve our city with a train that runs from Orlando MCO to Tampas freeway interchange. People tell me where these yahoo's are and perhaps the ancient one will ask some hard questions. Hell, I haven't been asked to leave in almost 30 years, so I must not be doing something right.

MONEY AND JOBS

YEP! Our tax money and Orlando - and - Tampa's jobs, and not much chance of EVER seeing this arrive at Jacksonville Terminal.

The idea of obtaining federal money for the project has drawn strong support from state officials, including Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach.

Following in the footsteps of President Bush, remember he "supported" High Speed Rail, then tried to ZERO FUND AMTRAK! Just another Republican has gone mad.

'Government does not create prosperity; however, it is our duty to seize every opportunity to affect the odds in favor of our citizens, our communities and our businesses.

Oh this will affect them alright, if Disney or the Seminole Casino boys don't bail us out, perhaps we can change the whole thing to light rail, after the track starts to decay from class 7 down to class 2. Great speed for streetcars, and MAYBE enough passengers to fill one or two daily.

'Transportation, efficiently moving people and goods, is a central component of Florida's future economic strength. Investing in (high-speed) rail is an opportunity that we should vigorously pursue for the good of all Floridians,' he said.

Yes, if we were planning on putting this investment where it makes sense (WHERE PEOPLE LIVE) then I would agree with this statement. Where is the efficiency of spending Billions on something we can't use?

HIGH-SPEED RAIL IS DIFFERENT

So is the SKYWAY! Both will meet a similar fate. Deep observation BTW.

That's my crystal ball, but hell, who am I? Just an old railroad consultant from the THIRD WORLD...albeit one who's mass transit puts America to absolute shame.

I would love to have these FDOT and HSR boys and girls in a chair, gazing into a bright light bulb, as I drill them with questions.

OCKLAWAHA
TAKING ANOTHER INFAMOUS STAND!

[stjr]

...it won't be as convenient as our Skyway!

Ock, the ultimate put down! 

By the way, I am with you on this one.

[CS Foltz]

Gentlemen....I stand with you! What could be is only limited by FDOT and I don't want more super highways!

[tufsu1]

Careful....whether good or bad, it is important to note that FDOT is the entity that has been managing the HSR studies to this point.

[FayeforCure]

Careful....whether good or bad, it is important to note that FDOT is the entity that has been managing the HSR studies to this point.

I agree, FDOT has been managing rail studies in general,.........so if we want to see rail in FL ( HSR or otherwise), let's not disparage them.

I would be far more suspicious of a project that removes most freight trains from someone's back yard, without showing any good ridership, and reeking of being a corporate give-away.

[buckethead]

Careful....whether good or bad, it is important to note that FDOT is the entity that has been managing the HSR studies to this point.

Hmmm, so you question their studies? Well, be my guest and refute their numbers.

Personally I am far more suspicious of a project that removes most freight trains from someone's back yard, without showing any good ridership, and reeking of being a corporate give-away.

Doesn't this HSR proprosal sound like another Disney extortion of taxpayers?

To  deny the points Ock makes as valid, or even cause for further investigation is irresponsible.

It is easy to swoon those who are desparately seeking.

[thelakelander]

I made this comment about the HSR plan in another thread yesterday.  However, the same questions still apply.  How does it serve the daily needs of Central Florida residents?  Can we do better with $3 billion?

I will say when it comes to the I-4 corridor, we should place more emphasis on where commuters live and where they typically travel to, as opposed to what corridors have the most grade separations or can be designed for the highest speeds from point A to point B.  This thing reminds me of JTA's first BRT North Corridor down I-95.  Sure it gets you from downtown to Gateway the quickest.  The problem is that no one lives on I-95 and their are no major destinations on I-95.  Does time really matter if you don't provide efficient access to where your populace wants and needs to go? 

The same applies to the I-4 corridor.  Outside of tourist using this thing to get to the airports or Disney, its simply not set up for typical commuter uses because the actual cities outside of Tampa and Orlando aren't centered on I-4.  Nevertheless, this does not mean I'm ready to lead a protest against the tourist train.  If the Feds want to pay for it, so be it.  However, I'm just pointing out the obvious from the perspective of someone who spent +20 years living there.   As planners, designers and visionaries a lot of times we get caught up in the technical aspects of these projects.  Sometimes, its best to sit back and look at these issues from an end user's perspective or a pedestrian scale level. 

With that said, I can see how it will help a tourist get from OIA to Disney or I-Drive (assuming the mouse lets them have a station).  But now for the tough questions.  How much will the average fare be?  How does it serve rapidly growing bedroom communities like Plant City, Lakeland, Haines City and the Four Corners?  What can it do for the residents of Kissimmee or Tampa's booming suburbs of Brandon and Bloomingdale?  Is this train supposed to relieve traffic congestion on I-4?  If so, how can it be set up to remove local traffic these communities generate from the interstate on a day-to-day basis?

The other major problem I have with the fun train is costs.  I believe its best to crawl before you run.  In other words, maybe your first car should be a used one or fairly affordable instead of a lamborghini.  The opposition to rail in this state is obvious.  Dropping $3 billion on a HSR line that will not serve the daily needs of nearby residents is a huge risk to take for anyone who truly backs mass transit.  If this thing fails, we can flush the idea of rail investment in Florida down the drain because it will set us back for decades.  Don't believe so, then take a drive to downtown Jacksonville.  The skyway is the perfect example of trying to run before walking, falling flat on your face and then being to scared to leave the crib again.