Streetcar Artifacts Uncovered in Springfield

Metro Jacksonville · October 13, 2009, 06:03:02 AM

Streetcar Artifacts Uncovered in Springfield

As the Springfield Main Street reconstruction project nears completion, the center of the roadway has been excavated in order to make way for a grass median. During this excavation process, a piece of history from the Jacksonville Traction Co. Streetcar system was uncovered.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-oct-streetcar-artifacts-uncovered-in-springfield

thelakelander · October 13, 2009, 06:27:10 AM

RIP, JTC. Would have liked to see them bring the tracks back since we just had to have medians.

vicupstate · October 13, 2009, 08:16:04 AM

DOT should at least sell those ties. I'm sure Ocklawaha would pay a tide sum to use them as the focal point of his home decor.

BridgeTroll · October 13, 2009, 08:25:42 AM

Imagine... if you will... that this was actually a Streetcar project.

It really is too bad they tore all this up so they could block access to businesses and plant grass and trees...

thelakelander · October 13, 2009, 08:38:38 AM

Maybe if we're lucky, we can one day rip those shrubs and concrete curbs up and install tracks. From the image above, it definitely looks wide enough to put back track without taking out lanes or parallel parking.

sheclown · October 13, 2009, 08:54:34 AM

St. Mary's, in Springfield, used old lumber from the road work in the 60s to build a chapel. I have photos of the beautiful wood. Frank Deering went to the city and asked for the wood from the road project and turned it into to a stunning sanctuary.

fsu813 · October 13, 2009, 11:38:47 AM

Forgive me for not remembering, as i'm sure it's been eferneced many times, but......

How much would it cost to put in & maintain a street care system in the urban core of neighborhoods?

It's a rough estimate, i know.

Thanks!

thelakelander · October 13, 2009, 11:56:38 AM

According the the TPO's cost feasible plan:

$14.0 million - Streetcar East (DT Jax to Jax Municipal Stadium)
$42.0 million - Streetcar North (DT Jax to Springfield "Shands")
$35.0 million - Streetcar West (DT Jax to Five Points)
$14.0 million - Streetcar West 2 (Five Points to King Street)

http://www.firstcoastmpo.com/envision2035/docs/9-30-09/Proposed%20Cost%20Feasible_Plan_List_and_Map-update.pdf

As for annual operations costs, its a crap shoot. It really depends on what type of streetcar service, who's operating it, the extent of infrastructure built and the frequency. In other words it could be anywhere as low as $2-$4 million a year to +$10 million. To determine, Jax needs to committ to the idea and work to develop what works best for the community and what it can afford.

JeffreyS · October 13, 2009, 12:05:32 PM

If we really have 100million from bjp we should go streetcars first. Any matching funds from the state or feds and add small expansion to the skyway or piggyback Amtraks improvements towards commuter rail.

fsu813 · October 13, 2009, 12:15:56 PM

i foresee a phase in

BridgeTroll · October 13, 2009, 12:27:06 PM

Awesome! After ripping up main street for what seems like a decade... a few years from now they may tear it all up again and lay tracks. I guess it would mean "job creation" if nothing else...

JeffreyS · October 13, 2009, 12:49:27 PM

They have repeatedly put in and pulled out medians on main for fifty years.

BridgeTroll · October 13, 2009, 12:56:48 PM

The jobs created by these projects seem to come at the expense of businesses actually being able to prosper on Main St.

konstantconsumer · October 13, 2009, 02:24:33 PM

love the new divided lane. now, when leave the house, i can't turn left at 5th and main. thanks jacksonville.

fsujax · October 13, 2009, 02:29:05 PM

thanks FDOT.