City Accuses JTA of Mismanagement

[thelakelander]

MJ also got them to move forward with a commuter rail feasibility study after they fought the entire idea early on in the BRT fight.  In addition, they ended up taking MJ's idea of using the S-Line ROW as a part of the north commuter rail corridor which have now been adopted into the TPO's 2035 LRTP and COJ's mobility plan.  So a citizen band of misfits can get it done when they try hard enough.  Call me crazy or over confident, but we're going to end up getting rail back in this town sooner rather than later.  Either JTA can go along for the ride or get ran over in the process.

[fsujax]

infiltrate the agencies, boards and city council, then things will really get done!

[fsujax]

Good call Stephen!

[Ocklawaha]

For our new readers:

TPO = Transportation Planning Organization
LRTP = Long Range Transportation Plan.
ROW = Right of Way
BRT = Bus Rapid Transit.

I agree, good call as the PM'S are showing a bunch of confused citizens. Please allow me to add this split of the hairs...

Trolley, Electric vehicle drawing power from overhead wires via a trolley pole. (not always a passenger vehicle and not always a rail vehicle, though these would be more common. )
Streetcar, The smaller end of the electric railroad transit vehicles, still generally larger then a bus. Actually a form of Commuter Rail, but NEVER refereed to it that way to prevent modal confusion.
Rapid Streetcar,  A new concept drawing on 1920's technology, that largely separates and speeds up streetcar operations, from mixed traffic lanes. M/L same vehicle as above. Not refereed to as commuter rail.
Light Rail Transit,LRT,  A modern form of the old interurban electric railways, larger, faster and more expensive then regular diesel hauled passenger trains. Also  a form of Commuter Rail, but again, NEVER refereed to in that way. LRT uses Light Rail Vehicles or LRV's. though to some degree it is possible for it to be interchangeable with streetcar.
Commuter Rail, a short distance commuter train using regular railroad equipment similar to Amtraks. As it typically uses track that is already in place, it is the overall lowest cost to implement.


OCKLAWAHA0

[fsujax]

JTA=Jacksonville Transportation Authority

[fsujax]

haha. well, maybe some day!

[NthDegree]

Thank you for the jargon decoding language.
 

[Lunican]

Last week I reported that a dispute between JTA and the City Council auditor was causing the City to withhold $35.6 million in Better Jacksonville funds until City Council decided if the money had been spent properly.

Earlier today $13.1 million of that money was released to JTA, said City spokeswoman Misty Skipper.

More: http://jacksonville.com/interact/blog/larry_hannan/2010-03-05/on_the_road_jta_gets_reimbursed_with_131_million_in_better_jac

[stjr]

Last week I reported that a dispute between JTA and the City Council auditor was causing the City to withhold $35.6 million in Better Jacksonville funds until City Council decided if the money had been spent properly.

Earlier today $13.1 million of that money was released to JTA, said City spokeswoman Misty Skipper.

Lunican, quoting the full article would give better context to the fact that this is really not progress.  Here is the rest of the article:

The money released today doesn't end the dispute. This was funding the City Auditor hadn't questioned. JTA had complained that this money wasn't in dispute, and asked it to be released.

The rest of the money, which according to my math is about $22.5 million, remains in limbo until City Council decides if JTA spent it properly.

Auditors allege JTA spent the money on projects not related to Better Jacksonville, and also did some projects out of order.