Miami Metrorail
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/1104836491_u5dsh-M.jpg)
Metro Jacksonville takes a look at economic development that has been stimulated by Florida's only Heavy Rail mass transit system: The Miami-Dade Metrorail.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-dec-miami-metrorail
Yeah a few of my friends down there say its the train that goes no where, but I guess they must not be on the line. Even Marta in ATL doesn't go to many of the outlaying areas, but its more than efficient. Miami may not be the best place to live, but I tip my hat off to the developments that have been going on down there. Their getting it done!
Data now shows that over 30% of the trips on the US 1 corridor from Dadeland into downtown are made on Metrorail....that is amazing mode share!
Anyone think that people here would ride a train into town?
1. People would gladly ride a train into town in Jacksonville, provided there was anything left of town to ride to.
2. Heavy Rail systems have really fallen out of favor in the USA due to extremely high costs. FORGET IT IN JACKSONVILLE...EVER.
3. Expect to see various forms and combination's of LIGHT RAIL take over new construction around the county, IE: STREETCAR on exclusive right-of-way, LIGHT RAIL, STREETCAR and LIGHT RAIL in streets and transit lanes, interurban and rapid streetcar, as well as ULTRA LIGHT RAIL.
4. COMMUTER RAIL, can be a quick implementation and low cost start up option for cities such as Jacksonville with a comprehensive network of railroad lines.
We should remember and remind our leadership that most of the development seen in these transit articles occurred AFTER the transit lines were in place.
OCKLAWAHA
Like any other place, I think a certain amount of people would take advantage of alternative mobility options (train, bus, bike), if effective alternative networks existed. However, I also believe the system you choose helps determine your future development patterns. Invest only in roads and you'll stimulate sprawl and become an unsustainable atmosphere. If you want walkable development and urban infill, you'll need to invest in mobility that supports and stimulates that type of develop pattern. The growth around Metrorail proves this. Miami is literally growing around the transit line, which over time, adds more riders to support the system and makes the area more walkable. In the end, it boils down to what type of city does Jax want to be.
Btw, Ock, I've been in DT Tampa the last couple of days. I'm getting ready to check out the hotel, hit Hyde Park and Union Station before heading back to Jax. Any special pics desired?
http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/gallery/14810120_YvvRz#1104825451_JFLAS-A-LB
French Fries?
Quote from: acme54321 on December 20, 2010, 09:15:54 AM
http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/gallery/14810120_YvvRz#1104825451_JFLAS-A-LB
French Fries?
UF has some of those too. We call them the French Fries as well. Downtown Dadeland looks awesome. That is the type of development I have imagine for North San Marco/ the Southbank for a while.I think that area can support some pretty dense infill that keeps a walkable scale and has mixed uses. If a quiet zone can be established on the FEC track from Atlantic to the train bridge, I think that area would take off.
Here is a map.
(http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/miamimetrorail/images/5-miami-metrorail-map.jpg)
Source: http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/miamimetrorail/miamimetrorail5.html
Another great map including all modes of public transport in Miami/Dade.
http://www.hmsf.org/PDF%20Folder/tm_for_web.pdf
The only part of the orange line being built is the section between the MIC/airport and Earlington Heights. They don't have the money to build anything else.
hey what is the cost differice between light rail and hevy rail, seems like every body wants light or hevy rail
An "upscale lifestyle center"? LOL. Whatever...
Quote from: Keith-N-Jax on December 20, 2010, 08:37:44 AM
Anyone think that people here would ride a train into town?
Possibly
Quote from: yapp1850 on December 20, 2010, 11:52:04 AM
hey what is the cost differice between light rail and hevy rail, seems like every body wants light or hevy rail
generally heavy rail is more expensive as it requires dedicated separation of traffic....but it really depends....for example, will light rail be running on the streets or on fixed guideway above or below....if separate, it can be just as costly
Gas prices are on the rise again. Soon the prices may be too much for many ordinary people, they'll never be cheap or resonable ever again. Now is the time to extend the skyway, establish streetcar lines, and get started on LRT already! Because the demand will be there. I've noticed the buses getting more and more ridership every day, even during off peak hours the buses are packed.
It would make sense, but money will always be an issue funding such projects.
Great article! I can't wait till they connect the airport to downtown via metrorail. Now we just need a loop to SoBe to complete it all....
...AND NOW FOR A LITTLE MORE LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT OF COSTS...Quote from: yapp1850 on December 20, 2010, 11:52:04 AM
hey what is the cost differice between light rail and hevy rail, seems like every body wants light or hevy rail
While TUFSU gave you the exceptions to the general rule, the cost of a no frills light rail system can be as low as $2 million per mile. Quite simply you WILL NOT find a heavy rail system that is even close.
Heavy rail systems such as NYC, METRORAIL, MARTA, BART, or the CTA, typically run from around $60 million a mile to $250 million a mile. As TUFSU indicated the large spectrum of costs depend greatly on the type of installation, such as on ground (cheapest), elevated, or subway. Pricing also varies depending on things like parking lots, elaborate stations or simple platforms, or how many palm trees and street lights are included in the cost of "rail."
Light rail systems, ranging from modern LRV's to modern STREETCAR to HERITAGE STREETCARS, in order from most expensive to least. Again, LRT in it's various forms can be jacked up depending on what gets added in as "rail costs", sometimes pretty wild rail costs like "streetscaping" IE: bricks, park benches, trash cans, and those cool streetlights that look like 1920 vintage. LIGHT RAIL systems run from a low of $2 million a mile up to $60 million.
Current examples at the ends of those costs would be HEAVY RAIL in the range of $75 million a mile for the CTA BLUE LINE to a high of $550 million a mile for the SAN FRANCISCO CENTRAL SUBWAY. Likewise LIGHT RAIL costs have ranged from a low of $2 million a mile KENOSHA HERITAGE STREETCAR to a high of $65 million a mile for the LOS ANGELES GOLD LINE LRT.
This is why many of us "transit geeks," were highly critical of the recent Tampa LRT plan that apparently tried to set some sort of new world record for costs... Man that was a LOT of park benches and trash cans, and God knows how much for their local Concrete and Oil magnet.
(Figures from APTA - FTA - RECONNECTING AMERICA)OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: Ocklawaha on December 20, 2010, 10:31:23 PM
This is why many of us "transit geeks," were highly critical of the recent Tampa LRT plan that apparently tried to set some sort of new world record for costs... Man that was a LOT of park benches and trash cans, and God knows how much for their local Concrete and Oil magnet.
I learned that much of that cost was in ROW....if Tampa had chosen the I-275 route for the north leg, FDOT wanted them to build the rail where it sill allowed for interstate expansion...which meant acquiring lots of property....if they chose the CSX route, they had to pay the company!
Here's a great shot of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) around Metrorail's Dadeland South station...
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3485/3458756452_ab83617f2e_o.jpg)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dgmiami/3458756452/