Happy Friday All!!!!
I had lunch with a pal today who is studying urban development and the problems associated with population expansion and too many cars on the roads. We all know there is no worse traffic in Jacksonville than in The Town Center!!! I pulled out a napkin and started sketching and had an idea.
What if the city of Jacksonville made a major investment in its future and The Town Center and built a light rail system around the Town Center! Think of how much better life would be for us all not having to deal with the hustle and bustle of finding parking! :o :o :o
The routes that we came up with as potentially being the best are mapped out below and will be a feature story on my blog soon! They were inspired by my 2009 trip to New York City! Move over NYC here comes j'Ville!!! 8)
The "C" Train - Runs a continuous loop around the Town Center 24/7, 365 days a year. Makes stops at Target, Paneras, Top Golf and other hot spots!
The "A" Train (the college express) - Deposits Ospreys from UNF directly into the Town Center
The "E" Train (the pizza express lol!). Serves as a circuit taking students or Town Center residents and shoppers to the southside with a major hub at Mellow Mushroom! As a public private partnership Mellow Mushroom and other southside business pay part of the cost.
I plan to have much more detail on this but we are just spitballing. ;D ;D ;D ;D
What stops would you like to see???????
(http://i65.tinypic.com/2hxyf44.jpg)
I think its a great idea.
-Who would pay for it?
-What would be a reasonable fare, if you charged one?
Thanks spuwho! 8)
We talked about this at lunch and think the fair way to fund it is to divert funds from less walkable neighbourhoods to the project. After much debate we arrived at the idea that more parking meters should be added around the city, like downtown for example, and prices on the meters should closer reflect comparable cities like boston and dc. We also thought about a soda tax.
The "sweet spot" for the price to make the economics worked seemed to be about 75 cents. :D
I think this OP is your second greatest post ever. I am a big fan.
Quote from: Glenn VL on March 31, 2017, 07:45:35 PM
Thanks spuwho! 8)
We talked about this at lunch and think the fair way to fund it is to divert funds from less walkable neighbourhoods to the project. After much debate we arrived at the idea that more parking meters should be added around the city, like downtown for example, and prices on the meters should closer reflect comparable cities like boston and dc. We also thought about a soda tax.
The "sweet spot" for the price to make the economics worked seemed to be about 75 cents. :D
Glenn, are you familiar with the mobility fee in Jacksonville?
Would you allow fare cards or the use of an app that can be used to pay the fare easier?
Quote from: spuwho on March 31, 2017, 09:05:35 PM
Glenn, are you familiar with the mobility fee in Jacksonville?
Would you allow fare cards or the use of an app that can be used to pay the fare easier?
Wowowow I can't believe how much enthusiasm this plan is growing :o :o :o
I like the idea of a mobility fee. From an urban economics standpoint, a mobility fee solves "the freeloader conundrum". Shoppers from The Riverside, the core of downtown etc flood the St Johns Town Center obviously because of all it has to offer (who can blame them :D), but don't pay directly into the system. This is all new areas of study to me so don't beat up on ol' Glenn if there are legalities I am not aware of! :o My ideas to pay for the system would be:
1) Additional property taxes levied on Jacksonville residents in areas without shopping hubs (San Marco, The Riverside, Amelia's Island etc)
2) Bridges that come towards the town center are turned into toll roads.
3) More parking meters downtown and higher meter fees.
4) Modest tuition hikes for UNF students
I think fare cards are a great idea! ;) Just like the new york city subway system during my 2009 trip! One ride is say 75 cents. But for someone like me who lives in the Town Center I can get an unlimited pass for five dollars per week and hop and stop without limits 8)
Here is a preview of the "E Loop" from my upcoming blog!!!!! :o :o :o
(http://i68.tinypic.com/jsn9qt.jpg)
Rendering of similar proposed rail:
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2a/6e/e3/2a6ee31a9eef01a4475647d4bb47ea13.jpg)
If the funding isn't there, these would be a decent, lower-cost alternative:
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/8a/11/e4/8a11e42e011e79ce1e4fc17a83cdbf75.jpg)
And they'd help people keep in shape! Imagine how much Cheesecake you could put away after riding one of these from UNF...
Every satirist needs a straight man. Glad I was able to supply.
Quote from: spuwho on April 01, 2017, 10:31:50 AM
Every satirist needs a straight man. Glad I was able to supply.
I wonder if Glenn is so committed to his shtick that he actually moved out there or not.
So we're gonna run a bullet train through SJTC? And it stops every 50 yards or so? Got it.
Quote from: spuwho on April 01, 2017, 10:31:50 AM
Every satirist needs a straight man. Glad I was able to supply.
Satire?? Wha...?
Bless your heart, Glenn
Quote from: blizz01 on April 01, 2017, 06:37:03 PM
So we're gonna run a bullet train through SJTC? And it stops every 50 yards or so? Got it.
Yes. Electric motor regen while braking will make it quite economical to operate and at 75 cents a ride, it will be paid for in no time.
Wait. April Fool's Day. I see what you did there.
By the time it gets completed, the town center will be mostly empty. People will be on to the next thing....
That's a heckuva lot of effort to be funny or sarcastic. Points for actually following through with your thoughts. Turn your hate into comedy, your misery into satire, attaboy
The E-Loop is designed for failure. Couplets are the death kneel of rail transit.
Quote1) Additional property taxes levied on Jacksonville residents in areas without shopping hubs (San Marco, The Riverside, Amelia's Island etc)
2) Bridges that come towards the town center are turned into toll roads.
3) More parking meters downtown and higher meter fees.
4) Modest tuition hikes for UNF students
And the supreme chancellor of the Town Center can rule over his loyal subjects from an iron throne atop the shopping palace of Nordstrom.
Wowowowow :o :o :o Who would have thought this plan would be so controversial! 8)
I proposed it to my bohemian supper club and they all thought it was too pie in the sky! ??? ??? ???
I am hard at work hammering out some other details for an upcoming post in ATOTTC! It is no more satire than Herbert Hoover was probably accused of when he proposed the Hoover's Dam! Think of how many people a system like this could put to work! :o :o :o
Any chance of adding a 4th line connecting the Town Center to the Mooneyhan Entertainment Complex?
And Fuddruckers....
To be completely honest, this entire thread has me...
(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/131/399/fry.PNG?1307468855)
It's Dare
Quote from: Downtown Osprey on April 06, 2017, 02:40:37 PM
It's Dare
Hmmm... maybe... I mean this is priceless...
"It is no more satire than Herbert Hoover was probably accused of when he proposed the Hoover's Dam!"