Open for Business: Rail Runner comes to Santa Fe
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-8334-jwoodphoto-flickr1.jpg)
Despite being smaller than Gainesville, Sante Fe, NM is the lastest American city to benefit from rail as a local mass transit option.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/968
It sure is pretty.
What a thought! Gainesville next to Santa Fe? Who would have thunk it? Gainesville is bigger to be sure but to suggest they are similar situations is a stretch. For Example:
Santa Fe is close to Gainesville in size
Santa Fe is near metro Albuquerque
Santa Fe residents must drive 60 miles to Albuquerque without rail
Santa Fe presented a unique opportunity with a branchline intact that commuter rail rebuilt (in part).
Santa Fe already had a 4 lane highway connecting with Albuquerque offering ready right of way
Santa Fe also had a nearby mainline railroad that commuter rail could use BNSF at Lamy, NM
HOW DOES THAT STACK UP TO GAINESVILLE?
Gainesville is close to Santa Fe in size
Gainesville is near metro Jacksonville
Gainesville residents must drive 60 miles to Jacksonville without rail
Gainesville presents a unique opportunity with a branchline intact that commuter rail could rebuild
Gainesville already has a 4 lane highway connecting with Jacksonville offering ready right of way
Gainesville also has a nearby mainline railroad that commuter rail could use CSX at Waldo or Starke, FL
SEE WHAT I MEAN? Not a chance Florida would take such a high risk without an example. Just too different!
OCKLAWAHA
All city funds which could have been allocated to fund a quality transit system have been spent on the courthouse and illegal contracts to my best friends. We have spent $62 million on a courthouse that hasn't broken ground even though we received funding in 2001 under the Better Jacksonville Plan. We apologize that cities that are equal population or less have superior mass transit networks in place. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
JP
Aww, he wished us a Merry Christmas AND a Happy New Year. What a great guy! I'm glad I voted for him.