For the New Years even downtown bash last night. Beaches buses were running down JTB at 1:30 AM! Other services are working extended hours, and when the Landing let out the SKYWAY WENT FARE FREE!
STANDING ROOM ONLY ON THE SKYWAY much of the evening. Buses making the connections at Rosa Parks and Kings Avenue Stations like clockwork. Skyway ran through the whole evening until 2 am.
SKYWAY CONDUCTORS were at the stations to help the crowds too.
EXCELLENT JOB:
MIKE BLAYLOCK - MIKE MILLER - CUSTOMER SERVICES ... Take a bow!
LAURELS TO JTA!
OCKLAWAHA
I really wish it ran to the stadium.
Didn't mean to switch the mood though...yes, if it is like Ock said, then great work last night!
^Sounds like a request that should be added to Obama's stimulus package.
While I agree the stadium needs to be tied into the downtown people moving system, I believe a Bay Street/to APR/To Duval Steet Streetcar loop makes more sense, and is WAY more cost effective!
Transfer station from the skyway at The Omni, and Hemming Station.
Complete the loop down Julia, and you have now covered Courthouse, City Hall, Bay Street town center, The sports complex, and saved 10s of millions of Dollars, and given some heritage back to downtown.
I don't think anyone would complain (at least on this site) if a streetcar system were added to the list. According to JTA's prefeasibility study, a streetcar line connecting DT with Five Points (for some reason their fisrt phase still avoids the stadium) would run between $65 - $85 million for 4.3 miles of track.
As compated to $65+ Million a mile for the skyway??? Seems like a no brainer to me.
On the surface, it is a no brainer. The skyway situation is cloudy because the significant investment has already been made (two systems constructed, a double tracked river crossing, rolling stock, an O&M facility, etc.) and what is in place is over built. Short logical extensions could be in the same ballpark as building something else completely from scratch.
Our skyway situation is similar to buying the most expensive fishing reel, realizing you overpaid for it and then refusing to prchase bait because of the cost of the reel. In the end, you don't catch fish and the entire investment is a waste. Right now, our skyway has become that reel and the needed short extensions (to where people want to go) serves as the bait.
In the end, to create a successful integrated mass transit system, we'll need a mix of both (streetcars and logical skyway extensions).
It is nice that when the JTA extended the hours people responded.
Great comparison Lake. The extensions of the skyway are the bait to draw in the riders. As stated many many times before, the other necessary component for yout shiny new reel is a rod to hold it. That rod is a starter commuter system connecting JIA to St. Augustine via downtown.
DParks, I've also been a proponent of connecting the Arena and Ballpark that way.
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y74/asonj23/Google%20Earth%20Snapshots/TransitPlans-3.jpg)
Red: Streetcar
Teal: Skyway
Blue: Streetcar
Yellow: Commuter Rail
Orange: BRT or Light Rail
...Roman conquerors
returning from the wars...
...enjoyed the honor of a triumph,
a tumultuous parade.
In the procession came trumpeters
and musicians and strange animals...
...from the conquered territories...
... together with carts laden with
treasure and captured armaments.
The conqueror rode
in a triumphal chariot...
... the dazed prisoners
walking in chains before him.
Sometimes, his children,
robed in white...
...stood with him in the chariot,
or rode the trace horses.
A slave stood behind the conqueror...
...holding a golden crown...
...and whispering in his ear
a warning...
... that all glory...
...is fleeting.
OCKLAWAHA