MetroJax makes the Forida Times Union this evening: QuoteJTA considers trains in Jacksonville area
Cost: $543 million to build, $40 million a year to run
By Larry HannanStory updated at 6:16 PM on Friday, Sep. 25, 2009
Commuter rail won’t be coming to Jacksonville anytime soon. But a long-term plan to introduce rail to Northeast Florida will get a hearing on Monday during a meeting of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.
The JTA hired a Pennsylvania consulting firm for a $400,000 study into the feasibility of having a rail system in Jacksonville. That study will be released at the JTA board meeting at 2 p.m. at its offices on North Myrtle Avenue.
The JTA is focusing on using the existing tracks and right-of-way of CSX, Florida East Coast Railway and Norfolk Southern. Last year, the consultant, Gannett Fleming Inc., gave an update and said it would recommend commuter rail stops as far south as St. Augustine and Green Cove Springs and as far north as Yulee.
The idea, mirrored after cities such as Houston, Charlotte and Austin, Texas, does appear to be gaining support, although the level varies.
James Boyle, JTA regional transportation planner, said the authority’s public feedback has been largely positive, though some people have expressed concern over how much it will cost: Early estimates had the rail line costing $543 million to build and $40 million a year to run.
Jacksonville resident Ennis Davis, one of three men behind MetroJacksonville.com, a Web site that supports using rail in Jacksonville, said he expects JTA to move forward. But he worries that cost will sound prohibitive.
Davis said JTA needs to focus on a commuter rail network close to downtown because building all the way to Yulee or Green Cove Springs would be too expensive.
Davis said other cities have benefited from commuter rail, and cited Charlotte, Austin and Houston as good examples to follow.
Those cities showed that commuter rail can be popular if it connects to popular destinations and attract high ridership even in low density environments, Davis said.
The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, which does long-range planning for the region, recently had a series of workshops where the vast majority of people expressed support for some type of commuter rail system.
“We had about 350 people participate,†spokeswoman Marci Larson said, “and about 80 percent said they supported commuter rail.â€
See: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-09-25/story/jta_considers_trains_in_jacksonville_area
Well gd, it is about time!
Correction for the article. The Charlotte and Houston starter lines are light rail. Nevertheless, they are successful and both have their local population begging for more. Another article came out today claiming that the new rail line in Phoenix is also popular and blowing away its early ridership projections.
As for Jacksonville, my point is to phase the thing in. Chop it up. The numbers in the article are for 90 miles of lines all over the First Coast. Lets get 15 miles of track up and running before worrying about the cost to stretch the system into Yulee or Green Cove Springs.
Anyway, when its all said and done, its still cheaper per mile than building 9B or the Outer Beltway.
Perhaps it will come to fruition in 25-30 years.
QuoteThe North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, which does long-range planning for the region, recently had a series of workshops where the vast majority of people expressed support for some type of commuter rail system.
“We had about 350 people participate,†spokeswoman Marci Larson said, “and about 80 percent said they supported commuter rail.â€
Excellent participation!!
Amen Stephen. When will the study results be released to the public?
Its not rocket science. Imo, if truly committed, five years tops.
Quote from: stephendare on September 25, 2009, 08:59:14 PM
Quote from: DavidWilliams on September 25, 2009, 08:55:33 PM
Perhaps it will come to fruition in 25-30 years.
bullshit. This site isnt so that we can psych ourselves out as to why things cant be done. Its to get things done, because there isnt anyone else to do them.
David, I hope you will help us make sure that none of the stuff we need to get done takes decades
Its up to us, and frankly this coalition of people is different from the past.
The web has changed the days when something could just fade away.
Didn't mean anything in a negative way. I believe anything can be done. Stephen, I love this city and will do anything to "fight for the cause". Beyond that statement, I am also a realist who has lived here since the late 1960's. As many probably know, this city (and I do understand with this subject we are talking more than local government) works in weird ways. Probably not that different from many cities but it seems that this one is bloated with back door deals, no open bids, who you know etc.
Slowly but surely, I am trying to do my part.
I think that Jax has taken a step forward simply through the level of awareness that has been generated in recent years. However, that being said, to quote a future hall of fame quarterback, "talk is cheap" (unfortunately for him, he did not back that statement up against the Jets last weekend). I hope that this town backs its recent talk up with some action (i.e. commuter rail in the near future).
Well .......if will have to be an outside entity since the COJ does not appear to have any plans..........I keep beating a dead horse! We need some kind of system and we need it soon! There are too many Cities out there with systems operating that are pulling away from us and it does upset me! No vision and no plan......this will be the Payton Legacy!