Got word last night that my Jacksonville Transit Blog is being read by U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Ray LaHood. This is huge news, as I often link JT with MJ, offering the story's across both sites. To see what the fuss is about visit me at:
http://jacksonvilletransit.blogspot.com/
or sit tight and we'll be posting similar pieces in MJ too. The fact that he is interested speaks volumes to the seriousness of DOT's interest in our city and the noise we have jointly made about BRT vs RAIL and JTC AT JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL vs JTC as a NEIGHBORHOOD by JTA.
OCKLAWAHA
I suppose I should keep any anti-government rhetoric to a minimum in this light. :D
buckethead............it would appear we all need to I would guess!
I thought you were going to say Santa Claus
I commuted in from Clay County today and I am tired of it. I want my commuter rail here and yesterday.
Jeffrey, any commuter lines that ran from OP, and the Beaches parallel to Blanding, Atlantic, Beach and JTB would be instant successes. Most of the jobs are along those corridors and downtown.
Our transportation planners should really be called road planners.
..."and now, Mr. President, a word from our Trolley Czar, Mr. Ocklawaha"...
Quote from: sheclown on December 14, 2009, 07:16:11 AM
I thought you were going to say Santa Claus
You know, in a most bizarre way, he just might be!OCKLAWAHA
Ock....maybe you should make a link to LaHood's blog on yours
http://fastlane.dot.gov/
btw...the picture you have on your blog is not of LaHood
Quote from: tufsu1 on December 14, 2009, 02:17:13 PM
Ock....maybe you should make a link to LaHood's blog on yours
http://fastlane.dot.gov/
btw...the picture you have on your blog is not of LaHood
Yeah it's a senator Cr.... something or other, anyway giving the thumbs up for Amtrak. I was unable to find a single photo of SecDOT with Amtrak. There are several with light rail, but he is so far away, you can't see him. Finally reposted a photo in a HSR locomotive. Check it out and tell me what you think of the pose!
As for his blog, yeah, I should - will etc... I was pretty blown away when I got a Tweet saying he was onboard. His blog is pretty cool but he doesn't have the luxury of cutting up as I do! Anyway looks like he's impressed enough with us. OCKLAWAHA
much better...btw, LaHood was on John Stewart last night....said HSR funding would be announced soon....and likely start in the midwest, Cali, and the south....with some improvements to the northeast corridor.
I'm sticking with my prediction that the Florida plan falls so short of the goals, that we won't get anything like full funding. I expect them to toss us a bone, and cut some money loose for "sundry improvements..." to existing rail lines, reopening the FEC route, and maybe reinstating some other Amtrak trains at slightly faster speeds.
As for the Southeast? Still think that is going to be North Carolina - Virginia, which in spite of the spin Tallahassee puts on it, are way ahead of us. They'll get 100% funding for the rebuilding the abandoned former Seaboard "S" Line between Richmond and Raleigh as a higher speed route.
No doubt the Midwest Pact will walk off with a huge chunk of the funds, and if we had any sense at all, we would be working on a similar plan for the Southeast. JTA could even lead the game off and who knows, maybe even control to some extent our own future. California has committed so much money to their project they can hardly miss some major attention.
OCKLAWAHA
Ray LaHood on the Daily Show:
http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:258713
I caught that last night..........very informative to a point! I noticed his comments were generalized and not specific other than California! South could be anywhere below the Mason Dixon line or maybe he had Key West in mind..............that area did have rail at one time till a hurricane took out bridges and tracks! Or maybe he had Miami in mind since supposedly Rat Rail will go to there from Orlando/Tampa! That one won't happen tomorrow from what I have seen! Local system is one thing, cross state is something else!