FOLIO ARTICLE on BRT and RAIL

[Ocklawaha]

Anybody seen this yet? The teaser in the Folio website looks quite decent, Wonder if they took it to JTA with a hammer?

Ocklawaha

[Lunican]

A growing chorus of critics say JTA's plans for bus-based mass transit is way off track

Jacksonville's mass transit history is a road pockmarked by failure and waste. As the Jacksonville Transportation Authority gears up for a new citywide "solution," many residents and local transportation experts are pushing for a return to rail-based transit. Much to their chagrin, JTA favors a bus-based system, known as Bus Rapid Transit. Officials promise the new system will offer sleek, tempting transportation options, but skeptics say JTA is trying to sell the city a costly and doomed-to-fail boondoggle. Again. Check out page 17 in this week's issue to read more.

[thelakelander]

I just read it.  It hits JTA pretty hard and paints us as concerned critics.  There's also a quote from Councilwoman Johnson in the article giving the rail option her blessing over the bus expressway system.

Overall, I'd really love to be involved in a public debate with JTA representatives on this topic.  There's many quotes from them I'd question.  These include the suggesting that BRT only costs $388 million and that this 2025 plan is quicker to implement than one integrating rail. 

It only took Austin five or six years to take their commuter rail proposal from concept to construction (it opens this year).  Considering we already own the S-Line, we could have that up and running WITHOUT the FTA or CSX's blessing.

How can things be so simple in other municipalities, but be like pulling teeth here?

[second_pancake]

Going to read it now...

[tufsu1]

There's also a quote from Councilwoman Johnson in the article giving the rail option her blessing over the bus expressway system.

I think you need to read her quote again....she may be implying it, but it's not what she is quoted as saying

[thelakelander]

I gave my copy away.  I'll pick up another later tonight and re-read.

[Ocklawaha]

Based on the things Glorious said in City Council the other day, and Gwynedd was there, She got it pretty right. Glorious read the folks in the council and tiny group gathered the RAIL RIOT ACT. She said far more then just this quote and as I recall finished by telling the Council "Listen to your Momma... I want rail and I want it NOW!"

The article was better then I imagined in my wildest dreams... Ms. Stuart deserves some sort of media award for research and hard hitting journalism. INCREDIBLE.

Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

It only took Austin five or six years to take their commuter rail proposal from concept to construction (it opens this year).  Considering we already own the S-Line, we could have that up and running WITHOUT the FTA or CSX's blessing.

How can things be so simple in other municipalities, but be like pulling teeth here?

Well, it's not all that simple for Austin either; however, 1000x simplier then Jacksonville apparently.
He's the latest on the Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail.  Note:  This is the REGIONAL RAIL, not Capital MetroRail which is on track for service to begin on the Red Line in the fall of 2008.

Lack of Funding  delays rail plan.
By Christi Covington and Shannon Colletti
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

...In the 1990s, the Texas Legislature approved the creation of a commuter rail district, but it passed withhout a funding mechansim.  Cities and counties joined the district and in 2003, the Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail Distric was financed with federal money. 

During the first phase for everything from additional track, 15 platforms, vehicle parking to train cars was estimated at $313 million with original plans scheduled the rail to open around 2010, she said fundig challenges probably will make it closer to 2012.

At first ASA planned to access money from the Rail Relocation Fund, which was voted and approved the fuding designation in 2005.  However, the Texas Legislature never allocated any actual dollars toward it during the last session.

[RiversideGator]

From what I have heard from inside sources, there may be other powerful members of the City Council who oppose this BRT disaster in the making.  I hope these sources are right, but they said that BRT will never happen.  We shall see.

[Lunican]

I believe that BRT will not happen, unfortunately the $100 million set aside by the Better Jacksonville Plan will be gone with nothing to show for it.

[Coolyfett]

Awww...the topic I was looking for. Im assuming this issue dropped Monday right??  When I saw the lil train I thought of this site lol. Then I read the rag and seen MJ.C mentioned a couple times. Jacksonville never really had a real way for the common folk to know what's going on out here. The message is growing. Kinda reminds me  of when this city wanted an NFL franchise...we see how that worked out. Keep spreading the gospel.

[Charles Hunter]

The $100M could be used for any other rapid transit purpose, except the skyway.  Or, by super majority, the Council could move the money to some other BJP project (courthouse?)

[thelakelander]

If so, JTA should be worried about the results of Amendment 1.  The city needs to borrow $131 million to get the courthouse built and that $100 million would go a long way on that project.

[RiversideGator]

Lake:  Do you seriously believe that the City does not have anywhere in its budget to cut waste?  All the City should be doing is the basics (like it used to) such as the court system, police, fire dept., transit, parks, schools and roads.  All the rest is unnecessary.  Stop giving away sippy cups to toddlers, stop subsidizing mortgages for people with bad credit, etc, etc.  Just handle the basics and get them right.  Also, it has been proven time and time again that more money thrown at government does not improve the results.

[tufsu1]

Lake:  Do you seriously believe that the City does not have anywhere in its budget to cut waste?  All the City should be doing is the basics (like it used to) such as the court system, police, fire dept., transit, parks, schools and roads.  All the rest is unnecessary.  Stop giving away sippy cups to toddlers, stop subsidizing mortgages for people with bad credit, etc, etc.  Just handle the basics and get them right.  Also, it has been proven time and time again that more money thrown at government does not improve the results.

I agree...who needs social service grants, economic development, cultural activities, etc!