Jacksonville's 2030 Mobility Plan

[thelakelander]

lake............I understand the majority of the mobility plan projects will be funded with money generated from the Mobility Fees and several will be eligible for additional federal funding (your & my tax dollars and John Q Public's)but the "required local funding match" is what is mystifying me. If we are in the hole, then just like the federal end...........we are busy casting them bones on a possibility!

"Required local funding match" basically refers to mass transit projects that are eligible for federal funding under programs already in place, such as the FTA New Starts program:

Projects eligible for New Starts (49 USC §5309) funding include any fixed guideway system which utilizes and occupies a separate right-of-way, or rail line, for the exclusive use of mass transportation and other high occupancy vehicles, or uses a fixed cantenary system and a right-of-way usable by other forms of transportation. This includes, but is not limited to, rapid rail, light rail, commuter rail, automated guideway transit, people movers, and exclusive facilities for buses (such as bus rapid transit) and other high occupancy vehicles.

to learn more about this program, click here: http://www.fta.dot.gov/planning/planning_environment_5221.html[/i]

A part of the requirements for the New Starts program is that a certain percentage of local money must be used.  The mobility plan is just a method for gaining the local dollars needed to participate in such a program.  However, we don't have to apply for federal funding or take advantage of programs like this.  We can always just vote to increase our taxes and pay for additional projects that way.

I agree that we need to do something, should have done it long before now but better late than not at all! $58 Million Dollars in the red next Budget cycle and the federal end is in the Trillions............unless there is dedicated funding available (earmarked specifically for transit funding) we are not going to go forward!

FTA New Starts is a program specifically set aside for transit projects.  We can either take advantage of programs like this or pay for projects 100% with local dollars, while cities like Charlotte, Orlando and Houston take all they can get.  Either way, the money set aside for these programs will be spent.  Also, from my understanding, the mobility fee has nothing to do with the city's general fund.  So issues like the Landing's parking lot don't come into play in this arena.

[CS Foltz]

Ok lake.........makes sense to me! I, speaking just for me now, do not have a problem with an increase in Tax's if that tax addition is fixed to mass transit and can only be spent for that issue! There has been too many instances of the left hand paying the right, not to mention "You should not spend what you don't have"! If the City were to take it upon themselves to police their spending, maybe the public would be amiable but not until! As to other Cities getting something that we don't.............I would guess we can thank the current Administration for that perspective.....no vision and no plan! Mobility Plan did not come from the Mayors office as is evident by the structure and the potentials! I am all for getting federal funds if that allows Jacksonville to come into the next century unlike now!

[tufsu1]

Take a look at St. Louis...voters, with 62% in favor, just approved a 1/2 cent sales tax for transit....had it not been approved, their transit system would have seen a 25% service cut.

Opponents argued that the transit agency's budget problems stemmed from the decision to fund a Metrolink  extension with 100% local funds.

how would that play in Jax....CS...lake?

[thelakelander]

Who knows? We don't have a real transit system in Jax just yet.

Seriously though......who knows?  Did their budget problems stem from building an extension with 100% local funds or were there other circumstances involved? 

[tufsu1]

there were other circumstances of course...but you know naysayers...they locked in on the metrolink extension.

I guess what I was trying to get at is that this community will not be able to improve transit significantly without people agreeing to some local investment...some of that could come from mopbility fees, buit we'll likely need to look for additional revenue streams as well.

[CS Foltz]

tufsu.........as lake says who knows since we have nothing other than JTA and their grand plan of concreting everything is sight!  To me a 1/2 cent sales tax is more even handed for everyone and gives a dedicated funding source which may be better in the long run for the City! You know...........like Delaney did for the Better Jacksonville Plan, off election year and managed to slide it through with the voter turnout that took place! If the City were not starting out in the hole, to the tune of $58 Million Dollars, I would say.........go sales tax increase for a blank amount of time! We have to start somewhere and may as well be now!

[Ocklawaha]

God knows I love rolling a hand grenade under a door to light up a room!


Another Yellow Streetcar or the original Forest Green with gold leaf lettering??

The Skyway extension south to Atlantic and the FEC RY, will not only tap a real destination for the little monorail system, it will also reach residential, and a cross-platform commuter rail market.  I'll wager that the ridership doubles when it opens, and doubles again when it is connected to Commuter Rail.  Now about those missing middle cars we own the rights too? Time to MAN UP!

Just getting the rail and streetcar modes to feed into the Skyway at the two multi-modal centers (JAX TERML, and/or ATLANTIC) should force the Skyway to reach toward the Stadium/Randolph/Shipyards.

The Streetcar to Park and King, even as far north as the "S" line above Shand's, will bring the entire urban core into a true neighborhood of retail, grocery's, restaurants, services and cultural attractions that simply do not exist today. Any developer from "THE SHIPYARDS" to the "ST. JOHN," that has packed up and left town is going to have to reconsider that decision. No longer in a desert (and BOY do I know something about deserts!) this could be the fuse that sets off the powder keg that is our downtown as we all know it could be. It should be fun to see our city listed with cities in Poland, Brasil, and Colombia, as booming while the rest of the world is going to hell in a hand basket.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT? The Business Journal's recent story on the development of the old FORD PLANT into a Cruise Terminal, with the aide of Jack "Dinimite," and MUCH preservation work, might open a broad door for the cross-town DUVAL-BEAVER streetcar line from PORT TERMINAL to LEE STREET, past the new Courthouse and City Hall.

The former Ford assembly plant that sits at the base of the Mathews Bridge could one day be a cruise ship terminal and destination port, according to a study conducted by a group of students at the University of Florida.
Read more: UF students design cruise terminal for old Ford site - Jacksonville Business Journal:
http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2010/04/05/daily42.html?ana=from_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_jacksonville+%28Jacksonville+Business+Journal%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo


Commuter Rail to the Southside along Philips will not address the needs to reach the Beaches and Ponte Vedra. Building BRT lanes along Philips, Southside, Arlington Expy., (and frankly I'd toss in trolley bus lanes on San Jose), will serve to funnel these longer distance commute buses and coaches into core stations. JTA would be completely remiss if it doesn't jump on this chance to make the Kings Avenue Transfer Station, Transportation Center at JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL, or a new transfer facility at Atlantic and the FEC/Skyway, earn their keep. IE:OPEN UP the damn Information and ticket windows, lease out the day care, open the restrooms and get some DTV ambassadors and security up and running. As long as JTA stays with the Gillig BRT's we have running today, the buses on JTB, San Jose and other routes should turn at the railroad tracks. With coaches such as the Silver Eagles, comfortable longer distance commutes could be made (from non-rail points) all the way in to the central core. But the COACH (not a bus) MUST APPROXIMATE the train in creature comforts.



You have done well my children... The Ancient One has spoken...


OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

there were other circumstances of course...but you know naysayers...they locked in on the metrolink extension.

I guess what I was trying to get at is that this community will not be able to improve transit significantly without people agreeing to some local investment...some of that could come from mobility fees, buit we'll likely need to look for additional revenue streams as well.

Lol, you're starting to sound like Mike Miller. Anyway, you're right. However, change should happen incrementally by improving what's already in place before anyone comes to the community and asks for tax increase of any sort. This community (JTA or whoever) is going to have to prove that they have the ability to manage a decent system. This can happen by making an effort to move forward with what's in place. By this I mean....

1. Better utilizing and integrating the skyway with the existing bus system.

2. Implementing BRT by running existing buses on the proposed routes before waiting for federal funds to add the bells and whistles.

3. Getting a "no-frills" starter rail line off the ground and into implementation.

4. Getting the bus shelter program up and running.

5. Creating a system that eases the end user's ability to transfer and pay for fares.

All of these are things that can be improved without finding an extra dedicated revenue source for mass transit locally.  These are all important elements that have the ability to improve our current system, build up JTA's image and ridership.  They also will make it easier to ask for a dedicated source whenever that time comes.  The mobility plan and fee is a good start, but to be honest its coming from the city's planning department.  Jacksonville needs JTA to step up it's game up.

[urbaknight]

I like this idea but, we need to stay on top of it so no one forgets. We all know how the city takes most good ideas and shelves them in the hopes that they'll be forgotten by those who want to see these ideas get off the ground. as far as stopping sprawl in it's tracks, Maybe an environmental issue can be brought up. We can get the EPA to help us. I'd like to see any new construction such as those lovely strip malls and the those condos and town homes be outlawed tn the name of preserving the environment. We can instead focus construction on the urban core and the urban core only. we can keep what sprawl is in place now, we just won't add anymore by disrupting nature.

[JeffreyS]

Perhaps if we get this approved and people see some ground broken we could take a new fee to the polls.  If people can see it happening they may vote to pick up the pace and increase the scale. What we have to do is start so the question will change from if to when, how and how much can we have.

[Lunican]

Local comprehensive plans must also comply with 163.3177, F.S., which requires the adoption of strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote energy-efficient land use patterns. Pursuant to SB 360 and 163.3177, F.S., the City of Jacksonville Planning and Development Department has prepared a draft 2030 Mobility Plan.  

I think that this new statute will be a key driving force in requiring Jacksonville to move forward with this plan. If we don't, then we won't be in compliance with state law.

I suppose the city council could deny the entire plan, but we will still need to comply with 163.3177 and it's doubtful we will be able to do that without investments in transit.

[CS Foltz]

Gentlemen.............I agree with the general train of thought and the direction the discussion appears to be heading! Approval of the Mobility Plan should be a start, but we still will have to face a lack of funding at the local level! All of the plans and vision we can generate will not take the place of having a dollar to put into any plan from any agency to benefit the entire region! Unless the city takes it upon themselves to control its spending we will continue to operate in the red and I can not understand the lack of thought with an eye towards the future! It is time for either this Administration to step up their game or stand aside and let someone else take the lead before we run out time to achieve something that will benefit us all!

[JeffreyS]

We have to approve this comp plan now before ammendment 4.

[CS Foltz]

JefferyS ......I agree! Too bad the Council has the final say on this ya know?

[Ocklawaha]

Don't sweat the small stuff Lunican, JTA will issue POGO STICKS to the entire population!

MAYBE NOT THIS TIME?

Actually JTA's James Boyle, who was sick with the flu, made a wonderful presentation on JACKSONVILLE COMMUTER RAIL and touched on STREETCAR before the TPO last week.

A wave of excitement seemed to roll over the St. Johns and Clay folks as Nassau and Baker perked up their ears.
Some interesting questions, but one really stood out... "Won't more trains increase the noise complaints and be unacceptable in our neighborhoods??  JAX CITY COUNCIL!

James did a great job of promotion for an idea at least 30 years past due.


OCKLAWAHA