Metrorail Commuter Line Opens in Austin

[Metro Jacksonville]

Metrorail Commuter Line Opens in Austin



After two years of delay, Austin joins the rapidly growing list of American cities with local passenger rail service. Is Jacksonville paying attention to the economic development these systems bring to a community?

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-may-metrorail-commuter-line-opens-in-austin

[Keith-N-Jax]

Looks nice.

[Jaxson]

Is Jacksonville paying attention to the economic development these systems bring to a community?  No.
1. Austin is not run by Gate Petroleum.
2. Most Jacksonville people equate mass transit with Yankee liberals who are trying to ruin our car-dominated paradise.  [I still remember those old Times-Union editorials that bashed high-density urban centers and mass transit using exactly this angle.]

[fieldafm]

Nice article Lake.  Saltillo Lofts and Midtown Commons are two interesting projects.

Austin has always been a progressive city... a rare anomoly in a state such as Texas.  Additionally, and perhaps b/c of that, they have seen an impressive population increase...  4th in net migration among the top 50 metro areas and doubling the population growth seen throughout the state of Texas(which isnt exactly losing residents on a massive scale either, Texas doubles the nationwide population growth rate).

Austin, quite simply is a top destination for the bright flighters.

Btw, Austin's downtown has basically a mirror image version of DVI   and SHOCKINGLY downtown Austin has design standards specifically targeting quality of life implications(walkability, pedestrian activity, and mixed use buildings) and the viability of business downtown.  They also have a downtown that has a regular police presence so its a very safe feeling core(albeit a small core, about 15 x 15 blocks, but DT Austin mixes and connects well with the surrounding 'historic' neighborhoods).

Lake, would Austin's MetroRail be similar to the commuter rail lines proposed in the new mobility plan?  
Do you know how often they have service stops along the Metrorail... is it every 20, 40, 60 etc minutes?  Just trying to have an idea of scale in relation to the proposed Jacksonville commuter rail system(seeing as though Jax is both bigger in size and population).

[finehoe]

Here's the system map:

[kells904]

Right on, Jaxson: the people who are paying attention aren't in charge; the people who are in charge aren't paying attention.  We have to ride this wave out until election time.

[duvaldude08]

I hope our commuter rail breaks ground one day. Jacksonville has a very large population and of course the largest city in the continential United states. We have alot of ground to cover and people to move (and were not getting any smaller), and sorry the city bus and the sky way is not doing. This would be a HUGE benefit to use.

[ralpho37]

I hope our commuter rail breaks ground one day. Jacksonville has a very large population and of course the largest city in the continential United states. We have alot of ground to cover and people to move (and were not getting any smaller), and sorry the city bus and the sky way is not doing. This would be a HUGE benefit to use.

If we were to build a similar system here, it would almost make more sense to keep it confined in the areas immediately surrounding downtown (i.e. Springfield, Riverside, Talleyrand, etc) instead of stretching it out to the suburbs.  For the most part, many of these areas near downtown are starving for development, and a Metrorail-type of system would bring life back into them.

[Wacca Pilatka]

I lived in Austin from 2000-03.  I didn't enjoy living there, but credit the city for coming up with a sound rail plan and making it a reality after a disastrous start.  The initial rail plan proposed in Austin, which was voted down in 2000, was excessively costly, duplicated well-used bus routes in the university area, required tearing up several already overcrowded and poorly maintained major streets, didn't adequately access high-density areas, and had illogical placement for stops (much like the Syracuse rail failure plan documented on MetroJax in the past).   Pretty remarkable that they built support for rail again, and quickly, after that initial plan turned off a lot of people and inspired heated debate.

Incidentally, Austin has a far worse problem with aggressive panhandling than Jacksonville (or any other city I know well, for that matter), and really doesn't do much of anything to address it, but this does not seem to hold back its urban core significantly.

[duvaldude08]

I hope our commuter rail breaks ground one day. Jacksonville has a very large population and of course the largest city in the continential United states. We have alot of ground to cover and people to move (and were not getting any smaller), and sorry the city bus and the sky way is not doing. This would be a HUGE benefit to use.

If we were to build a similar system here, it would almost make more sense to keep it confined in the areas immediately surrounding downtown (i.e. Springfield, Riverside, Talleyrand, etc) instead of stretching it out to the suburbs.  For the most part, many of these areas near downtown are starving for development, and a Metrorail-type of system would bring life back into them.

I agree patrially. I dont think it should be TOO widespread but Jacksonville has true transportation issues. So aside from spurring development it would be nice to ease up some of this traffic. Then also, sadly enough, there isnt much of nothing downtown (right now) so confining it to just that area alone might not be 100% beneficial.

[Keith-N-Jax]

You must mean largest land wise, were no where near the largest city.

[Mattius92]

I dont care what ANYONE says, I am going to push commuter rail in Jacksonville till it is built. Our city is really lacking in many things. And one of them is proper Mass Transit. All the existing forms of mass transit will benefit with the creation of commuter rail. Bus, Streetcar, Skyway... They all will form a network of transportation. And right now we have a half @$$ transportation network.

It doesn't matter if our city isn't dense enough, the density will come. However we cant sit back and wait for it to come without a proper transit system because it wont come.

Commuter rail is popping up everywhere and its successful in just about any city it exists. So stop thinking of now and think of the future.

[duvaldude08]

You must mean largest land wise, were no where near the largest city.

yes landwise. I didnt feel the need to clarify that because most Duvalian's know that I meant landwise.

[fsujax]

Commuter Rail does not need "residential rensity" to be successful, thats one of the great things about it. I think even Charlotte and SLC have proven that LRT can work in less dense cities.

[duvaldude08]

Commuter Rail does not need "residential rensity" to be successful, thats one of the great things about it. I think even Charlotte and SLC have proven that LRT can work in less dense cities.

And with that being said, that gives us even more of a reason to get off our duff and get some commuter rail. Atleast we have some studies taking place, that the first step.