Skyway expansion to Sport's Complex (arena, Baseball Grounds, & Everbank Field

[Ocklawaha]

It's a motor coach folks, not to be confused with a bus.

Touche Charles + 2

I am always half tickled and half embarrassed by the citizens that see one bus at some odd time of day or night and complain that they "KNOW" nobody rides. Sort of reminds me of the American who visited Medellin and exclaimed to his friends, "All the Colombian's walk in single file... at least the two I saw did."

This evening I was one block east of the Greyhound Station on Forsyth, it was raining lightly and the X4 (MCI COACH) express to Orange Park stopped at the opposite curb. It was somewhere around 1700 hours (uh, 5 O:Clock PM) as I observed 8 passengers (all of which appeared to be professionals, suits, dresses, etc.) board and use a commuter pass. The driver seemed to know everyone by name and they had quite the good time boarding as she was all smiles. I'm here to tell you that THAT bus was packed, I couldn't make out a single empty seat from my sidewalk vantage point. Deja vu, for a second I was back in Aguacatala watching the commuter crush in a typical Colombian evening. Imagine if these coaches (not buses - BIG difference) were newer, ordered in a business tour style... Wow.

Plug all of this into the Skyway at expanded end points, streetcar, and commuter rail and watch the economics and rider demographics start to change throughout downtown. If these professional types are flocking to a less then excellent Coach, then God knows they would jump on a BIZ-BUS in a stampede. The Skyway is one of the keys to future success of the whole system and we ignore it to our own peril.


OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Ock +1..............as usual!

[civil42806]

"It was somewhere around 1700 hours (uh, 5 O:Clock PM) as I observed 8 passengers (all of which appeared to be professionals, suits, dresses, etc.) board and use a commuter pass."

8 passengers, alert the Press!!

[buckethead]

It was somewhere around 1700 hours (uh, 5 O:Clock PM) as I observed 8 passengers (all of which appeared to be professionals, suits, dresses, etc.) board and use a commuter pass. The driver seemed to know everyone by name and they had quite the good time boarding as she was all smiles. I'm here to tell you that THAT bus was packed, I couldn't make out a single empty seat from my sidewalk vantage point.

Let's not take things out of context.

You're not a reporter, are you?

[Ocklawaha]

Nope!

However, if every downtown stop was like the one I witnessed - and I believe that the Courthouse stop is a bus filler all by itself, then these "express" buses are landing VERY CLOSE to the target market. A bit of improvement in comforts and business friendliness and JTA would have a runaway winner.


OCKLAWAHA

[Coolyfett]

Today is the perfect day to have this system at the sports complex

[CS Foltz]

Coolyfett....+1! Would, coulda, shoulda! JTA is pathetic!

[arb]

I'm not sure who is in control of the Skyway but if I had control of the Skyway I would dismantle it (not sure its possible) and SELL it to a city that actually would utilize it and with the profit invest in a Streetcar system that benefits the entire urban core. Don't think it would actually happen, but I like to let my imagination run loose. Not to mention the fact that the thing is hidious!

[stjr]

I'm not sure who is in control of the Skyway but if I had control of the Skyway I would dismantle it (not sure its possible) and SELL it to a city that actually would utilize it and with the profit invest in a Streetcar system that benefits the entire urban core. Don't think it would actually happen, but I like to let my imagination run loose. Not to mention the fact that the thing is hidious!

Arb, +1,000 (that's to offset all the minuses you may find forthcoming  )

[arb]

I'm not sure who is in control of the Skyway but if I had control of the Skyway I would dismantle it (not sure its possible) and SELL it to a city that actually would utilize it and with the profit invest in a Streetcar system that benefits the entire urban core. Don't think it would actually happen, but I like to let my imagination run loose. Not to mention the fact that the thing is hidious!

Arb, +1,000 (that's to offset all the minuses you may find forthcoming  )

LOL thanks

[thelakelander]

Interesting proposition but we would still be on the hook for paying +$90 million back to the feds for shutting it down. 

[arb]

Interesting proposition but we would still be on the hook for paying +$90 million back to the feds for shutting it down. 

True!

[arb]

I'm not sure who is in control of the Skyway but if I had control of the Skyway I would dismantle it (not sure its possible) and SELL it to a city that actually would utilize it and with the profit invest in a Streetcar system that benefits the entire urban core. Don't think it would actually happen, but I like to let my imagination run loose. Not to mention the fact that the thing is hidious!

Arb, +1,000 (that's to offset all the minuses you may find forthcoming  )

LOL thanks

It sounds clever on the face of it Arb, but you are still faced with the conundrum of how to replace the transit bridge over the river without spending twice as much money as simply utilizing the system correctly.

Yeah I do agree. I think there are better alternatives than a Skyway (for example, Seattles light rail link), but honestly I would rather have a Skyway that is being used correctly than none at all. It was just an idea, not like it would happen. Best thing is complete the Skyway and utilize it the correct way through DT and have a Streetcar system through-out the urban core!

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

I ride the buses and the skyrail fairly regularly, and have seen both of them packed.  I've also ridden both and felt like I was the only passenger.  It varies.  I take WS12 home (OPM Shuttle) and there are quite a few people who ride it from the AT&T building, but that's not the majority.
About the skyway.....  I do feel that it should be expanded to the sports complex, but I don't like the path it would have to take down bay st.  Do you really want an elevated rail running down the corridor of the city?  I do like the idea of a ground level trolley, though, with quick headways and stops at the bars, shipyards, the jail, metro park and of course the sports complex.  Think how you could tie it in with the Train Condos that are already there.   The skyway imo when expanded needs to be for springfield and 5 points.

[Coolyfett]

Skyway running done Bay Street would have no issues on my end. Im not for trolleys because they run at grade. Its better to have a system with its own right of way