BRT [vs] Commuter Rail.

[arb]

It just annoys me to see JTA moving forward with the BRT. I want to see what form of transportation -YOU- think is more vital for the city of Jacksonville and surronding counties. Perhaps if BRT is really a more viable to you guys, I will know but personally I happen to believe that BRT is nothing but a longer bus that only benefits the Southside (and doesnt benefit it much), and that a commuter rail is the way to go

[JeffreyS]

If they did commuter rail and then built BRT to support and feed it I could get on board.
Apparently the JTA needs someone to explain (again) the logical order of operations.

Now: Commuter rail line from Orange park/ Flemming Island u turn in Downtown to South side/ Avenues area. Amtrak expanded services from downtown to Miami.

Very soon: Streetcar from Avondale, Five Points and Landing. Brt (I know I know) on JTB from commuter rail to southpoint/St. Luke's, Tinseltown/ Gate Parkway, SJTC/ UNF, Mayo Clinic/ Allstate and Beaches.

Not far off: Beaches streetcar on 3rd, Skyway expansion to San Marco/ E district/ Sports complex, Streetcar to 17 at San Juan. Streetcar/ BRT from Union street to Regency Mall, Commuter rail/ LRT from Airport to Gateway, Shands, Springfield, Downtown and Edward Waters.

Long Term: Commuter rail expanded to Savanna, St. Augustine, Palm Coast, Green Cove Springs, Palatka, Macclenny.  Amtrak to Gainsville, Tallahassee and New Orleans.  HSR to SEHSR and maybe Florida's HSR.  In fill with more Streetcar.

[fsujax]

Obviously commuter rail, it is the premier regional transit option. BRT is not planned as a regional system. Commuter Rail will be the spine of the system. Other modes will feed it and compliment it. 

[JeffreyS]

Obviously commuter rail, it is the premier regional transit option. BRT is not planned as a regional system. Commuter Rail will be the spine of the system. Other modes will feed it and compliment it. 

Then why waste our money with BRT lines that mirror the rail lines?

[Doctor_K]

Obviously commuter rail, it is the premier regional transit option. BRT is not planned as a regional system. Commuter Rail will be the spine of the system. Other modes will feed it and compliment it. 

Then why waste our money with BRT lines that mirror the rail lines?

Because it's JTA of course!

[arb]

Obviously commuter rail, it is the premier regional transit option. BRT is not planned as a regional system. Commuter Rail will be the spine of the system. Other modes will feed it and compliment it. 

Then why waste our money with BRT lines that mirror the rail lines?

Because it's JTA of course!

AGREED! I think that since a BRT line can be more expensive then a commuter rail, they want the government to pay for most of the BRT line project, so later on after the BRT line is complete they won't have to spend as much on a commuter rail, but really they need to face the fact that a commuter rail should be top priority. People don't ride the regular bus, what makes you think that they will ride a bus now. The commuter rail is simply the best option!

[arb]

If they did commuter rail and then built BRT to support and feed it I could get on board.
Apparently the JTA needs someone to explain (again) the logical order of operations.

Now: Commuter rail line from Orange park/ Flemming Island u turn in Downtown to South side/ Avenues area. Amtrak expanded services from downtown to Miami.

Very soon: Streetcar from Avondale, Five Points and Landing. Brt (I know I know) on JTB from commuter rail to southpoint/St. Luke's, Tinseltown/ Gate Parkway, SJTC/ UNF, Mayo Clinic/ Allstate and Beaches.

Not far off: Beaches streetcar on 3rd, Skyway expansion to San Marco/ E district/ Sports complex, Streetcar to 17 at San Juan. Streetcar/ BRT from Union street to Regency Mall, Commuter rail/ LRT from Airport to Gateway, Shands, Springfield, Downtown and Edward Waters.

Long Term: Commuter rail expanded to Savanna, St. Augustine, Palm Coast, Green Cove Springs, Palatka, Macclenny.  Amtrak to Gainsville, Tallahassee and New Orleans.  HSR to SEHSR and maybe Florida's HSR.  In fill with more Streetcar.

+1000.

[Ocklawaha]

Obviously commuter rail, it is the premier regional transit option. BRT is not planned as a regional system. Commuter Rail will be the spine of the system. Other modes will feed it and compliment it. 

It's going to be tough to feed into it if the BRT buses are driving alongside of it.

OCKLAWAHA

[tayana42]

San Francisco has an organization of volunteers who raise money and lobby for the streecars and cablecars.  Here's what their website says in part:

"Market Street Railway is the nonprofit preservation partner of the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), the city agency that owns and operates San Francisco’s transit system, including its historic streetcars and cable cars.

Our group’s leaders were the driving force in making vintage streetcars a full-time part of the San Francisco scene in the 1980s and 1990s.

While we support Muni’s historic transit activities, we are not part of Muni and we receive no government money whatsoever.

We rely instead on private donations and membership dues to help keep San Francisco’s past present in the future by serving as an effective independent advocate for the famed historic streetcars of the F-line, and the national landmark cable cars, which together carry more than 40,000 riders per day.

About Us
Our Mission
Projects & Programs
=============

Is there any such group functioning in JAcksonville?  If not, why not? Could be just the thing to jab JTA in the butt and get them thinking streetcar.  The best option for JTA would be to split into two separate organizations, with one focusing solely on public transit.

[urbaknight]

Can MJ put together a fund raiser to put toward commuter rail and the like, or perhaps lobbey the city council to and/or JTA to kill the BRT plan in favor of the obvious choice?

[ChriswUfGator]

Obviously commuter rail, it is the premier regional transit option. BRT is not planned as a regional system. Commuter Rail will be the spine of the system. Other modes will feed it and compliment it. 

I call B.S. on that, if that were actually the case, then why is that anytime people start looking into commuter rail JTA steps in to usurp the demand and the funding for it by opening up another crappy bus line that serves the exact same route? This has happened twice already.

[CS Foltz]

Any takers for "Three" times or more? BRT better than rail and cheaper..........right! That JTA mantra is starting to really irritate me.........bovines!

[fieldafm]

Is there any such group functioning in JAcksonville?  If not, why not? Could be just the thing to jab JTA in the butt and get them thinking streetcar.

Are you volunteering to spearhead such a group Tayana?  This city could use it!

[tufsu1]

as fsujax noted, this is not a valid question...BRT is only planned for Duval...while commuter rail eaches into Nassau, Clay, and st. Johns.

but take note...BRT will run on 10-15 minute headways...commuter rail would likely run every 30-60 minutes.

[JeffreyS]

Take note the commuter rail would have a positive economic and social impact.