Rick Mullaney Unveils Plan for Jacksonville

[fieldafm]

In 20+ years,  the Skyway has been responsible for zero, and maybe negative, TOD.  This claim rings hollow.

Busy day for me, so I can't necessarily answer your points line by line just now...
but the Omni was in large part spurred by the Skyway/link to the convention center, and the only TRUE TOD we have in Jax is a result of a partnership with JTA, the dual hotel project at Kings Ave Station.  That area could very well experience another TOD project within the next few years.

[dougskiles]

what about the hotels(s) at the parking deck/station near San Marco?

Those hotels (yes there are two -operating in one building) may see some benefit from the existing system, but it is a pretty long walk from there to the Kings Avenue Skyway Station - and it cuts through a big parking lot.  Extending it under I-95 (and yes there is clearance) in between the hotels and the garage would be a much greater benefit to the hotels and would spur development where the ponds are currently located.  I was the civil engineer for both the garage (in 1999) and the hotels (in 2006).  We were required to leave 50 feet between the two specifically for a mass transit connection.  This came from JTA.  I'm not sure what they are saying about it now.  They seem to be focused only on BRT - which by the way - they concluded will not fit between the hotels and garage.  An elevated skyway would have no problems.  Imagine the station integrated into the hotel lobby...

[Ocklawaha]

what about the hotels(s) at the parking deck/station near San Marco?

Your right Billy, the Hilton Garden Inn is ALSO there because of the Skyway.


OCKLAWAHA

[stjr]

Ock and Field, please post one article from the press that states that the Wachovia Tower or Omni and Hilton Garden Hotels were primarily built due to the presence of the Skyway.  Seems if this was true, they would be out of business given the ridiculously low level of Skyway ridership.  Funny, but both developments are adjacent to large parking garages! That's a vote of confidence in your mass transit.  

[tufsu1]

well the Hilton Garden Inn was a TOD project initiated by JTA....without the Skyway, JTA would not have owned the land...nor would they have provided it to the hotel developers.

[stjr]

well the Hilton Garden Inn was a TOD project initiated by JTA....without the Skyway, JTA would not have owned the land...nor would they have provided it to the hotel developers.

Tufsu, that's not the same as saying the hotel was built due mainly for the reason that the Skyway was "nearby".  Who cares who the land seller was or how they acquired the land.  The question is, did they build the hotel there because of the Skyway?  Still waiting to see evidence of that.  I actually suspect that the little used JTA parking garage (fiasco?) was a far bigger part of this equation.

[Actionville]

I kind of agree with sjtr that the skyway made a hogan street a gloomy grey mess. Better care needs to taken in placement if the skyway is to be expanded. Blotting out the beautiful Jacksonville sun is depressing and scary to pedestrians, except in June-September

[Jimmy]

Wow, this thread has absolutely nothing to do with Rick Mullaney.

[tufsu1]

well the Hilton Garden Inn was a TOD project initiated by JTA....without the Skyway, JTA would not have owned the land...nor would they have provided it to the hotel developers.

Tufsu, that's not the same as saying the hotel was built due mainly for the reason that the Skyway was "nearby".  Who cares who the land seller was or how they acquired the land.  The question is, did they build the hotel there because of the Skyway?  Still waiting to see evidence of that.  I actually suspect that the little used JTA parking garage (fiasco?) was a far bigger part of this equation.

bottom line...the hotel would not have been built there if the Skyway wasn't there...so in answer to your question, yes

[I-10east]

Wow, this thread has absolutely nothing to do with Rick Mullaney.

Rick does not wanna have anything to do with the Skyway, that's why many are taking about the Skyway; It's a hot button topic.

[blandman]

No one wants to have to jump between a bunch of different systems to get where they wanna go. No one will bother, so its always best to have a solid, singular system that has a decent secondary system (like a solid bus system) to pick up the remaining slack. You dont want to have to jump between a bus, a Light Rail & then a Skyway just to get somewhere, guys. Think about it. Thats would completely suck.

Pee,  Not sure why you think having to switch between systems is so bad.  If the connections are reasonable, it's not the hassle you're presuming.  People do it in cities around the world everyday, including me.  I haven't driven a car to work in six years (except for the three weeks I worked in JAX this summer!).  I had to switch between two systems in Tokyo for a year, two (three if you count 20 mins on foot) in London for three years, and two in Philadelphia currently.  Just saying, it's not that bad...nor out of the ordinary...at least in cities that don't begin with the letter "J."

[Jimmy]

Rick does not wanna have anything to do with the Skyway, that's why many are taking about the Skyway; It's a hot button topic.

I guess so.  Unless this is being used as a catch-all for his views on mass (non-car) transit as a whole, it's generating an awful lot of heat for just the ASE.

[peestandingup]

well the Hilton Garden Inn was a TOD project initiated by JTA....without the Skyway, JTA would not have owned the land...nor would they have provided it to the hotel developers.

Tufsu, that's not the same as saying the hotel was built due mainly for the reason that the Skyway was "nearby".  Who cares who the land seller was or how they acquired the land.  The question is, did they build the hotel there because of the Skyway?  Still waiting to see evidence of that.  I actually suspect that the little used JTA parking garage (fiasco?) was a far bigger part of this equation.

bottom line...the hotel would not have been built there if the Skyway wasn't there...so in answer to your question, yes

Lol. Wow. Did you stick out your tongue in real life when you typed that. C mon, now. This is kind of grasping for straws a bit to prove a point, isn't it? We all know what was being implied.

[peestandingup]

No one wants to have to jump between a bunch of different systems to get where they wanna go. No one will bother, so its always best to have a solid, singular system that has a decent secondary system (like a solid bus system) to pick up the remaining slack. You dont want to have to jump between a bus, a Light Rail & then a Skyway just to get somewhere, guys. Think about it. Thats would completely suck.

Pee,  Not sure why you think having to switch between systems is so bad.  If the connections are reasonable, it's not the hassle you're presuming.  People do it in cities around the world everyday, including me.  I haven't driven a car to work in six years (except for the three weeks I worked in JAX this summer!).  I had to switch between two systems in Tokyo for a year, two (three if you count 20 mins on foot) in London for three years, and two in Philadelphia currently.  Just saying, it's not that bad...nor out of the ordinary...at least in cities that don't begin with the letter "J."

Well, sure. But are any of those towns sprawling erratic messes? No. Are they more condensed & probably a hell of a lot better at public transportation than we are? I'd say so, yes. Could you imagine the fuck ups at JTA trying to juggle 3 systems? They can't even run a proper bus system, and that's Transportation 101.

And I did say 2 systems was fine, but 3 is really pushing it. If you think the average suburban dweller is gonna bother hopping between 3 different systems just to get to the core, you're dreaming. They'll do what's easier...drive. Or just not go at all & stay in the 'burbs. Could you blame them?

[thelakelander]

Rick does not wanna have anything to do with the Skyway, that's why many are taking about the Skyway; It's a hot button topic.

I guess so.  Unless this is being used as a catch-all for his views on mass (non-car) transit as a whole, it's generating an awful lot of heat for just the ASE.

The ASE may only be 2.5 miles but how this issue is handled will have a much greater impact on the future development of Jax's overall mass transit system.