Scott tells DOT to spend $77M on Miami port project

[fieldafm]

A kick in the face to Jax....

Mayoral candidates are you listening?  We need a port specialist that can secure funding employed in your office.

http://www.flgov.com/2011/03/04/governor-rick-scott-announces-funding-plan-for-port-of-miami-dredge-project/

GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT ANNOUNCES FUNDING PLAN FOR PORT OF MIAMI DREDGE PROJECT
Directs FDOT to amend work plan to include $77 million for the port

March 4, 2011; Miami â€" Standing before a crowd of hundreds at the Port of Miami today, Governor Rick Scott announced plans to fully fund the $77 million shortfall for the port dredging project so that larger ships can enter the port.

“Today I directed the Florida Department of Transportation to amend their work plan to include $77 million so that Florida can take another leap forward in international trade,” Scott said. “This is the type of infrastructure project that will pay permanent, long-term dividends, and provide a solid return on investment for Florida’s taxpayers.”

Flanked by Senator Marco Rubio, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, Congressman David Rivera, and Colombian Ambassador Gabriel Silva, the Governor unveiled his intention to invest in the types of infrastructure projects that have long-term, permanent payoffs. The Port of Miami dredge project is projected to result in 30,000 new jobs for the region in the coming years.

Once the port is dredged to a depth of 50 feet, larger, “New Panamax” ships can load and unload cargo there, enabling the Port of Miami to become a “first port of call” for ships coming through the expanded Panama Canal in 2014.

“This is a solid first step toward enhancing Florida’s infrastructure and getting our state ready for a new generation of international trade with South America and beyond,” said Governor Scott. There are a number of worthy infrastructure projects that deserve our attention, and as Floridians, we know best where our resources should be focused.”

[tufsu1]

what...Lt. Gov. Carroll couldn't sway him to JaxPort?

to be fair, the Miami dredging project has the Federal approvals already....so this does make sense

[thelakelander]

Great news for Miami.  Between this, the tunnel project and the grant to construct a rail terminal at their port, they should have the leg up on the rest of the statewide competition for the next decade or so.

[JeffreyS]

This is good for our state. I wish it was Jax but I am glad it is not Savanna.

[Dog Walker]

You think there are a lot of trains crossing the FEC bridge now; just wait.  That and an endless stream of semi-trucks on I-95, tearing it up.

[JeffreyS]

All the more reason to add track for freight and commuter rail. It sounds like if Jax gets it's ducks in a row he would be willing to help with ours as well.

[mtraininjax]

A kick in the face to Jax....

Mayoral candidates are you listening?  We need a port specialist that can secure funding employed in your office.

I have to disagree. I see Anderson getting out and making a case for Jacksonville to be next in the state for funding from the state for our issues. Tampa's dredging will cost 700 to 750 million, while Jax is a bargain at 600 million and we have more road ways and rail than Tampa.

With regard to more trucks on I-95, I don't see that either. Anyone remember that CSX took some of the money the state paid them from the Orlando tracks to sink into our port area, some 60 million to expand the port tracks and systems here? We have a few years before the Army Corps of Engineers gets a study done, which is plenty of time to fix the dock issues we have, complete Heckscher Drive, add new rail lines and add more jobs to our car and aggregate business. Most people forget we are the 2nd largest processor of automobiles on the East Coast. Our agg business is phenomenol as well. The containers will come, Scott only toured Jacksonville and Miami for ports and Anderson is in his ear!

[thelakelander]

The money CSX was expected to gain from the State and the Sunrail deal isn't a given at this point.  If Scott kills the Sunrail commuter rail project (the state actually subsidizes this one, unlike HSR), then CSX won't get that $60 million.

[Ocklawaha]

A kick in the face to Jax....

Mayoral candidates are you listening?  We need a port specialist that can secure funding employed in your office.

I have to disagree. I see Anderson getting out and making a case for Jacksonville to be next in the state for funding from the state for our issues. Tampa's dredging will cost 700 to 750 million, while Jax is a bargain at 600 million and we have more road ways and rail than Tampa.

With regard to more trucks on I-95, I don't see that either. Anyone remember that CSX took some of the money the state paid them from the Orlando tracks to sink into our port area, some 60 million to expand the port tracks and systems here? We have a few years before the Army Corps of Engineers gets a study done, which is plenty of time to fix the dock issues we have, complete Heckscher Drive, add new rail lines and add more jobs to our car and aggregate business. Most people forget we are the 2nd largest processor of automobiles on the East Coast. Our agg business is phenomenol as well. The containers will come, Scott only toured Jacksonville and Miami for ports and Anderson is in his ear!

So now I know why the earth quaked in Japan this (tomorrow) morning! MTRAIN AND OCK AGREE AGAIN!
Even if this went completely against us on the nautical side because of our unique position on the railroad map, we still will see huge gains in rail traffic...IE: Walmart's all over the southeast are eagerly awaiting more Chinese junk. Those trains, won't be blowing right through town either, in Jacksonville they'll fuel, change crews, and in many cases be switched out meaning hundreds of new railroad jobs.

I do wish we would kick it into high gear and get this done BEFORE the ships start to sail, which might allow us to capture a few more carriers at the port. It should be easy to take advantage of Miami's crowded conditions and the extra 300 mile transit bill added to everything that comes in there and moves out to other states.

Our position as a "Super Port," is already fixed in the US House, and Miami is the only other port in the state to be on that radar...and face it South Floridian's, Miami has at least 3 acres they could expand in... unless they decide to pump up a few more islands! All we have for expansion is the entire north half of Duval County and little sister Fernandina to the north.

Get ready now Jacksonville because here it comes.

OCKLAWAHA

[mtraininjax]

If Scott kills the Sunrail commuter rail project (the state actually subsidizes this one, unlike HSR), then CSX won't get that $60 million.

Lake, I don't think that will happen as I have seen the State Senators who have serious power will fight Scott on this and right now, Scott, needs their support for Education and Medicare reforms. It might happen, but I doubt it.

[mtraininjax]

MTRAIN AND OCK AGREE AGAIN!

Full Moon? Nice picture of the Rail America locos!

[thelakelander]

It should be interesting to see how the Sunrail issue plays out.  If approved, he'll look like a hypocrite and it would go against the desires of the tea party.  If rejected, it will piss off some major Republican players.

[Ocklawaha]

It should be interesting to see how the Sunrail issue plays out.  If approved, he'll look like a hypocrite and it would go against the desires of the tea party. 

I think the fat cats that were on the take for the HSR project might attempt to crank up their propaganda machine. As fay once said "SUNRAIL=SPRAWLRAIL" a statement that came right out of HIGH SPEED RAIL CENTRAL, back when they were trying to make it an us against them issue. Moreover the concept of a commuter train running through the heart of the historic communities in Central Florida is a hell of a lot less of a "SPRAWL STARTER" then a flying train past the pine trees in the middle of I-4. Again, I'm with MTRAIN, and think Scott won't torch Sunrail, it is the ONE MAJOR RAIL PROJECT THAT IS MOST NEEDED IN ANY FLORIDA REGION. The FEC project could likewise be labeled the longest lived and MOST DESIRED PIECE OF PASSENGER RAILROAD IN THE NATION, and it might fly too.

It would be easy to make a case that SUNRAIL and FEC RY/AMTRAK are projects that are tried and true, tested and needed, and that the HSR PROJECT was the wrong plan, at the wrong time IE: back to the drawing board.

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

The St. Pete paper mentioned Scott has just extended his delay on Sunrail for several months. The paper also mentioned that the cities of Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando will be allowed to compete for Florida's lost $2.4 billion, as long as they work with an existing transportation entity like Amtrak.

[Ocklawaha]

The St. Pete paper mentioned Scott has just extended his delay on Sunrail for several months. The paper also mentioned that the cities of Tampa, Lakeland and Orlando will be allowed to compete for Florida's lost $2.4 billion, as long as they work with an existing transportation entity like Amtrak.

If they work with AMTRAK... and as the only American Corporation with HSR experience...THEY SHOULD, we MIGHT see this PIE IN THE SKY thing come back down to earth. With the speed of telephone, Amtrak COULD broker a deal with CSX and TALGO, all of which are ALREADY AMTRAK PARTNERS! It sounds promising.

OCKLAWAHA