commuter train could be a good start

[iLenin]

For jacksonville, mass transit and zero car homes are.. well, for the birds.
Unfortunately.
I really hope JTA and ZCH (zero car homes) can come back .
A commuter train would be great. One that would hopefully run through Jax in its whole. Maybe end in Orlando. I dunno. But the tracks aren't needed, not the clearing of the space, anyways - it would run in the empty, forgotten roads. Not smaller streets, not that extra space on highways. It would have a barrier though. Don't want any accidents. Your ideas.

[John P]

There are plans for rail but they are long term.

[tufsu1]

JTA is looking at commuter rail...in fact, they are about to get a major study underway to determine which corridor(s) should be implemented first

[wsansewjs]

For jacksonville, mass transit and zero car homes are.. well, for the birds.
Unfortunately.
I really hope JTA and ZCH (zero car homes) can come back .
A commuter train would be great. One that would hopefully run through Jax in its whole. Maybe end in Orlando. I dunno. But the tracks aren't needed, not the clearing of the space, anyways - it would run in the empty, forgotten roads. Not smaller streets, not that extra space on highways. It would have a barrier though. Don't want any accidents. Your ideas.

iLenin,

This strikes me as a great concern...

After looking at all of your posts you have contributed to MetroJacksonville, I am not sure if I am going to take your posts as serious as they should be. You need to explore and research a lot of things before you make statements because there are so many people who have shared the SAME concern as you do therefore have already expressed their ideas and concerns in other threads. Perhaps you might want to look at older and existing threads.

My advice for you is to try listen to others more so you can learn more about different topics, and the most important of all, yourself.

Sincerely,
Josh

[iMarvin]

JTA is looking at commuter rail...in fact, they are about to get a major study underway to determine which corridor(s) should be implemented first

JTA is sooooo slow. They should've been started a study. At this rate, our first commuter rail line will open in 2035.

[Ocklawaha]

For jacksonville, mass transit and zero car homes are.. well, for the birds.
Unfortunately.
I really hope JTA and ZCH (zero car homes) can come back .
A commuter train would be great. One that would hopefully run through Jax in its whole. Maybe end in Orlando. I dunno. But the tracks aren't needed, not the clearing of the space, anyways - it would run in the empty, forgotten roads. Not smaller streets, not that extra space on highways. It would have a barrier though. Don't want any accidents. Your ideas.

WTF? It's a train but tracks won't be needed? It's going to use the extra space on the highways? It will have a barrier (like elevated or gates)?

Man this ain't New York, Chicago, Miami or Los Angeles. ANY COMMUTER RAIL IN JACKSONVILLE WILL USE WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE!  IE: CSX, FEC, NS, TT, FC, ETC. The tracks are already in place, it's just working out a deal with the freight railroads and getting ourselves in gear.

TUFSU1, Here are your study results from my crystal ball...

JAX - AVENUES - ST AUGUSTINE  -  This will be found to be the easiest to get into operation
JAX - ORANGE PARK - GREEN COVE SPRINGS - This will be found to offer the most immediate benefits
JAX - SPRINGFIELD - AIRPORT ROAD - YULEE - This will be found to have the heaviest ridership at least as far as the Trout River, it will also be the most expensive as it requires relaying the 'S' line between downtown and Springfield Yard. The closeness of the stations, short distance overall, and speed of the trains, will cause this study to lean more toward a light-rail solution.
JAX - BALDWIN - MACCLENNY - This will be found to be the 'last phase' and lightest usage. But these results will be skewed because they are hanging on to these terminal points and ignore a similar 'light-rail' solution through the heavily populated Westside ending the route at a more logical location such as I-295 /Marietta M/L.
JAX - STARKE - ALACHUA - GAINESVILLE - This won't even be mentioned, even though the CSX track is in place to just a few blocks north of of the old depot at 6Th and University in Gainesville and the FACT that RTD IS INTERESTED. CHIRP. CHIRP.

Uh iMarvin? The first required study for commuter rail was finished a couple of years ago, what TUFSU1 is speaking of is a much more in depth (and likely to happen) study.

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

TUFSU1, Here are your study results from my crystal ball...

JAX - AVENUES - ST AUGUSTINE  -  This will be found to be the easiest to get into operation
JAX - ORANGE PARK - GREEN COVE SPRINGS - This will be found to offer the most immediate benefits
JAX - SPRINGFIELD - AIRPORT ROAD - YULEE - This will be found to have the heaviest ridership at least as far as the Trout River, it will also be the most expensive as it requires relaying the 'S' line between downtown and Springfield Yard. The closeness of the stations, short distance overall, and speed of the trains, will cause this study to lean more toward a light-rail solution.

the feasibility study completed in 2009 had a rough risership forecast...showed that southeast line was the champ followed by southwest...the north line was a distant third.

and I actually think southwest may be the easiest to implement....when CSX mpoves trains over to the line paralleling 301, these tracks will be empty most of the day...conversely, there are 20+ trains that run daily on the southeast line between Bowden Yard and downtown.

[thelakelander]

JAX - AVENUES - ST AUGUSTINE  -  This will be found to be the easiest to get into operation

Except, it will get sabatoged for federal funding because JTA has moved forward with trying to get federal funds for  BRT paralleling it between Downtown and the Avenues.

[wsansewjs]

JAX - AVENUES - ST AUGUSTINE  -  This will be found to be the easiest to get into operation

Except, it will get sabatoged for federal funding because JTA has moved forward with trying to get federal funds for  BRT paralleling it between Downtown and the Avenues.

+1

Can we just get rid of JTA? It is so ridiculous. It is like a group of buffoons and clowns that likes to honk and tonk for the last 20 years.

-Josh

[fsujax]

I wouldn't be so quick to come to that conclusion Lake. I heard that JTA has been meeting with FTA officials and discussed that exact issue and FTA doesn't seemed too concerned about it. Remember there is  a corridor in Denver where BRT and Commuter Rail parallel each other for quite a stretch. Let's see how it plays out before we call it dead.

[Garden guy]

Is there a way of forcing the JTA to spend no more money on any buses? IF they spend any more money it should be on getting this city closer towards actually being a metro city with light rail and bus alternatives not on new buses.

[thelakelander]

FsuJax, I love your optimism about the FTA funding both BRT and commuter rail (back-to-back) in a parallel corridor in Jacksonville.  Unfortunately, Denver is in a different ball game.  They already have significant transit ridership numbers, modified zoning to support mass transit investment and a sales tax to fund their local share of their12-year, $6.5 billion FasTracks mass transit expansion plan.  They're in a completely different stratosphere. 

Neither BRT down Philips or commuter rail to St. Augustine will generate the ridership numbers their LRT corridors are currently pulling in.  If we were smart, we'd take the holistic approach and not double up on any one corridor with FTA requests, when we have so many areas in need.  Instead, we'd pull off this BRT stuff by simply modifying a few bus routes and branding a route "BRT" without FTA assistance.

After all, if we're going after federal dollars, that means we'll have to complete for those limited funds with every other community across the country.  We'll better our chances increasing the feasibility of one project per corridor, instead of two that could possible compete for a certain percentage of riders.

[fsujax]

Sometimes optimism is a good thing. But, what do I know. Nothing.

[thelakelander]

Optimisim is a great thing.  Just remember that every community is competing for the same thing and all are optimistic about their chances.  However, the ones that ultimately succeed are typically aggressive in their dream.  A great example is Detroit's LRT planning.  Did you notice how quick they landed their FTA match after their business community stepped up with $125 million at the plate?   Also, the successful tend to stay away from planning concepts that potentially cannibalize the ultimate success of individual local projects, when they are eventually compared with other community's for a chance at the limited federal funding pot. 

For example, let's just say we're going up against a Charlotte or Salt Lake City for a share of FTA New Starts money.  They're bringing local money to the table, identified a specific project and have already modified their land use and zoning codes to support it.  Both also have implementing bicycle network programs to enhance accessibility to their desired transit corridor.  On the other hand, Jax comes in asking for money on two projects paralleling each other on the same corridor, with no local money available and zoning/land use being an afterthought.  Then let's add that there's only enough New Starts cash to fund one of the four projects mentioned above.  Who do you think the feds will say "no bueno" too?

[peestandingup]

^Don't forget our joke of a "bike network", where you're pretty much forced to ride on the sidewalk so you don't get killed. The sidewalk's our "network" I guess. Weren't we voted some of the worst recently somewhere?