JTA Skyway moves thousands during One Spark

[Cheshire Cat]

It's also the issue of a regional system never being built to feed riders into it. The physical structure of the Skyway is really the least of its concerns.

And you have to ask the question, why is JTA's only transit construction project (BRT) duplicating the Skyway downtown?  Why not focus the dollars and efforts establishing a system that connects TO the Skyway?

Inquiring minds want to know.  Good question Doug.

Has anyone on the site met any of JTA's new leadership?

[Ocklawaha]

It's also the issue of a regional system never being built to feed riders into it. The physical structure of the Skyway is really the least of its concerns.

And you have to ask the question, why is JTA's only transit construction project (BRT) duplicating the Skyway downtown?  Why not focus the dollars and efforts establishing a system that connects TO the Skyway?

Inquiring minds want to know.  Good question Doug.

Has anyone on the site met any of JTA's new leadership?

Yes, Nat hadn't been here a month before Stephendare and I had breakfast with him at Juliette's Bistro.

[Cheshire Cat]

That's good to know.  Perhaps it is time for another breakfast.

You know Bob I was thinking about what you said a couple weeks back about short video presentations to get Metro Jacksonville ideas across to leadership in meetings.  I wonder do the guys on this site who make that magic think it might be time for one addressing some of the things discussed on this thread again? Perhaps it could even dovetail back onto the importance of collecting that dadgum mobility fee.  This would be something that could be shown to the council transportation committee for starters.  Thoughts? 

[Ocklawaha]

That meeting is coming on Monday, and includes JTA and the Mayors office. A follow up with the DIA, JCCI and Shad Khan may be effective.

[Cheshire Cat]

That is fantastic news and I agree with the followup meetings.  I am excited about all of this. 

[tufsu1]

Several posters on this site have interacted with JTA's new leadership team....I believe they understand the big picture of transit and will do their to enhance our system.

That said, they can't do everything alone....it will take support (and sometimes patience) from the City, other state and regional leaders, and us!

[Cheshire Cat]

Several posters on this site have interacted with JTA's new leadership team....I believe they understand the big picture of transit and will do their to enhance our system.

That said, they can't do everything alone....it will take support (and sometimes patience) from the City, other state and regional leaders, and us!

I am very heartened to hear this.  You are right about the patience, but for many who have waited for decades, now is the time for a big push behind transportation.  I believe the pieces and support will fall into place if people really understand how this issue impacts community wealth and viability.

[Keith-N-Jax]

" Patience' " It's 2013, we shouldn't be even having this conversation!!!!

[spuwho]

How does this ridership compare to Gator Bowl weekend?

Just curious. I ride the Skyway alot during the festivities and it is extremely full.

[heights unknown]

Was One Spark still on on April 21st? If not, then it looks like the Skyway went back to its old pre-One Spark ridership numbers; if it was on a sunday, then that explains everything.

[fsujax]

One Spark ended Sunday morning. It didnt run all day.

[BigHache]

But, is JTA and/or the Brown Admin. listening? Do they care? Will expansion ensue? Does this CHANGE anything? Does a Skyway-naysayer look at this and say "oh boy, I was wrong"? Or do they write it off on something else? Can't help but be a skeptic on this one...

Then there's this. I like the Skyway. It's an enjoyable ride... as long as you don't have to rely on it, which goes for all of JTA. It's a complete joke.

[chrifar]

Until the city uplifts the downtown area to bring more traffic and patronage we will not see a large rise in the use of the Skyway. I believe we need a well run and maintained rail system, Skyway, and mass transit system in our area. As of now the system is a joke and no one makes use of it because there is not much in the downtown district as far as continuous enriched entertainment, restaurants, or social activities. So let us focus on the downtown district first.

I admit we have grown a lot in the last decade but we need more continued availability to permits and access to available entrepreneurs in the area, i.e. Food Trucks and other small business. Our downtown should be an area our citizens want to patronage as oppose to other areas of the city. As it stands now tourists come and go to areas like the Town Center and beaches, rarely seeing downtown except in passing. Lets focus expansion on the Skyway after we have uplifted our downtown district. We need our Chamber of Commerce to do a better job of marketing our city.

One Spark was an amazing contribution to our city and showed how we can come together as a community to make the downtown district thrive. However while speaking with many small business owners and start-ups during the festival, many were quite reluctant to have shops in the downtown area. This is a shame and our city council needs to do more for improvement before we consider an expansion of a antiquated rail system which is hardly used. I would like to see an improvement and expansion to the beaches area, however we need to focus on revitalization first.

[thelakelander]

Until the city uplifts the downtown area to bring more traffic and patronage we will not see a large rise in the use of the Skyway. I believe we need a well run and maintained rail system, Skyway, and mass transit system in our area. As of now the system is a joke and no one makes use of it because there is not much in the downtown district as far as continuous enriched entertainment, restaurants, or social activities. So let us focus on the downtown district first.

In my research over the years, this has been one of the major problems that all downtown redevelopment plans have had in common over the last 40 years.  We tend to put and treat downtown as if it exists in its own isolated bubble. Historically, downtown has never been able to sustain itself.  Its health is directly related to its connectivity with the surrounding urban core neighborhoods.  Thus, early attention must be invested to strengthening the links between DT and the surrounding 100,000 residents.  So, while focusing on downtown revitalization, from the mass transit planning perspective, we have to simultaneously focus on improving mobility. 

This doesn't necessarily mean first expanding the Skyway to Everbank Field.  Instead, it could be an incremental combination of modifying the existing bus system and proposed BRT plan to complement and feed the Skyway with passengers.  For the DIA, it could mean tying land use and infill opportunities with properties adjacent and within walking distance of the Skyway system already in place (i.e. Brooklyn developments & a station at the Skyway's operations center across the street).  When it comes to cycling, it could be changing our roadway design standards, so when streets are repaved, bicycle infrastructure is included (i.e. bike corrals in an existing parallel parking space or a multi-use path replacing a roadway lane).

At the same time we're focusing on local things, we also have to be in position to jump on opportunities happening on a regional and national level.  For example, if All Aboard Florida's rail line between Orlando and Miami proves to be a success in 2014, there may be an opportunity for that system to extend to Jacksonville.  It just so happens, that those tracks already go through downtown Jacksonville.  Keeping an eye on the planning of AAF could present us with an opportunity to have a DT Jax to St. Augustine link with hourly service (or make it easier to implement commuter rail on the same line) before we know it. 

[edjax]

Any one know Skyway hours for this year?  Also no stories on the event this year on MetroJacksonville?