Where Does the Skyway Go From Here?

[Ocklawaha]

Back by popular demand, the FINISH THE SKYWAY MAP...


Where do we go from here?


Skyway lines in Blue, extensions shown in RED. Major bus/rail/streetcar interchanges in black.

Question, should the line go on to Jackson Square?
Question, the original plan called for a line to Shands, in light of the new Courthouse, would a new branch up through that area, LaVilla, and up Davis to Shands work? Commuter Rail West of I-95 and Skyway east, meeting behind Shands with bus and Streetcar?

What say you?

OCKLAWAHA

[ProjectMaximus]

any way to get an enlarged image of that map?

[civil42806]

Skyway should go no where further, its big, ugly, and too expensive.  Time to cut the citys losses.  Investigate trolleys please.  No more 12foot diameter pillars dominating the streets and the elevated trains th sightlines.

[Ocklawaha]

OCKLAWAHA

[Coolyfett]

Skyway should go no where further, its big, ugly, and too expensive.  Time to cut the citys losses.  Investigate trolleys please.  No more 12foot diameter pillars dominating the streets and the elevated trains th sightlines.

Yea keep transportation on the ground where it doesn't flood!

Extend all 3 legs and build a 4th leg to the sports complex!!

[civil42806]

Uh people will wanting to be riding  trolleys or ground transportation during floors and tropical storms?  Was the people mover running during the storm?

[Coolyfett]

It didnt run Sunday.

[rjp2008]

The criticism of the Skyway is the oft-repeated - goes nowhere. Implied in that is "it goes nowhere that is new".

Since Jackson Square would be a new, retail/housing mix, I could see a use for connecting it to the existing Skyway, thus linking it to the Library, Bay Street Station, Brooklyn Park.

But going east to the stadium? People seem content to take the trolley bus or walk.

[civil42806]

Actually thats not my complaint, my complaint is 2.5 miles cost 184, 000, 000 dollars. Lets look at how the expansion will Go.

City will establish two departments initially, 1st the department of cost overun, 2nd the department of excuses and distraction.  These departments need to get started early to ensure they compliment each other. 

Then of course the department of planning is created they will design the actual course of the new lines.  This department consists of many subdepartments

  1.  subdepartment of screwing poor folks.  They will try to ensure that the route hits as many clusters of low income folks property.  After all these folks don't understand emminent domain and can't afford a lawyer.  The peasants.

  2.  Subdepartment of City fathers and high rollers.  there job is to examine the route and determine if it approaches any property that the city fathers and high rollers or there relatives own.  If so ensure that the route passes close enough so they can get a premium on there property.  After all they deserve it. Obviously this department and subdeparment of screwing poor folks have to interact to maximize their return

   3.  Subdepartment of Homeless needs and requirements.  They are there to ensure that there are enough nooks and cranies in the design for adequate sleeping urinating and crapping to support our community.
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    4.  Subdepartment of pillar support location.  You job is to locate all pillars and support to ensure maximum inconvience with existing businesses and residents.  Just ask Friedmans jewlers downtown,  or wait you cant The pillar immediately in front of his entrance put the downtown store our of business.

    5.  Subdepartment of Station location.  Since this is going to be fixed elevated system, particularly important for those once every 40 year floods,  the placement of the fixed stations is critical, since once they are built you stuck with them.   Now you might think that it would be simple to see where people live and might want to go and build the station there.  If so you have no vision whatsoever.  First this department needs to work closely with Subdepartment of City fathers and high rollers.  These people may own land they want to develop, so you may have to relocate a station near them.  Now of course your an Urban Planner, people may think they know where the want to live shop and eat, but thats only because they don't have your degree and urbane sense, I bet most of them shop at wal-mart for gods sake.  So you need to ensure that the stations are located in a proper urban development setting, unless otherwise dictated by the subdepartment of city fathers and high rollers.  Heavy interaction with the department of excuses and distraction is highly recommended.

So now your system is built at a cost of probably 100,000,000 a mile or more.  You can now disband all your departments except for department of excuses and distraction, in fact a signifcant expansion of this department is recommended, a mayoral aide my be needed.

Now the subdepartment of thank you notes they are to send out picture postcard of the system to everyone in the US thanking them for there contribution, because the only way this is going to happen is with federal funds.

The department of excuses and distractions will have to kick in to explain why the ridership is 10% of the expected  and why in the world did you put a  station there?

The department of scheduling, ensure that the route is never running for special events on weekends and nights, if the event is not in the normal operating hours of the system.  What do people expect a system working when they want to use it.  Obviously none of them are operating the system so what would they know.

The department of future apologies, when our grandkids are blowing the damn thing up, this department will send them a note  "we thought it was a good idea at the time"

[Coolyfett]

lol extend it to Riverside, Springfield & San Marco.

[Seraphs]

But going east to the stadium? People seem content to take the trolley bus or walk.

But ofcourse, given no other options.  I think should the skyway be extended to the stadium area it would fast become the busiest leg.  Not only would it be the favorite mode for Jag fans, but for other events held in the area throughout the year.  Also downtown workers would use it to get to parking during the week.  This would also provide major connectivity.  

[9a is my backyard]

I think should the skyway be extended to the stadium area it would fast become the busiest leg.

I also think this would probably be the case.  I think it would have a number of benefits, and may actually lead people to consider taking the Skyway to other places downtown or using JTA to get around Jacksonville.  I would love to see the Skyway expanded, but certainly understand why people have reservations due to its history and cost.

Does anyone else think the small cars would be a problem if the line were expanded to the stadium?  I realize they would only be packed for a hour or so before and after the game, but the capacity seems like it wouldn't meet the demand.

[civil42806]

a single line from the convention center to the stadium would not be very effective in getting jaguar fans downtown to the stadium.  Investing that kind of money for 10 weekends doesn't seem that smart.  If you've watched the shuttle service at the convention center they move an amazing number of people very quickly.  Having basically an unlimited number of buses can move many more people than what a fixed tracked system could do.  Imagine getting out of a game and waiting for the people mover, speed is limited, number of cars are limited.  The only limiting factor for the buses is how fast they can load.  Atlantas Marta system has feeder lines from all over the city heading to the stadium not just one.

[Coolyfett]

But going east to the stadium? People seem content to take the trolley bus or walk.

But ofcourse, given no other options.  I think should the skyway be extended to the stadium area it would fast become the busiest leg.  Not only would it be the favorite mode for Jag fans, but for other events held in the area throughout the year.  Also downtown workers would use it to get to parking during the week.  This would also provide major connectivity. 

WOW!! Hey man there was this one guy named Coolyfett that said the exact same thing man. I don't know what ever happened to that dude. He was fucking genius. He used to say stuff like "Man the Skyway should extend to the East" This old school guy named Ock was the only dude that used to agree with poor Coolyfett. Man I miss that guy. I DISAGREE with you the Skyway SHOULDNT be built down Bay Street and end at the Sport Complex errr Stadium, Arena, Ballpark, Fairgrounds & Metro Park...not much going on there folks!!! DONT BUILD IT!!

[Charleston native]

I'll elaborate more on this tomorrow, since I have to go to bed, but after going on Ock's blog earlier this summer, I'm convinced that the Skyway should be extended to all of the destinations on the map...as long as the current monorail is upgraded to a larger set of cars to carry more people. In addition, extensions should be made to the airport and the convention center; unless another convention center closer to the core location is built.

Again, I'll elaborate more on this subject tomorrow, but if you have doubts, go to Ock's blog and watch the video that shows a typical ride on the train. That video convinced me...Skyway can be an awesome bridge to the future for mass transit in Jax.