MIAMI STREETCAR #1 PRIORITY - JAX WILL STUDY IT WHEN LAWTEY FINISHES THEIRS!

[Ocklawaha]

2 Miami, Fla. - commissioners want streetcar made top priority
Wed Oct 1, 2014 9:34 am (PDT) . Posted by: "Edward Havens" watsonscruff2000
Miami commissioners want a modern streetcar line made the top
transportation priority for the area, the "miami today" site reports. The
regional planning organization and the state transportation department are
being urged to find funding for the estimated $200 million project. Miami
had a first generation street railway system until after World War II:
<http://historymiamiarchives.org/guides/?p=digitallibrary/digitalcontent&id=587>
:<*http://tinyurl.com/nvspc6t <http://tinyurl.com/nvspc6t>*>
"Miami speeding to get streetcars rolling

Written by John Charles Robbins
<http://www.miamitodaynews.com/author/john-charles-robbins/>
on October 1, 2014

A resurrected plan to run streetcars downtown has Miami commissioners
pushing hard to improve transit.

Monday, they unanimously urged the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning
Organization and Florida Department of Transportation to make streetcars a
number-one priority and to find funds to do it, at an estimated price of
$200 million.

The city’s chief transportation manager, Carlos Cruz-Casas, said residents
ask him nearly every day what the city is doing to deal with horrible
traffic congestion.

“My answer is: smart planning,” said Mr. Cruz-Casas as he began a
presentation to commissioners about the streetcar project, first floated in
2006 but put on hold when the economy nosedived.

Commissioner Marc Sarnoff brought it up again a few weeks ago, saying now
is the time to again advance the project.

With a daytime population of more than 220,000, downtown is growing and
congestion levels keep increasing, Mr. Cruz-Casas said.

Although the city and county have added buses, rubber-wheeled trolleys and
a rail link to the airport, more connections are vital, he said.

“We need to continue to connect the dots,” Mr. Cruz-Casas said.

Lack of mass transit is a prevalent complaint, said Commissioner Francis
Suarez, who called the current system hodge-podge.

“It would be a dereliction of duty for us to do nothing,” he said. The time
for excuses is over, he said; “it’s time to think big.”

Commissioner Frank Carollo said, “Transit is a big issue all over.” He said
he wants connections to areas like Little Havana, Flagami and Allapattah.

Commission Chair Wifredo “Willy” Gort agreed. From Allapattah to Coral
Gables, he said, “we need to link the neighborhoods.”

The 2006 plan called for streetcars from Government Center to the Design
District and the Civic Center.

SOURCE: JACKSONVILLE TRACTION COMPANY & SOUTHERN STATES TRACTION:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jacksonville-Traction-Company/166218746770525?sk=timeline
SouthernStatesTraction@yahoogroups.com

[thelakelander]

They must be Looney. Everybody who's anybody, wants Lexus Lanes!

[tufsu1]

I bet FDOT tells the MPO they can make it their top priority....but SIS funds will still be spent on managed lanes projects!

[spuwho]

FDOT is telling the TPO that TriRail has to find their own way, so why would they try to find dough for a streetcar project?

This is interesting because certain states are pushing urban options like streetcar and other states are pushing toll lanes.

Both options really can lead to a similar issue if not done right. Non arterial congestion.

I dont think the current climate of FDOT is going to support any fixed urban rail projects like streetcar or light rail.  They are only looking at roads and commuter rail (barely).

[thelakelander]

If Scott loses the election, priorities will most likely change.

[spuwho]

Really?  I didnt see anything in Crist's previous term that would give me any indication he would be remarkably different.

He pushed for tax cuts and got them, and that doesnt give any indication he would be an advocate for transit if he wins.

Even if he does beat Scott, the legislature in this state is very slow to embrace funding public initiatives beyond roads.

[Ocklawaha]

A little bird shared with me that Scott was at ground zero when the AAF plan surfaced. He has supported it and in fact has rather insisted, I have to say as much as I didn't think I'd like him, he has changed my mind by communicating and listening from about day five as governor (I'd have to look up the mail but that's close). The stupid, stupid, stupid, Florida HSR plan was shot in the head... THANK GOD! As that damn thing would have sunk HSR in this country for the next 50 years. Instead we've got All Aboard Florida which is going to prove to the private railroads across the country that there IS money to be made in passenger rail after all. This AAF concept could rescue passenger-rail from Amtrak which could very well be facing a terminal of no return sooner than later. Trains are great, but Amtrak has nearly single handedly murdered the whole industry under the guise of 'a rescue.' It has been a well calculated and planned failure. Showing the whole country, if not the world how to do passenger rail with loans, right-of-way, and incentives will be a feather in his hat that will last a long time. Crist taking us backward to 'Big Fail Choo Choo' would be a disaster.

Streetcar? Who knows? If there is something similar up his sleeve we could see some form of urban transit that nobody has tried... I'm not holding my breath but, he has happily surprised me once already. If your a railroad type guy, you might have to hold your nose to vote for him, but I've already clothes pinned mine!

[thelakelander]

Really?  I didnt see anything in Crist's previous term that would give me any indication he would be remarkably different.

He pushed for tax cuts and got them, and that doesnt give any indication he would be an advocate for transit if he wins.

Even if he does beat Scott, the legislature in this state is very slow to embrace funding public initiatives beyond roads.

I'm not saying FDOT switches to building rail.  Right now, Lexus lanes are Ananth Prasad's baby.  They were not before the current administration was in place. If there's turn over in Tallahassee, there will be staff changes to follow, so what may be deemed top priority right now, may not be a year or two from now.

[tufsu1]

Really?  I didnt see anything in Crist's previous term that would give me any indication he would be remarkably different.

He will seek Prasad's resignation on day 1

[Ocklawaha]

Our whole problem locally with building a real fixed route mass transit system is that somebody looked under a Skyway car and discovered the big rubber bus tires. Done deal! The streetcars become 'more' Skyway, and all of the rest becomes BRT because as we all know; 'Rail is not a good fit in Jacksonville!'