State of the JTA: It's not time for light rail, but changes to Skyway are coming

[thelakelander]

I'd wish we stop overselling the BRT system coming to Jax. It's not a bedrock for LRT.  It's not even a system that operates on exclusive dedicated lanes. What is truly is, is a chance for Jax to have a few reliable and attractive bus routes with decent headways and stops. Something most would expect as a minimum in any vibrant multimodal friendly city of Jax's size. This in and of itself is very important and positive.

Once we start equating it with something it will never become (LRT), it only paves the way for unmet public expectations when it fails to live up the billing.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority has more tricks up its sleeve.

After launching construction on its First Coast Flyer and compressed natural gas station, and successfully optimizing its bus routes to increase year-over-year weekday traffic by six percent, CEO Nat Ford said in his State of the JTA presentation that the organization has more to come.

One of those ideas is the continued building out of the First Coast Flyer, the JTA's bus rapid transit system. The First Coast Flyer, Ford said, is specifically designed to mimic a light-rail, which the city does not have the density to support at this time.

"It would be a poor use of funding right now," Ford said.
The bus rapid transit, however, will run in a light-rail fashion — with less frequent stops and more cross-town access — to set up a future light rail system.

"The four corridors would serve as the bedrock for light rail," he said.
Another upcoming project is the JTA MobilityWorks, which consists of 13 roadway projects, 14 corridor projects and the adoption of the St. Johns Ferry.

"It's an attempt to lift all boats," Ford said. Many of the projects are remnants of the "Better Jacksonville" plan and will complete that process. The projects include improved transit, bus shelters, bike paths, pedestrian walkways and automobile roadways.

Full article: http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2015/05/12/state-of-the-jta-its-not-time-for-light-rail-but.html

Below, the Reno, NV Ride BRT system.


A branded RIDE bus running on regular city streets with traffic.


A RIDE BRT station.

LRT....There's a big difference in terms of public perception, spurring TOD, capacity, quality of service, etc....Below, the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) LRT system.

[ProjectMaximus]

A positive from that article:

One of the biggest upcoming projects for the JTA is its regional transportation center, which will be built out next to the Prime Osborn convention center. There, all of the city's transportation nodes will meet: city buses, Greyhound buses, RedCoach. The city is even working to move Amtrak. The center will cost about $25 million in total.
"It's a lot of work," Ford said, "over the next five years."

If we see Amtrak back at the Prime Osborne that would pave the way for AAF and eventually commuter rail.

[thelakelander]

If Amtrak, AAF and BRT happens down Philips, then commuter rail down the FEC may not make any sense.  With that said, the best thing in this update is the cost of the JRTC. Down to $25 million instead of $150 million a few years ago. It appears a ton of common sense modifications were made. Kudos to JTA.

[Tacachale]

So the JTRC is $25 million now? Or just the bus section? Either way it's a considerable reduction.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

If Amtrak, AAF and BRT happens down Philips, then commuter rail down the FEC may not make any sense.  With that said, the best thing in this update is the cost of the JRTC. Down to $25 million instead of $150 million a few years ago. It appears a ton of common sense modifications were made. Kudos to JTA.

I remember the article you guys did on the original.  Would this new design also be available for the public to vet?  Would it have to go through any of the downtown agencies for review?  Or is this just a chopped down version that's being used to push it through on the front end while the overages and changes wind up costing more than the original $150MM number?

[Tacachale]

If Amtrak, AAF and BRT happens down Philips, then commuter rail down the FEC may not make any sense.  With that said, the best thing in this update is the cost of the JRTC. Down to $25 million instead of $150 million a few years ago. It appears a ton of common sense modifications were made. Kudos to JTA.

I remember the article you guys did on the original.  Would this new design also be available for the public to vet?  Would it have to go through any of the downtown agencies for review?  Or is this just a chopped down version that's being used to push it through on the front end while the overages and changes wind up costing more than the original $150MM number?

Good question, but even if just the bus section(s) are being built at $25 million, the rest should be considerably less expensive than $150 million. The last plan they showed excluded all the retail buildings and JTA offices, and cut out a full block of space.

[simms3]

^^^SF's new bus terminal is costing well over $4Bn.  LoL  Denver's whole Union Station redevelopment for multi-modal build and more cost ~$500M.  If I were a citizen of Jax, I don't think I would have a problem with $150M for a complete multi-modal transit terminal complete with a reno for Prime Osborn, configuration of tracks for Amtrak, LRT, and/or commuter.  But JTA never seemed to know how to properly design this thing, so it was looking like $150M down the drain, even if that was a low cost for such a potentially impactful project.

[fieldafm]

a complete multi-modal transit terminal complete with a reno for Prime Osborn, configuration of tracks for Amtrak, LRT, and/or commuter

Unfortunately, $150mm wouldn't have given those options. It would have resulted in essentially a sprawling headquarters for a few bus lines and some new buildings for JTA's offices (about 1/2 mile away from their previous offices).

$150M down the drain, even if that was a low cost for such a potentially impactful project

The Skyway cost about $186mm all in. What did downtown benefit from that cost?   The $150mm project as proposed (see above) would have been just as big of a boondoggle as the Skyway was. $150mm isn't chump change just to waste.

[thelakelander]

Here's the old plan:

[thelakelander]

This is the last plan I've seen. Basically building a Greyhound terminal and platforms for local buses and BRT around the existing skyway station.



The rail terminal, office building, parking garage, etc. would be later incremental additions. Add those things in and the price could balloon but it should still be significantly cheaper and take up less space than that early 2000s monstrosity.

[Tacachale]

^Yeah, that's my impressing. It seems like you'd save a ton of cost just by eliminating the offices, the retail spaces, and that northernmost block (and also reduce the sprawling footprint).

[fsujax]

That $25 million I am pretty sure does not cover any of the cost for track, platform or signal improvements for commuter trains or Amtrak.

[brainstormer]

We can be thankful the Greyhound station didn't end up getting built 4 blocks away!