St. Augustine Backs Rail Project. Will Jacksonville?

[nicktooch]

wrote to my district's council member AND clay yarborough bc his dad was (might still be) a guidance counselor at Landmark Middle, where i attended.  very influential voice in my formative yrs in jax following my relocation from Philly.  have heard Clay speak at my sister's 8th gr grad at Landmark.  great guy

[Ocklawaha]

personally, I would like to see us invest more in rail, at the local, regional, and national levels...but I bet I can find plenty of Floridians who would rather we spend money widening I-95, I-4, I-75, etc.

You'd like to see more investment in rail? So would I my friend. When you ask those Floridians that want to spend their money on those "Freeways", we should ask them how much money we made off of them last year? 

OCKLAWAHA

Be careful, or we might only have toll roads to drive on if we want roads to pay for themselves

Well Faye, it certainly would change the dynamic's of our national transportation priorities. BTW, most "autopistas" in Colombia (Freeways) are toll roads. They certainly are equal to ours and maintained much better, but it's a pay as you go plan. TOLL ROADS - ARE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD?

OCKLAWAHA

[Lunican]

Support increases for Jacksonville to Miami train route

Efforts to create passenger rail service between Jacksonville and Miami on the Florida East Coast Rail Line continue to pick up steam. But it’s not clear if anyone will pay to make it happen.

In the last month, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and St. Augustine have come out in support of the idea. The First Coast Transportation Planning Organization did so last year, as have about 60 government entities, chambers of commerce and transportation organizations on the east coast of Florida as far south as Fort Lauderdale.

Each resolution of support was sent to the Florida Department of Transportation.

“For a while I think all the mail I got was these resolutions,” said state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos.  “It definitely shows we have a lot of support for getting this done.”

Full Article:
http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-07-09/story/support_increases_for_jacksonville_to_miami_train_route

[heights unknown]

Just heard this morning that high speed rail was approved from Orlando to Tampa.  I guess our leg to Miami and/or Orlando will never get approved, or when it is approved most of us will be burning in hell or basking in the comfort of Heaven.

Heights Unknown

[heights unknown]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_High_Speed_Rail

Click on the above link and check out the fact that North Florida (including Jacksonville) has been left out of the high speed rail loop; however if you read various internet articles, including wikepedia, the first phase is Orlando-Tampa, then Orlando-Miami, and maybe (this is the word they used) another phase including Jacksonville to Orlando and then Tallahassee to Jacksonville.

Heights Unknown

[tufsu1]

Orlando to Tampa has been the first leg for a decade...and then Orlando to Miami follows....it doesn't mean Jax. gets left out...it just means that the 3 largest metro areas in the state will be served first!

[thelakelander]

Its good to see that the state has decided to ask for federal stimulus dollars to return passenger rail back to the FEC.  Hopefully, the request will be granted.

“For a while I think all the mail I got was these resolutions,” said state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos.  “It definitely shows we have a lot of support for getting this done.”

Kopelousos said the state is asking for federal stimulus money that would allow it to make rail improvements to the FEC tracks, a condition set forth by the company before it allows trains on them.

[Ocklawaha]

Better get that station open downtown... like NOW!  Making the deadline is great news, now if they'll just approve it at the Federal Level we can start waiting for the train... and the JOBS that will come to Jacksonville's station. The better the facility and the more room Amtrak has to work these trains and the new ones they plan for Florida the more jobs and economic impact Jacksonville will feel.

The hopeful news is that there has NEVER in history been a request for new train service with as many sponsors and volunteers as this. Truly a historic movement in transportation circles.

CONGRATULATIONS TO AMTRAK/FEC CORRIDOR PROJECT SUPPORTERS!

APPLICATION SUBMITTED FOR FEDERAL FUNDING!
pl
On Friday, August 6, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) submitted the Federal funding application for the Amtrak/FEC Corridor project to the Federal Railroad Administration.  The project is now in the running for a requested $250 Million to complete the project in three years.  Grant awards are expected to be announced in late September 2010.

The State of Florida submitted the Amtrak/FEC Corridor Project application as well as an application for $1.1 Billion in additional funding for high speed rail express service in the Tampa-Orlando corridor.  A press release from Governor Crist is included with this update.  The press release and both project applications are also available on the FDOT website at the following address:  http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/policy/hsipr/

FDOT, along with the regional planning councils, local governments, MPOs, and others contributed a tremendous effort to enable the application to be submitted by Friday’s deadline.  The project is broadly supported along the corridor.  More than 160 letters and resolutions from local governments, agencies, and organizations are included in the application package, along with letters of support from the Governor, congressional and legislative leaders.

There will be much work to do as the project moves forward, but submittal of the application on Friday is a key step towards making this project a reality.

OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

I have everything crossed Ock! One can only hope!