Public Hearing on Jacksonville Transportation Center

[Charles Hunter]

From the public hearing notice in the newspaper

You are invited to a subsequent hearing to discuss proposed transportation improvements for a future Jacksonville
Transportation Center (JTC). The hearing will be held Thursday, January 10, 2008, at the Florida Department of
Transportation's Jacksonville Urban Office, Training Facility, 2198 Edison Street, Jacksonville, FL 32204.
Doors will open at 4:30 p.m., to allow you time to review and discuss the exhibits and have your questions answered by
one of our staff. The formal portion of the public hearing will begin at 6:30 p.m., with an audio/visual presentation
followed by an opportunity for public comment.

The purpose of the JTC is to provide one central location for the different forms of transportation in the area. JTA Bus,
JTA Skyway, Greyhound and Amtrak will be located at the Center. This will give passengers a way to safely and easily
move between each terminal. Also proposed for the Center is an office complex for transportation agencies, a parking
facility, retail space and a regional transportation management center. The purpose of this hearing is to discuss the
Department's recommendations for the Center and to receive your input. Additional Right of Way will be required for
the proposed improvements, so the Relocation Assistant Program will be part of the hearing.

As of December 20, 2007, project information will be available for inspection and review during normal business hours
at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Urban Office, 2198 Edison Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204,
and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, 100 North Myrtle Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204. It is the policy of
the FDOT to prohibit materials and/or exhibits in our public workshops, meetings or hearings that are not the property
of the Department. Therefore, no outside party will be allowed to display or hand out materials in any of these events.
This hearing is being conducted to inform the public of the project and afford the public the opportunity to express views
concerning the location, conceptual design and social, economic and environmental effects of the proposed
improvements. Those who wish to submit written statements may do so at the hearing or mail them to the address
below no later than January 21, 2008. All comments received by this date will become part of the official record.

The project has been evaluated in accordance with Federal Executive Orders 11990 “Protection of Wetlands” and
11988 “Floodplain Management” and this involvement will be discussed at the hearing. This hearing will be held in
compliance with Chapter 339, F.S., Chapter 120, F.S., 23 CFR 771 and 23 USC 128. Public participation is solicited
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability or family status. Persons who require special
accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act or persons who require translation services (free of charge)
should contact Craig Teal at the number below at least seven (7) days before the hearing. Your attendance at this
hearing is encouraged and any comments made are appreciated. If you have any questions or comments please contact:
Mr. Craig Teal, P.E., Project Manager
Florida Department of Transportation
1109 S. Marion Avenue, MS 2002
Lake City, Florida 32025-5874

1-800-749-2967
(386) 961-7703
Fax: (386) 961-7508
Email: craig.teal@dot.state.fl.us

I'm trying to put this in the calendar ...
Sorry for the duplicate thread ... see Ocklawaha's thread to comment:
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,1352.0.html

[gatorback]

Thanks for posting this make sure you take your taser Ocklawaha

[thelakelander]

So who's proposing this transportation center? FDOT or JTA?

Crenshaw secures $9.5 million for local transportation

As for funding for JTA’s projects, $980,000 is slated for the construction of a new roadway bridge on Heckscher Drive, which Crenshaw said provides significant access to major port facilities, industrial development and is used as a hurricane evacuation route.

Of that, $490,000 will go towards purchases of buses and bus shelters used at stops with large numbers of elderly riders. Another $490,000 is slated for bus, Skyway and pedestrian services at the Florida Department of Transportation’s proposed Jacksonville Transportation Center planned near the Prime Osborn Center.

full article: http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=49129

[tufsu1]

the study has been funded and managed by FDOT....just like the intermodal studies in Tampa Bay, Miami, and Orlando

[thelakelander]

Thanks.  So what did the study in Tampa suggest?  Will their center be located downtown?

[Ocklawaha]

Lake, don't know how this will reproduce but this might be a sample of what to expect. Note that Hart, Tampa etc.. are pushing TECO RAIL and regional Rail, and DOT IS playing ball so far.



Ocklawaha

[tufsu1]

the Tampa Bay study recommended 2 intermodal centers...one on the old jail site at the north end of downtown Tampa....and the other on the old racetrack site in what is known as the Gateway area of Pinellas County....just across the I-275 bridge between St. Pete and Clearwater.

Having worked on the study, the Tampa location is very urban oriented with multiple levels on a compact site....the Pinellas location; however, is more of a large suburban park & ride configuration.

Also important to note is that both sites will be built in phases, just like the JTC

[thelakelander]

FYI...this meeting is taking place right now. 

I'm heading out to check it out.

[thelakelander]

There was nothing new tonight that hadn't already been shown for the transporation center.  However, I did notice that this project's site plan shows the last remaining historic building near I-95 (on Adams) being demolished for surface parking.

[Charles Hunter]

Are you sure about that?  In the slide show they talk about a historic building on Adams that will be made a part of the Greyhound complex - as a driver dormitory.  I forget the name of the building, but it is right next to the I-95 ramps.

Ock said some good stuff during the public comment period.

[thelakelander]

I had a SAMBA meeting at 6pm so I couldn't attend the entire presentation, but the handout given has a site plan that shows the historic part of the McDaniel Building as six parking stalls on the corner of Adams and Johnson Street.  It appears that the plan is to save the new addition that was built about three years ago.

Update: My mistake.  Looking at the plan again, I confused the Stuart/Adams Street intersection (the corner the building sits on) with the Adams/Johnson intersection.  So plans do show that the historic building will be saved, but Stuart Street will be closed and converted into a bus parking lot surrounding the building.  Its not ideal, but it is a step up from the normal pattern of leveling everything in sight and building new.

As for the entire design of the complex, for a transportation center its to spreadout.  To transfer from Amtrak/commuter rail:

skyway = 3 block walk
JTA bus terminal = 3 to 4 block walk
Greyhound = 5 block walk

Ock may have mentioned this, but the center would be more efficient and usable if all modes could be shifted south of Bay Street.  However, to do that the convention center would have to be relocated to the existing county courthouse site. 

By the way, any idea on what the city plans to do with their three blocks of land on the east side of Johnson Street?  A land swap between JTA/FDOT and the city is another way to create a more compact center if everyone is adamant on leaving the convention center where it currently is.