Private-sector money behind a $103 million light-rail transit loop on Detroit's Woodward Avenue could cut 20 years off the planning process of bringing light rail to America's Motor City.  Is anyone in the Mayor's Office and JTA paying attention?

Early BRT meetings led you to believe that commuter rail could not be set up to serve urban core neighborhoods due to station spacing constraints.  Orlando's proposed commuter rail system shows that this theory couldn't be further from the truth.

Last Thursday, JTA's commuter rail citizens advisory panel held its first meeting.  While nothing shocking was highlighted that hasn't been already covered on Metro Jacksonville, consultants did discuss several considerations that will have an impact on Jacksonville's ability to win federal funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

Many believe that commuter rail stations must be spaced, on average, at least 5 miles apart.  However, the most efficient systems space their stations according to the needs of each corridor.  Not all commuter rail lines operate under these parameters.

In 1994, Syracuse, NY became the smallest city in the United States to have regional rail service.  After 13 years of rocky service, the plug was pulled on "On-Track" this past Summer.  Metro Jacksonville examines why rail went wrong and what does it mean for Jacksonville.

For too long the question has been "How do we want our transit network to work best?  The question should be: How do we want our city and neighborhoods to work best.

Here are ten reasons why you should have serious concerns about JTA's proposed Bus Rapid Transit system.

The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan area of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and the Mid Region Council of Governments (MRCOG), a regional government planning association.

"Austin's MetroRail is one of the most financially efficient systems in the country because it's already paid and it runs on existing track.  Other cities that build from scratch pay much more, which is generally done with bonds or taxes." - Misty Whited, Capital Metro spokesman.  This is a plan Jacksonville should seriously consider locally as an alternative to the current BRT proposal.

With a total construction cost of $41 million, Nashville's 32 mile Music City Star is the most cost effective commuter rail start-up in the nation.