Downtown BRT: 10 Questions for JTA

[Metro Jacksonville]

Downtown BRT: 10 Questions for JTA



Today, JTA will be hosting their second round of public dog and pony shows for the Downtown busway project. There will be two sessions held at the Main Library for the convenience of those who don't have day jobs. The first will be from 11am - 1pm and the second from 4pm - 6pm.For those who will be able to witness what can potentially stunt downtown's grass roots revitalization efforts, here are ten questions Metro Jacksonville believes JTA officials need to answer.

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[chicken little]

with the coming oil bust coming, see Peak Oil or Hubberts Peak see http://www.crudeawakening.org/, these buses will be obsolete and/or too costly to run, so this plan is just pie in the sky anyway.

[Ocklawaha]

Question 11? While the ridership demand is there, is JTA currently responding to that demand? How often dows each bus run (headways)? If the headways are still set at 1 hour or 45 minute cycles, then building a "transit system" for hourly service is insane. It won´t matter that dozens of route converge on downtown to use the BRT lanes if once beyond the core system, service falls off into a void.

By moving the diesel busses out of downtown, replacing them with enviormentally friendly electric, trolley or Hydrogen coaches in downtown shuttles. Add the connectivity of an enhanced Skyway with end point transfer stations, commuter rail and a "green" Heritage Trolley or LRT system across downtown. This would allow closer headways on the balance of the system, using the now displaced diesel fleet out in the suburbs where they belong.

Why provide the supply, when the "bus" (note I didn´t say Transit) demand is just NOT there! JTA, "Pull you head out!"

Ocklawaha >:(

[tony]

The Burrito Gallery has received no notice of public meetings or plans. Please feel free to pass that on at the meeting.  I wish I could keep up with everything and every meeting and appreciate you guys making info available.

[zoo]

What about the "BUS STIGMA" that no one seems to want to mention? How about an informal poll somewhere?

Would you ride a bus?

Would you ride an expanded trolley or water taxi system, or a new commuter rail system?

I'd love to know how the JTA planners that put this BRT thing together get to work in Riverside. I'd bet a lottery jackpot they all take their car and wouldn't set foot on a city bus!!!

Someone get a polling place on this stat!

[Big Surprise]

IF it weren't for the federal money each year we wouldn't have such a wasteful system.  Someone would
have made it effecient and some business owners would have demanded service.  Take the federal money (state passthru) and city money out of the budget; what would the riders be able to pay for?

I bet there would be enough money for the handi-vans and a limo for each of all the others who ride the bus.  The rest of the money could be spent on visitors services, hop a trolley (like SF), clean visible restrooms, kiosks, parking guides with free parking passes, cheaker rents downtown so little guys
could start there, more cross river boat traffic, etc, etc.

[zoo]

To whom is JTA accountable? Do they get federal money? Do they get state money (FDOT)? Do they get city money? So they get private money? Even if they don't get city money, wouldn't they have some accountability to the city (council vote, or something?)

If not, I'd like to know how I get a hold of a bunch of money, to spend how I see fit, regardless of how it might be better spent, with no accountability to anyone. Then I'd also like a mouthpiece like Mike Miller to hop around questions as if walking on hot coals, and give no answer to why I'm spending the money the way I am. Sounds pretty good to me...