Jacksonville Should Love A Streetcar: Ten Reasons

[hightowerlover]

they are just so much cuter than a nasty old bus

[JeffreyS]

I don't think today would be a great day to take our transit officials this info. I mean with our high powered delegation all attending the Federal 8 billion dollar transit workshop in Houston.

[civil42806]

Zoo, I wonder what peoples reactions would be to Jacksonville spending $50 million to build a streetcar line in the urban core?

Deconsolidation?

[thelakelander]

How about the public's reaction to spending $100 million to spruce up Kids kampus/Metropolitan Park?  After all, that's just what the Mayor stated in his press conference last week.  Which one do you really think would benefit the community more?

[Bewler]

11) You can ride drunk and worry free in a Streetcar


Say good-bye to those pesky DUI charges and countless speeding tickets. Actually that could be one reason the idea hasn't been fully embraced. Where would the JSO get its funding without traffic citations and whatnot?

[zoo]

Its all about marketing and selling a vision.

Problem with this is, everyone, including pols, thinks they know how to market, just like everyone, including pols, thinks they know how to plan.

How about the public's reaction to spending $100 million to spruce up Kids kampus/Metropolitan Park?  After all, that's just what the Mayor stated in his press conference last week.  Which one do you really think would benefit the community more?

I can see it now. COJ tackles Kids Kampus/Metropolitan Park like it did the Main Street Pocket Park, and the downtown ends up with another, larger (better - it's riverfront, after all) spot for its social service beneficiaries to spend their time.

I'll take $50M on connective, economic-development-generating, streetcar any day!

[fsujax]

Zoo, I couldnt agree more. It needs to be sold as is Downtown is for everyone! and the streetcar is only part of the master plan!

[ralpho37]

Interestingly enough, today I just read an article in Model Railroader Magazine about Savannah's new (started in 2008) River St. Streetcar system.  It runs for 1 mile down the middle of historic River St. on an abandoned Norfolk Southern freight line.  Since it runs by all of the historic shops and restaurants of this historic district, it attracts a good deal of ridership.  Here's an informative link... http://www.railwaypreservation.com/vintagetrolley/savannah.htm

Anyways, in all seriousness, how difficult would it be for us to present an idea like this to the city?  Is this something that MetroJax could get moving?

[coredumped]

Do any of our experts on the forums have a map of best possible street car lines?

[urbanlibertarian]

What would really help it fly would be a 50/50 partnership with a private company or group.

[tufsu1]

Do any of our experts on the forums have a map of best possible street car lines?

JTA has already done a study that includes downtown, Riverside, Springfield, and San Marco....check it out on their website

[samiam]

How about Jacksonville powering a new trolley system with the battery's from its new lithium ion battery factory and time it where both come on line at the same time. J-ville could be there first customer to show there support.

[thelakelander]

Anyways, in all seriousness, how difficult would it be for us to present an idea like this to the city?  Is this something that MetroJax could get moving?

Its been easy to present the ideas.  The problem has been in getting JTA to publicly back an effort to gain council support to allow the BJP rapid transit money to go towards construction as opposed to ROW only.  Right now, it appears that JTA's top priorities are BRT and bus shelters.

[thelakelander]

Do any of our experts on the forums have a map of best possible street car lines?

Here's JTA's plan:



The first phase would run from Five Points to the Hyatt downtown.  While there are several kinks that still need to be worked out with the suggested route, its a start.

Here is a link to the Metro Jacksonville article and comments that suggest ways that we can improve on JTA's preliminary plan:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-jan-streetcars-coming-to-downtown-jacksonville

[ProjectMaximus]

Just going back to a question (off topic, sorry) I asked awhile ago that I don't think was ever really answered.

This article defines choice riders as "people who own a car but choose to use transit instead." Is there a distinction for people who have the means but choose NOT to own a car and use transit instead?