JTA To Move Forward with Philips Highway BRT Plan

[Metro Jacksonville]

JTA To Move Forward with Philips Highway BRT Plan



Despite popular support for commuter rail linking Jacksonville with St. Augustine, JTA plans to move forward with bringing BRT to the corridor instead.  Is this a mistake in the making that will hurt Jacksonville's chances of implementing a viable commuter rail corridor?  Does JTA or Jacksonville even care?

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-aug-jta-to-move-forward-with-philips-highway-brt-plan

[Bostech]

Lame.

[dlupercio]

How embarrassing...

[Abhishek]

Assuming that this project goes forward in spite of plans for commuter rail along the same corridor.

What happens when someone gets dropped off at JTB/Phillips Hwy BRT station and they work at the Town Center Mall? How do they get to work? Is there is a JTA bus/shuttle route that synchronizes with the arrival of the BRT bus?

Page 4 of the report loosely touches this topic whereas it should be of prime concern. No one will use BRT if they don't have an equally safe and reliable commute to within walkable distance from their destination.

[rjp2008]

Stop complaining here and start complaining to the people who can make decisions on this. I too have no idea why they're not jumping on rail if the line is already there.

[urbanlibertarian]

Since commuter rail in this corridor will depend on the cooperation of FEC RR or Amtrak (or both), neither of which is certain, proceeding with BRT is probably prudent.  However, BRT stops should be designed where possible to be adaptable to future use with commuter rail.

[rjp2008]

What does the Florida Times Union have to say about this? Can someone sponsor a poll of Jacksonville so people can bring them some hard numbers?

[Doctor_K]

Since commuter rail in this corridor will depend on the cooperation of FEC RR or Amtrak (or both), neither of which is certain, proceeding with BRT is probably prudent.  However, BRT stops should be designed where possible to be adaptable to future use with commuter rail.

Fair point, I s'pose.

Based on the graphics, it looks as if that's been thought of (or at least and more likely, it's a happy coincidence), as there are proposed stops at Emerson, University, JTB, and Baymeadows.  It would be prudent to tie in local shuttle services to those mixed transit stops. 

However, hoping that the transit stops for the "BRT" are designed and built to potentially tie in to anything rail-related is pie-in-the-sky dreaming; this *is* JTA we're talking about, after all.

[thelakelander]

From what I understand, this BRT line will be similar to the one in KC.  It runs in the street with regular traffic but has shelters with real time information. If our plan is similar, why we can't run a service now without going through all the federal hoopla?  The street is already there and we have the buses.  Other than University/Bowden, traffic flows pretty good so signal priority and dedicated lanes could be phased in if the need arises (it won't with commuter rail in place). That basically leaves you with a need for bus shelters at each stop and more frequent headways.  In the grand scheme of things a system modification (this is done frequently) would seem like the most logical place to start.  That would increase Jax's chances of landing federal help for commuter rail along this corridor and give us reliable bus service along Philips as well.

[kells904]

EXACTLY, rjp2008!!!!!

[rjp2008]

What are the current term limits of the JTA leadership? They get four year appointments with a possible extension right? So basically a lot hinges on the new mayor appointing rail friendly people.

[tufsu1]

Since commuter rail in this corridor will depend on the cooperation of FEC RR or Amtrak (or both), neither of which is certain, proceeding with BRT is probably prudent.  However, BRT stops should be designed where possible to be adaptable to future use with commuter rail.

the concern here is that this may set commuter rail along this corridor back by a decade or more...especially if Federal funds are desired...FTA likely won't want to spend money for both BRT and commuter rail serving the same corridor.

[thelakelander]

Since commuter rail in this corridor will depend on the cooperation of FEC RR or Amtrak (or both), neither of which is certain, proceeding with BRT is probably prudent.  However, BRT stops should be designed where possible to be adaptable to future use with commuter rail.

It's not as logical if you want the feds to finance two competing lines along the same corridor. There is not a lot of federal money and the competition for it is pretty high.  Thus if you get federal money for BRT on Philips you most likely will not get it for parallel commuter rail any time soon.  Maybe it's just me but would make better sense to shoot for BRT funding to a destination where rail does not exist, like Regency, Southside Blvd or to the Beaches.  At the same time you could push for commuter rail along Philips. Such a method would possibly provide us better transit service to multiple areas of town, sooner rather than later.

[Ocklawaha]

It's all about free money and a bunch of ignorant lemmings charging off another cliff. People wonder why Florida seems to hate Jacksonville? Because our so-called "authorities," are repeatedly about as sharp as a bag of marbles. These are obviously the guys that sit on the TV and watch the sofa in their spare time.

REALLY want to know how I feel? 30 years of battling this stupidity? I'm sorry, but it is rated such that MJ would be taken off the air!  $^@$%!@%^#$&$%*#^@$!@^&#*$^#!

OCKLAWAHA
Time for a DOUBLE!

[Abhishek]

Since commuter rail in this corridor will depend on the cooperation of FEC RR or Amtrak (or both), neither of which is certain, proceeding with BRT is probably prudent.  However, BRT stops should be designed where possible to be adaptable to future use with commuter rail.

the concern here is that this may set commuter rail along this corridor back by a decade or more...especially if Federal funds are desired...FTA likely won't want to spend money for both BRT and commuter rail serving the same corridor.

If a BRT route is congruent to a proposed Commuter Rail route (along Phillips Highway), it will make no sense to adapt them to each other. I can see credit in a BRT (or street car) system running from a commuter rail station eastward along University Blvd, JT Butler Blvd and Baymeadows etc.
I agree with tufsu1 that the BRT project may divert funding from Commuter Rail. Is there still time to put a stop to BRT?