Why Jacksonville Should Immediately Invest In Rail

[Metro Jacksonville]

Why Jacksonville Should Immediately Invest In Rail



Here are 11 reasons why passenger rail should become a critical element of Jacksonville's immediate future.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-feb-why-jacksonville-should-immediately-invest-in-rail

[CS Foltz]

Big Guy..............your preaching to the choir! WE allready know this.........the problem is convincing the powers that currently run things. JTA has no concept, idea or inkling about "Rail".....their responce is either more bus's or concrete or both! We know that is not the total answer to much of anything but that's JTA's mantra!

[thelakelander]

The "powers that be" follow the site as well.  So we have to drill these points home from time to time. 

[fsujax]

I wonder if any "powers that be" on the City Council are reading the site? besides Glorious.

[mtraininjax]

CSX is investing 40+ million in the port rail system. Be happy with that. Real jobs and real commerce will be a result.

[L.P. Hovercraft]

I'm not sure how effective grassroots petitions are in the long run, but has anyone in the recent past presented the mayor, city council and JTA with a petition signed by Jacksonville citizens that demands an investment in rail in our city?  If not, may be worth a shot.  Set up a booth at the Riverside Arts Market when it starts up again in the spring--that would probably get a few hundred signatures right there.

[thelakelander]

Real jobs and real commerce.  I like the sound of that.  Why not have more of it by piggybacking CSX's investment.  That $40 million bypass will free up some existing track capacity throughout the Northside.  Simply adding the city-owned S-Line to this mix would not only benefit the port, but also create a decent urban rail starter line that could have the power to immediate stimulate economic development in the urban core.  I call this killing two birds with one stone.

[JeffreyS]

CSX is investing 40+ million in the port rail system. Be happy with that. Real jobs and real commerce will be a result.

 
Is your point that somehow transit rail will mess up CSX? Or maybe Jacksonville has one good thing going on so the job is done?

We have one residential tower downtown be happy with that.
The Jags won a game be happy with that.
We have on well kept house on the block be happy with that.
Obviously one could go on and on with a list like this but my favorite would be.

There is another city out there who will settle for the minimum it already has be happy with that.
Let's try to do better in Jax.

Streetcar now.

[tcu70]

Glad to see you're looking at the Norfolk light rail.  Perhaps you've seen the articles about our cost overruns and recent management change.  This can happen with any large project not just light rail.  In any event, I'm looking forward to riding the Tide as I live near Norfolk.  I have memories of my Jax-born parents talking about taking the streetcar downtown from 3rd and Main back in the "olden days".  I applaud your ideas for  Jacksonville.

[Shwaz]

Does Jacksonville have any funds to invest?

[thelakelander]

Yes, if we can scrape together $60 million for a highway overpass or +$20 million for riverwalk and Metropolitan Park improvements, we have funds to invest.  We just need to change our spending priorities.

[thelakelander]

Glad to see you're looking at the Norfolk light rail.  Perhaps you've seen the articles about our cost overruns and recent management change.  This can happen with any large project not just light rail.  In any event, I'm looking forward to riding the Tide as I live near Norfolk.  I have memories of my Jax-born parents talking about taking the streetcar downtown from 3rd and Main back in the "olden days".  I applaud your ideas for  Jacksonville.

Yes, we're checking you out.  Hopefully, we can stick to the basics and avoid the bells and whistles added to the project, that has resulted in the cost overruns its experiencing.

[Shwaz]

Yes, if we can scrape together $60 million for a highway overpass or +$20 million for riverwalk and Metropolitan Park improvements, we have funds to invest.  We just need to change our spending priorities.

According to the math in the article this $80 million would pay for 4 miles of rail transit. Does Jacksonville have enough for a full scale plan?

[thelakelander]

Little Rock's River Rail Streetcar

If you went no frills (basic rail project only, no associated streetscape or over-the-top equipment, station designs, landscaping, etc.), you can easily do a streetcar system for under $10 million a mile.  For example, Little Rock's streetcar system cost them around $8.3 million/mile. So $80 million could buy you something real nice.

[thelakelander]

Btw, just to give you an idea of size, four miles of track would be enough to run a line from Riverside through Downtown and up into Springfield.