Will the City of Jacksonville Ruin the S-Line Corridor?

[Metro Jacksonville]

Will the City of Jacksonville Ruin the S-Line Corridor?



A few years ago, over a million dollars was wasted by the city on the construction of the S-Line Greenway's first phase. Not properly coordinating with JTA or planning for the future of this rail corridor will result in taxpayers having to fund the demolition and complete rebuilding of this path when the north commuter rail line is implemented.  Today, the Recreation and Community Services Department has plans to extend the greenway to Gateway Town Center.  Will the same financial mistakes be repeated by a cash strapped community or have we learned our lesson?

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-mar-will-the-city-of-jacksonville-ruin-the-s-line-corridor

[Charles Hunter]

Will anyone from MJ be at the meeting tonight to express your views?  It seems obvious to most folks who come here, but, obviously did not to the parks folks a few years ago, and probably still doesn't.

[thelakelander]

We just received this update via email yesterday.  However, we are trying to get at least one to possibly attend today's meeting.

[riverside_mail]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone using the greenway, especially down towards Kings Rd. Any usage figures available for this?

[stjr]

In 2006, Metro Jacksonville pleaded with the City of Jacksonville to properly develop the S-Line Urban Greenway in a manner that would allow the corridor to include mass transit in the future.  In 2007, these request were ignored and the greenway was built in the middle of the 50' corridor, meaning when the north commuter rail line is built, the bike trail will have to be demolished and rebuilt.

Is this another example of a public hearing charade and bureaucratic "we-know-what-we-are doing, no-need-to-listen-to-citizens" steamroller?

MJ makes a rational, common sense, no-additional-costs proposal (plea?) to do the right thing and "THINK AHEAD" and is blown away by a preconceived agenda.  If something this obvious and straightforward can't get accounted for as proposed by better-than-average-informed citizens, how do the other mortals among us stand a chance of being heard?  Needless to say, I see this approach mirroring our "planning" for road building and other public projects.

[thelakelander]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone using the greenway, especially down towards Kings Rd. Any usage figures available for this?

No figures, but from personal observation, it gets very limited use.  However, this should be expected since it doesn't really connect to anything or get you to a decent destination point.  Once the rail line comes back, the path will get decent use because it would connect several urban core neighborhoods with multiple rail stops.  This should enable a decent wall of multimodal friendly infill development to grow up along the S-Line corridor.



The key is to properly construct the path in a manner that won't have taxpayers paying to rip the thing up again in five years or so.  That's were coordination between different agencies is needed.

[CS Foltz]

We wonder why we are $58 Million Dollars in the hole this coming Budget? The current Administration could not plan their way out of a donut hole and as far as looking forward into possibilities or what could be.........a blind person would have more vision......all of them!

[Charles Hunter]

Did anyone attend the meeting?

[thelakelander]

The bike path is currently planned to be constructed in the middle of the S-Line corridor.  In other words, it will get ripped right up when the time comes to install the North Commuter Rail corridor.  BTW, the S-Line portion of the North Commuter Rail line is included in the Mobility Plan's five year priority list.  We should have the article showing the mobility plan's proposed projects and idealogy up sometime next week.

[Doctor_K]

The bike path is currently planned to be constructed in the middle of the S-Line corridor.  In other words, it will get ripped right up when the time comes to install the North Commuter Rail corridor.  BTW, the S-Line portion of the North Commuter Rail line is included in the Mobility Plan's five year priority list.  We should have the article showing the mobility plan's proposed projects and idealogy up sometime next week.

Let me know if you need it proofed.

So basically, commuter rail is definitely coming?  No more wishing, wanting, or waiting?

[thelakelander]

It and a lot of other things will possibly be on their way if the council and the community wants them.  The day is coming soon when people will have to back something instead of wishing, wanting, waiting and complaining.

[CS Foltz]

Community has wanted alot of things lake..............don't see where we have gotten much of anything other than more taxes or fee's! Current administration needs to leave now not later!