A Lesson for Jacksonville: Norfolk's Tide Light Rail

[Metro Jacksonville]

A Lesson for Jacksonville: Norfolk's Tide Light Rail



Add Norfolk to the growing list of Jacksonville's peers moving into the 21st century by adding rail transit to their collection of transportation alternatives.  Now under construction, Norfolk's 7.4 mile starter line is scheduled to open in 2010.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/1049

[vicupstate]

Excellent article.  Time to wake up to the future Jacksonville.  Will you be left behind?

[BridgeTroll]

Excellent article.  Time to wake up to the future Jacksonville.  Will you be left behind? 

THAT train has left the station... er... um...

[Doctor_K]

LoL.  Agree. 

Imagine what Philips Highway would look like with TODs and TADs from the Avenues all the way to the Southbank downtown. 

Same goes for the section along the proposed SW rail alignment from Wells Rd/OP Mall all the way up to Union Terminal. 

Man.  Just think.  Think of what we're not getting thanks to a lack of vision and a collective 'pair' from our leadership.

Wow.

[Deuce]

I am so, so disappointed in this city sometimes. If it wasn't for my wonderful girlfriend, my good & stable job, and a crappy housing sitch right now, I would abandon this city in a heartbeat. But as it is, I'm here for life, so I'll continue to bitch on this forum and do what I can to push this city to be what it has the potential to be (and why I moved here in the first place).

[fsujax]

I am disappointed too! Why did I ever leave Atlanta? :-(

[Doctor_K]

'cause in Atlanta it gets hotter in the summer and colder in the winter than it does here.  And because you're practically forced to have a car and be in the elements here, you can enjoy the weather year-round! 

[David]

The study that ranked Jacksonville as the # 6 most depressed city is pretty accurate if you look at the comments on this forum.

I'm pretty much numb to news of other cities doing something we're not at this point though.

I do see progress in this town, it's just not at the explosive speed you see in cities with progressive-minded leadership. Slow and steady, that's the Jacksonville way.

[thelakelander]

Unfortunately for Jax's sake, slow and steady has the ability to make you lose out on time sensitive related opportunities.  In the past few years, this has been the case with the courthouse, the Landing redevelopment, Cameron Kuhn, Super Bowl related economic development, federal mass transit funding and downtown development during a boom period.  I believe market realities will eventually pull in Jacksonville, kicking and screaming.    The question is, how long will it take?

[Deuce]

Kicking and screaming! That's exactly how I want to pull Jax into the 21st century! Agree with Lake that you need to strike when the iron is hot. Me personally, I'm quite happy with my life just frustrated at the lake of vision, etc. that's driving this city.

[Doctor_K]

Excellent article.  Time to wake up to the future Jacksonville.  Will you be left behind? 

THAT train has left the station... er... um...

LoL Bridge.  More like "that bus has left the isolated depot... late... according to a schedule that's published but not readily available to the average rider... for a destination unknown..."

[tufsu1]

and Tampa is next....the Hillsborough County Commission voted unanimously yesterday to put a transit tax on the 2010 ballot.

Of course, they are just making up for lost time....10 years ago the Committee of 99 report said they should do it but the Commission refused to even put it to referendum.

And, the tax increase would still have to pass....which may prove very difficult in a place like Hillsborough County.

[thelakelander]

^Unless things change over the next year in Tampa, I doubt it passes.  Nevertheless, good luck to them.

[JeffreyS]

I love the first goal.

Enhance the continued development and redevelopment of the City of Norfolk.

They get that it. That transit is an investment in the community and not a profit making venture like private business is.