Mass Transit in Orlando

[UrbanNTittlemynt]

The City needs to get some presence for Downtown Orlando at OIA. We have millions of visitors through that facility every year. Images of Downtown, stories and quotes from interesting Orlando people(past, present, and future) throughout the baggage claim areas, on the escalators, displays in the tram lobbies, and maybe even a store would start to provide some information on the authentic City experience that Orlando offers. Let's show a little pride in our City. The theme parks certainly already have there presence.

i couldn't agree MORE!  This is such a simple objective, yet obviously completely overlooked.  I HATE how whenever I tell people where I live, the automatic response is "oh, Disney..."  NO!  not Disney.  I don't live in Disney, nor do I spend my weekends there!  sorry, just venting....

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[demon]

Possible unhealthy levels of smog this weekend mean sensitive people should take care, EPA says

By Kevin Spear | Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted May 14, 2005

Older folks, young children and people who suffer from asthma and other breathing ailments might not want to spend a lot of time outdoors this weekend.

The rise in ozone smog hit unhealthy levels in Central Florida for the first time in three years Tuesday, and officials fear that could happen again today and Sunday.

Even very low levels of ozone can worsen asthma, increase vulnerability to pneumonia and bronchitis, and reduce lung capacity, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warns.

And it's not just the sick who need to be careful. Even for healthy people, exercising outside isn't a good idea when ozone levels rise.

Still, Friday, some avid joggers weren't too concerned.

"I think about it but don't really worry about it from day to day," said electrical engineer R.J. Sheldon, 31, of Orlando while taking an hourlong jog Friday evening around downtown's Lake Eola. "Running in the YMCA is so boring."

Weather on Sunday in particular is expected to be a near-repeat of Tuesday: light or no breeze, sunny and favorable for the formation of excess ozone.

Excessive-ozone smog can occur any time of the year but generally shows up when Orlando air is "still and trapped," said Merle Kruger, a senior engineer for the Orange County Environmental Protection Division.

A corrosive and unstable form of oxygen, ozone occurs naturally high in Earth's atmosphere, where it blocks dangerous solar radiation. At ground level, though, ozone accumulates from complex chemical reactions between sunlight and air pollution from autos and industrial smokestacks.

Cities such as Los Angeles and Washington choke on high levels of ozone far more often than most Florida communities do. Houston issues ozone warnings with electronic signs along highways.

Blessed by weather and location, Florida escapes the worst of ozone trouble.

"We pretty much stick out in the ocean, so we don't have a lot of emission sources next to us," said Tom Rogers, meteorologist at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection air-quality section in Tallahassee.

Frequent breezes also sweep away ozone accumulation.

Springtime is more prone to ozone smog, when it does occur, because days are sunny and winds can vanish.

That's what happened Tuesday, when Orlando recorded a dead calm at about noon and into the early afternoon. Also that day, monitoring stations in Tampa and Polk County recorded unhealthy ozone levels.

Predicting whether ozone in the Orlando area exceeds safe levels today and Sunday is tricky. Winds will be light, but there won't be as many cars on roads, pumping exhaust into the sky.

According to state data, "good" air quality occurs more than 95 percent of the year.

Florida's ozone forecast for the weekend is for "moderate" air quality, meaning that "unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor recreation."

Kevin Spear can be reached at 407-420-5062 or [email protected].

[Chief Eola]

Possible unhealthy levels of smog this weekend mean sensitive people should take care, EPA says

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It's time for a real mass transit plan IMO. This has got to stop.

[GRS328]

^^Article in the Sentinel today notes Dyer created the position of director of transportation (among others), and filled it with Roger Neiswender, a former Orange County administrator. Quite interesting. One would hope this will enhance efforts of creating some form (any form!) of rail system in Orlando.

more from the article...

[firemick]

I heard a preliminary rumor that Disney is planning a huge monorail expansion that would take the TTC to Epcot line and go to MGM and than onto Animal Kingdom and than back to the TTC *(ticket and transportation center at MK) The correlation of this and regular urban mass transit is that Disney is starting to feel the economics of high fuel costs on the Bus services they provide. Also thay have finally realized that if you build it, people will use it to get around from park to park and resort to resort and spend moollah. So if thier is a plus to the high costs of fuel it will manifest itself into more increased importance of mass transit. This is a very reliable rumor.

[Dcfilmknight]

I heard a preliminary rumor that Disney is planning a huge monorail expansion that would take the TTC to Epcot line and go to MGM and than onto Animal Kingdom and than back to the TTC *(ticket and transportation center at MK) The correlation of this and regular urban mass transit is that Disney is starting to feel the economics of high fuel costs on the Bus services they provide. Also thay have finally realized that if you build it, people will use it to get around from park to park and resort to resort and spend moollah. So if thier is a plus to the high costs of fuel it will manifest itself into more increased importance of mass transit. This is a very reliable rumor. 

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Disney is also planning to charge guests to use this system if and when it is built. They did a huge guest survey last year and an overwhelming amount of guests said that they would be willing to pay to ride the monorails if the system was extended to the other parks and downtown disney.

[firemick]

^ Oh yeah, i forgot that it was going to be linked to Downtown disney as well. Thanks for reminding me.

[Jaybee]

See this website for latest news and events on Central Florida rail projects:

http://www.cfrail.com/fdot/index/cfrail.home

Of note, upcoming meetings in early June include four separate "Alternatives Workshops" for the commuter rail Environmental Assessment. One workshop is scheduled for each County impacted by Central Florida Commuter rail; Orange County Workshop is June 9th at Boone High School Cafeteria. The fun begins at 6:00 PM.

[Dale]

Any news on the LYMMO estension to Baldwin Park ?

[Jaybee]

Whoa! That'll take awhile. One thing at a time. If all of the local agencies can agree to funding by August, we'll remain on schedule for commuter rail. (i.e. Orange County hopefully won't decide to balk at funding their fair share of the local funds, as everyone else is on-board).

[Dale]

Jaybee -

Thanks for all your info. Keep it coming !

[bic]

Change on the horizon

Orlando, in naming new transportation chief, signals interest in making traffic, connectivity, Lynx top priorities.

Noelle C. Haner

Senior Staff Writer

Roger Neiswender knows firsthand the importance of a good transportation network for a city and its residents.

"When I was a kid, my family was dependent on the bus system in downtown Birmingham, Ala.," says Neiswender. "My father died when I was young, and I helped my mom with her medical transcription business, delivering the records to doctors' offices all over the city. I know what it's like to be on the receiving end of needing to keep the family going."

That's why Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer recently chose Neiswender -- a veteran of Central Florida's transportation industry -- to head up the city's newly created transportation department. "There is no one with more expertise in transit, planning and growth management than Roger," notes Dyer.

The new department consolidates three transportation divisions that previously were divided between Orlando's economic development and public works departments. Now, Orlando's parking, transportation planning and transportation engineering departments are under the umbrella of one Cabinet-level department that's developing a new transportation plan for downtown. This year, the three divisions combined had annual budgets totaling nearly $19.2 million.

Read More

[bic]

Local leaders share their goals for traffic improvements

What transportation projects are at the top of your wish list for Central Florida and why?

Noelle C. Haner

Joanie Schirm, president,

Geotechnical and Environmental Consultants Inc.

"Downtown Orlando transit circulator expansion. By providing transit, whether it be cool new vehicles circulating on an expanded Lymmo system or perhaps fun streetcars, imagine your day as you are able to visit a restaurant and shopping stops along Antique Row beside Lake Ivanhoe, or Thornton Park, or the movie theaters at Premiere Trade Plaza. Your downtown life will be easier, more pedestrian friendly and more productive.

"Dedicated funding to provide commuter rail linked to light rail linked to an expansive regional bus system. Bring it on! All over America, these kind of choices are creating the model cities people want to live in, and our investment needs to be through providing dedicated funding to Lynx.

"Wekiva Parkway. It's a transportation model for the future that will allow for the protection of the environment -- wetlands and wild life corridors -- to take front and center in all important planning matters, while also allowing for an all-important highway to be completed for the region's mobility needs. Kudos to all those who worked so hard to help this become our regional reality."

Read More

[Mike D]

Local leaders share their goals for traffic improvements

What transportation projects are at the top of your wish list for Central Florida and why?

Noelle C. Haner

Joanie Schirm, president,

Geotechnical and Environmental Consultants Inc.

"Downtown Orlando transit circulator expansion. By providing transit, whether it be cool new vehicles circulating on an expanded Lymmo system or perhaps fun streetcars, imagine your day as you are able to visit a restaurant and shopping stops along Antique Row beside Lake Ivanhoe, or Thornton Park, or the movie theaters at Premiere Trade Plaza. Your downtown life will be easier, more pedestrian friendly and more productive.

"Dedicated funding to provide commuter rail linked to light rail linked to an expansive regional bus system. Bring it on! All over America, these kind of choices are creating the model cities people want to live in, and our investment needs to be through providing dedicated funding to Lynx.

"Wekiva Parkway. It's a transportation model for the future that will allow for the protection of the environment -- wetlands and wild life corridors -- to take front and center in all important planning matters, while also allowing for an all-important highway to be completed for the region's mobility needs. Kudos to all those who worked so hard to help this become our regional reality."

Read More

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The downtown streetcar, like what Tampa did, sounds like a great idea. Light rail would be good for the city itself - and of course commuter rail for the metro area will benefit Central Florida as a whole.

[prahaboheme]

I like the proposed Miami streetcar designs. A newer, modern look would serve the likes of Orlando better I feel.

[Aessotariq]

Miami is purchasing a modern streetcar fleet from Skoda, the same company that provided vehicles to Portland, Oregon and Tacoma, Washington. You can see more information on the city circulator .

Also, the city of Fort Lauderdale is almost ready to begin on a streetcar circulator system for its downtown that will eventually connect to the Tri-Rail commuter line and an extensive light-rail project that will eventually cover most of Broward County.

Converting Lymmo would be really cool, especially if it connected to a greater regional commuter rail line. I certainly hope more local leaders (and the public) can realize the benefits of good mass transit for a community's future. Not to mention all the federal and state money they're missing out on that will easily go somewhere else (look at what happened to Tampa).