Jacksonville Transit

[Fruit Cove]

it would have to be a lot faster and carry more people.

[bobliocatt]

Sounds good, but it would never happen, because its a pretty expensive system to build. The cheapest and best way to expand Jax's mass transit system is to establish a mix of commuter rail, in certain areas (like from OP and the Avenues to downtown) and BRT in other areas (like the Southside & Beaches).

The skyway should be looked at as an inner city system and expanded to Alltel Stadium, Riverside Avenue/Five Points and Atlantic Blvd in San Marco.

[JaxNole]

I like being off-topic and resurrecting old threads.

I am a Stanton graduate. I also attended when it was grades 7th-12th, from 1989 to 1995. I went to a Catholic school for K-2nd, the same elementary school from 3rd-5th (but had to ride the bus to a different school for gifted), and also rode the bus downtown to a 6th grade "center". I did well academically to gain admission to Stanton, partly because I did not want to go to the 7th grade center for my district: Eugene Butler. Had I continued, I would have attended Jeff Davis for 8th and 9th grades and finished at Forrest.

So, to reply to the thread's question: No, I live in Riverside and commute to a site off I-95 and St Augustine Rd.

Edited July 19, 2005 by JaxNole

[Viper]

JaxNole, I was at Stanton for the 91-92 school year.

[merlin]

Had you gone to forrest - I would have been there about the same time, maybe a couple years earlier than you.

[Springfieldian]

I like being off-topic and resurrecting old threads.

--snip--

So, to reply to the thread's question: No, I live in Riverside and commute to a site off I-95 and St Augustine Rd.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder if the FTU has thought of polling those of us who live in or near Downtown and commute to the 'burbs.

[bobliocatt]

JTA plans more choices to stay ahead of growth

JTA looks to be pretty busy. Major alternative transportation networks and developments, planned or under study (excluding BRT) include:

Water Travel

JTA hopes to have preliminary analysis by spring 2006. If the numbers show promise, JTA will start considering land purchase, operation costs, environmental and water traffic concerns and what types of vehicles to use.

Commuter rail

JTA is also studying operating a commuter rail line between Fernandina Beach and St. Augustine. A joint-use agreement with private rail companies in the area (CSX & FEC) must be worked out and private-sector involvement (ex. TODs) is a must.

Transit Oriented Development

Within the next 50 years, JTA hopes to have 17 TODS, at its various transit stations. Two are already in the works, with hopes to break ground by 2007. One is the Kings Avenue Station development and the other is planned at Laura & State Streets.

Jacksonville Transportation Center

This $127 million transportation hub in LaVilla will connect the skyway, possible commuter rail, BRT, JTA city bus, Amtrak and Greyhound systems. The terminal is currently in design stage and JTA hopes to break ground on the center, by mid-2006. The first phase is scheduled to be completed in March 2009 and the final in April 2010.

Funding for these projects will come from a mix of city, state and some federal money, as well as grants, advertising and fare revenue.

[Captain Obvious]

These plans really sound wonderful to me. Lately, I had been losing a lot of faith in JTA. In my opinion, the BRT routes are very poorly conceived, and might very well become the next "skyway" type failure. (And as much as I love the skyway, you have to admit it has been a failure, if only for the simple reason that they didn't build it near where anyone actually lives!!!)

- Water Travel ... I think this would be an amazing service. The problem though? No wake manatee zones EVERYWHERE, which might make it far too slow to be useful as a non-recreational form of transit. Just my prediction.

- Commuter Rail & TOD ... Perfect. Simply perfect. It's exactly what Jacksonville (and St. Augustine) needs. But only 17 in the next 50 years?? That's not a very optimistic projection. I was hoping to personally build about a dozen myself within the next 40 years! But then again, I am a foolish dreamer (foolishly stuck in grad school).

- Transportation Center ... great concept all around. However, it depends on state & federal funding. Mid 2006 might turn to 07, 08, 09 ... and beyond...

Edited August 29, 2005 by Captain Obvious

[jjoshjl]

Skyway - Failure? I think we have yet to see the last of the skyway. Once all of the residental towers start coming on line, I have a feeling this will change...

Waterway - Skeptical at best for the reasons Captian said

Communter Rail - Cool.. lets jsut hope we can get usage out of it...

Hub - Crossingmy fingures we aill see mid 206 ground breaking. I also think this will be a great shot in the arm for Lavilla, however, i doubt we will see anything until after the courthouse issue is atleast solved... maybe 2017?

Cheers

Josh

[jeafl]

A rail line from Amelia to St. Augustine? Why? If a commuter rail does not connect the beaches, downtown, the Southside Blvd. corridor, Baymeadows, Mandarin and Orange Park, what good will it do?

[bobliocatt]

A rail line from Ameila Island to St. Augustine on existing rails would connect Centre Street (Fernandina Beach), the airport/River City Marketplace, Dunn Ave, Jax Zoo, the Northside, Gateway Mall, Edward Water Collage, Durkeeville, the Farmers Market, downtown, San Marco, Emerson, University Blvd, Baymeadows, Mandarin, Avenues Mall, St. Augustine Road, Batram Park, booming Northern St. Johns County and downtown St. Augustine. For a regional rail line, that connects a lot of local destination points and would seem to get decent ridership and seems like a good start. In fact, it would also make it a waste to build half of the proposed BRT system.

Btw, commuter rail could never be built to the beaches, because existing railroad tracks don't go there. Instead JTA should take half its BRT funds and spend on a line stretching from downtown to the beaches.

[Viper]

A rail line from Ameila Island to St. Augustine on existing rails would connect Centre Street (Fernandina Beach), the airport/River City Marketplace, Dunn Ave, Jax Zoo, the Northside, Gateway Mall, Edward Water Collage, Durkeeville, the Farmers Market, downtown, San Marco, Emerson, University Blvd, Baymeadows, Mandarin, Avenues Mall, St. Augustine Road, Batram Park, booming Northern St. Johns County and downtown St. Augustine.  For a regional rail line, that connects a lot of local destination points and would seem to get decent ridership and seems like a good start.  In fact, it would also make it a waste to build half of the proposed BRT system. 

Btw, commuter rail could never be built to the beaches, because existing railroad tracks don't go there.  Instead JTA should take its half its BRT funds and spend on a line stretching from downtown to the beaches.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly how much coercing from us would it take to get you to join JTA?

[RiversideGator]

A rail line from Ameila Island to St. Augustine on existing rails would connect Centre Street (Fernandina Beach), the airport/River City Marketplace, Dunn Ave, Jax Zoo, the Northside, Gateway Mall, Edward Water Collage, Durkeeville, the Farmers Market, downtown, San Marco, Emerson, University Blvd, Baymeadows, Mandarin, Avenues Mall, St. Augustine Road, Batram Park, booming Northern St. Johns County and downtown St. Augustine.

This would be an awesome first line for our rail transit system. Imagine leaving your apartment downtown or in Riverside and taking the train down to St Augustine for lunch. You then see a few sights there and later head up to Fernandina for dinner and drinks. I think this would also boost tourism to these places and you wouldnt have to worry about drunk driving.

[bobliocatt]

Think about it. If built, this line would actually make it possible to live and get around in Jacksonville, without a car.

One could reside in St. Johns County, San Marco, Downtown, Northside, etc. and have a cheap easy way to get to the airport (via direct shuttle buses), hospitals, shopping malls, tourist attractions, etc. without paying $2.70/gallon in gas, to sit in congested roadways.

Potential TODs alone, would also add millions to the local tax base. If anything, lets put BRT on the backburner and get this thing up and running first. Btw, a second line on CSX's tracks from downtown to Orange Park wouldn't hurt either. Blanding isn't going to get any better you know.

[asonj23]

I am VERY VERY pleased to hear of the proposed rail line. I'm a current St. Augustine resident and commute every day to the southside (only a 30 min trip mind you), however, the gas prices are killing me right now. I would be a DEFINITE maiden voyage passenger. The sooner they get this train on the tracks, the better!

[jeafl]

If the route goes from one tourist trap to another, wouldn't it serve mostly tourists?

A rail line from Ameila Island to St. Augustine on existing rails would connect Centre Street (Fernandina Beach), the airport/River City Marketplace, Dunn Ave, Jax Zoo, the Northside, Gateway Mall, Edward Water Collage, Durkeeville, the Farmers Market, downtown, San Marco, Emerson, University Blvd, Baymeadows, Mandarin, Avenues Mall, St. Augustine Road, Batram Park, booming Northern St. Johns County and downtown St. Augustine.  For a regional rail line, that connects a lot of local destination points and would seem to get decent ridership and seems like a good start.  In fact, it would also make it a waste to build half of the proposed BRT system. 

Btw, commuter rail could never be built to the beaches, because existing railroad tracks don't go there.  Instead JTA should take half its BRT funds and spend on a line stretching from downtown to the beaches.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[bobliocatt]

Keep in mind, commuter rail would only serve as an alternative mode of transportation in the Jacksonville area. This doesn't mean it can be viewed as an end-all solution to our traffic problems.

As for your comment, both "tourist traps" actually have people, who live in them and would also sevre as additional entertainment options for Jacksonville residents. In addtion, everything, in between, would serve a large segment of Jacksonville's local population. So, this commuter line would actually serve both, local commuters and tourist. Imo, this would be the best of both worlds and would be cheaper than building any other type of transit system or major road project, in this spreadout metro.

If it was up to me, this line would become of the centerpiece of JTA's alternative transportation systems, with additional, improved bus lines (express routes, BRT, regular city bus) running out from it, to other parts of the metro, not accessible by existing rail.

[RiversideGator]

Btw, commuter rail could never be built to the beaches, because existing railroad tracks don't go there. Instead JTA should take half its BRT funds and spend on a line stretching from downtown to the beaches.

This will be like going back to the future since there was a rail link to the beaches from downtown Jax before there was a Beach or Atlantic Blvd. I think the little old train station is still in Jax Beach somewhere.

[bobliocatt]

That old rail line, became Beach Blvd. The old train station is located on Beach Blvd, about a block west of 3rd Street.

[RiversideGator]

That old rail line, became Beach Blvd. The old train station is located on Beach Blvd, about a block west of 3rd Street.

There's our light rail line to the Beaches then. Run a rail line along the north side of Beach Blvd and end it at the rail station in Jax Beach. If additional lanes of Beach are needed, create them on the south side of the street.

[Urban_Legend]

Wow, this is an exciting update. I'm looking forward to the TOD's. Especially the one at Laura and State. Hopefully it will be something nice. I hope the public perception regarding the Skyway improves, once ridership goes up (and you know it will, with all the new residents). I REALLY hope there's a TOD planned for the stupid grass lots by Jefferson Station!

[jeafl]

Keep in mind, commuter rail would only serve as an alternative mode of transportation in the Jacksonville area.  This doesn't mean it can be viewed as an end-all solution to our traffic problems.

As for your comment, both "tourist traps" actually have people, who live in them and would also sevre as additional entertainment options for Jacksonville residents.  In addtion, everything, in between, would serve a large segment of Jacksonville's local population.  So, this commuter line would actually serve both, local commuters and tourist.  Imo, this would be the best of both worlds and would be cheaper than building any other type of transit system or major road project, in this spreadout metro.

If it was up to me, this line would become of the centerpiece of JTA's alternative transportation systems, with additional, improved bus lines (express routes, BRT, regular city bus) running out from it, to other parts of the metro, not accessible by existing rail.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But, what purpose should our mass transit system serve? Should it cater to leisure travelers or should it be designed to serve the daily needs of people going back and forth to work? I live near NAS and once had a part-time teaching job at Seacoast behind Regency Square. To use JTA I had to leave home by 8:30 in order to reach work for an 11:00 class. My work day lasted only about 3 hours, but I never got back home before 4:00 in the afternoon.

[jeafl]

There's our light rail line to the Beaches then.  Run a rail line along the north side of Beach Blvd and end it at the rail station in Jax Beach.  If additional lanes of Beach are needed, create them on the south side of the street.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why not take 1 lane of Beach Blvd. each way and use it for commuter rail and simply do away with the automobiles that now use these lanes?

I don't think building rail lines along with auto lanes will solve anything. As big as Jacksonville is, as long as people have cars and roads to drive them on, they will drive rather than ride.

[Viper]

But, what purpose should our mass transit system serve?  Should it cater to leisure travelers or should it be designed to serve the daily needs of people going back and forth to work?  I live near NAS and once had a part-time teaching job at Seacoast behind Regency Square.  To use JTA I had to leave home by 8:30 in order to reach work for an 11:00 class.  My work day lasted only about 3 hours, but I never got back home before 4:00 in the afternoon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It would serve them all. At least those along that route. This wouldn't get you from NAS Jax to Regency though as the line doesn't travel near it but it would open access to about 100,000 people within a mile or so of the line that could get to many destinations without a car or dealing with the rising fuel costs.

[jeafl]

It would serve them all.  At least those along that route.  This wouldn't get you from NAS Jax to Regency though as the line doesn't travel near it but it would open access to about 100,000 people within a mile or so of the line that could get to many destinations without a car or dealing with the rising fuel costs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Having to walk a mile from a commuter line to a destination when the humiture is 110 means the mass transit system serves nobody's needs.

We do need a commuter rail system, but instead of sending business to Amelia Island and St. Augustine, we should be solving our own problems first. Think of a rail system consisting of a dozen routes traveling in a concentric circle with another route running east-west and another running north-south and then two more making an X over the center. Then put stations no more than, say, 4 miles apart and then use buses to filter the commuters out to their destination.