Why Not The Skyway?

[JaxProjects]

I for one would love an efficient rail system. However, the population density is just not there. I wouldn't expect that we'll be there any time soon as we are the largest geographic in the contiguous 48.

The Skyway cost $184,000,000 for the 2.5 miles we have. Extrapolate that to the 50 - 60 miles needed.

[ttefylooc]

Originally Posted by JaxProjects

I for one would love an efficient rail system. However, the population density is just not there. I wouldn't expect that we'll be there any time soon as we are the largest geographic in the contiguous 48.

The Skyway cost $184,000,000 for the 2.5 miles we have. Extrapolate that to the 50 - 60 miles needed.

IMO if you choose to live in the suburbs then eat rock salt, But Riverside, Springfield and San Marco residence should get skyway stations. Maybe even St Nicholas, Murray Hill & Derkkyville could get one, but not the whole city limit.

People that live in the outskirts deserve to buy gas.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by ttefylooc

IMO if you choose to live in the suburbs then eat rock salt, But Riverside, Springfield and San Marco residence should get skyway stations. Maybe even St Nicholas, Murray Hill & Derkkyville could get one, but not the whole city limit.

People that live in the outskirts deserve to buy gas.

I agree, the focus needs to be on the in-town neighborhoods.

The density of San Marco, zip 32207, is 2978 people per square mile (not to mention all the people who work by day in San Marco/Southbank).

The density of Riverside, zip 32204, is 2753 people per square mile.


Compared with Mandarin, zip 32258, with a density of 937 people per square mile.

Or 32259 in north St. John's county with a density of only 313 people per square mile.

We have to be realistic about where the people are. Also, these dense areas contribute a lot of property taxes. Lastly, the people who are willing to live in-town are the ones most likely to use mass transit...it just makes sense all around.

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by JaxProjects

I for one would love an efficient rail system. However, the population density is just not there. I wouldn't expect that we'll be there any time soon as we are the largest geographic in the contiguous 48.

The Skyway cost $184,000,000 for the 2.5 miles we have. Extrapolate that to the 50 - 60 miles needed.

It can be extended for much cheaper!

[Ocklawaha]

I for one would love an efficient rail system. However, the population density is just not there. I wouldn't expect that we'll be there any time soon as we are the largest geographic in the contiguous 48.

The Skyway cost $184,000,000 for the 2.5 miles we have. Extrapolate that to the 50 - 60 miles needed.

Sorry for the confusion in the City. Someone needs to shout this from the roof tops. The original cost:

#1 was paid by Uncle Sam as a demonstration project with little local $$.

#2 The true cost was about $78 Million a mile.

BUT

That included the complete operations center, repair shops, railroad yard, state-of-the-art signal system, amazing high tech PTC or "Positive Train Control", something not even CSX or NS have on most lines. Add to that a major bridge over the St. Johns River.

Expansion costs would be about $10 Million per track mile, maybe $15 Million per line mile (though a host of monorail experts tell me I'm way over the mark). Because the BIG $$ is already spent. We won't need any more of the above features, bridges, PTC etc.

So calculating in about $300 Million for an imagined 10.5 mile Skyway system in downtown. San Marco/Atlantic, Stadium, New Court House, Shands, Riverside etc. That includes the $184 Million already spent and the $120 Million for the extensions for 10.5 miles complete. All totaled the Skyway then comes down to $28 Million per mile for true monorail. This is within the center of the range of all current BUS RAPID TRANSIT (quickway) projects. Meaning, because of what we already have - and building on it - we can have monorail as cheap as JTA's proposed Super- Bus system.

Yet this is more then an us vs them story. JTA is right that we need BRT, we have corridors that can't currently be served by rail or monorail cheaply. Blanding? Arlington Expressway? JTB? Airport Connector? So the ideal is to merge the plans for SKYWAY - commuter rail - BRT - streetcar - CITY BUS - water ferrys, all into one unified interconnected matrix. Just building on what we have and keeping it focused on the right side of the menu we'd have a killer good system.

OCKLAWAHA

[KerryB]

Ocklawaha is kinda reminding me of Lyle Lanley from that old Simpsons episode about the monorail.

The point of the episode is that there is probably a reason why no other cities have pulled off a successful monorail system meant for serious public transit. Most I see are in big tourist destinations & are there so the riders can get an overhead look at all the cool touristy stuff below them, all with a very short track. As far as really getting people around, they seem kinda pointless & gimmicky.

I've seen the one downtown here in Jax pass by probably 20 times or more since I've lived here & I swear I've never seen any passengers on it.

[riveree]

Has everyone seen the Beaches Trolley? It's very cool and it seems something that simple could be implemented quickly and easily in many neighborhoods.

Even if we had a long-range plans for monorails or whatever, why not get more trolleys on the road in the meantime.

[KerryB]

Originally Posted by riveree

Has everyone seen the Beaches Trolley? It's very cool and it seems something that simple could be implemented quickly and easily in many neighborhoods.

Even if we had a long-range plans for monorails or whatever, why not get more trolleys on the road in the meantime.

Thats what I'm thinking. Seems trolleys here in Jax are the way to go for transporting people around the same general areas.

Why a big elaborate monorail that doesn't go anywhere when you could just use trolleys for the same purpose for much cheaper?