High Speed Rail (Miami, Tampa, Orlando: sales, home, to buy)

[Crane's Rooster]

Took a drive down the famed I4 corridor yesterday and as always it was heavily trafficked. Not nearly as bad as I have experienced on Holiday travel days or during accidents but none the less, it was not a quick trip. Luckily with all this cold weather I was treated to what appeared to be fall colors in Florida as many of the trees along I4 were bright reds, yellows and orange shades. Back on track. As I scooted along I couldn't help but imagine enjoying that view while riding the bullet train planned for the median of I4. Certainly there seems to be a need for it but is there a desire?

It appears there's alot of opposition to this project although there clearly appears to be a need for it. So should we proceed with the rail? Should we build it in segments as suggested by Congressman Jon Mica with the first leg going from OIA to Disney? Or should we focus the first leg on going to MIA? How about re-routing the first leg to the Space Coast? This could help subsidize the loss of NASA jobs by creating a simpler link to coast for Central FL visitors? I know it's alot but just curious to see what everyone else's opinion is.

[sp2007]

They are going to proceed with the rail construction, they have already received like 3/4 a billion from the fed for it. The route is already decided and Space Coast won't see jack.

The first part will be MCO to Tampa, with a Disney stop on the way.

[DavieJ89]

Sadly, the high speed rail seems to be for tourists rather than the actual communters who live and work in Orlando

Im really pulling for SunRail to be built, I really think THAT will take cars off the road as well

Lynx also needs to expand greatly. They are stretched too thin IMO. Out here in Las Vegas (a metro with a similar population) the bus system is twice as big fleetwise, covers more of the city and all the routes run 24/7 365, and they cover a smaller physical area. While Lynx continues to shrink, RTC (Las Vegas bus system) is continuing to add new routes and has several commuter ones as well. Lynx execs should come out to Las Vegas to learn a thing or two from the RTC

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by DavieJ89

Lynx execs should come out to Las Vegas to learn a thing or two from the RTC

They have and it wasn't a good thing lol Lynx's Director Resigns - Orlando Sentinel

[Pete C]

The High Speed Rail is certainly nothing more than a tourism vehicle...that is for sure. I don't know if that is going to be enough to support it given that people from Tampa can easily drive to Disney. The only people that will really use it are people coming into OIA without a car wishing to go to Disney or the Convention area. Who is going to go to downtown Tampa from Orlando? Maybe a few business travelers who go every so often, but too expensive for weekly use. A link to Miami would have been so much better. Miami has the metrorail to get around and Miami is a major international tourist destination. To link two major tourist destinations would have been great so tourists could easily do both in one trip. Tampa area has the best beaches but I don't think it is much of an international tourism destination like Orlando and Miami.

[AONE]

Unfortunately, Orlando is just not set up for a rail system. Our population is spread out everywhere. from Clermont to Bithlo and Lake Mary to Kissimmee. with no convenient areas to consolidate the people for viable traffic.

We can't do Subways and above ground requires dodging lakes. In traveling the metros in Europe It just doesn't seem viable for us. Can you imagine a 7 layer above ground transit center downtown? In Europe it works because the stations aren't far from where the people are or want to be. I don't know that high speed is the answer but a consistent speed.

Ok say I hop on the high speed and go to Tampa... how will I get around once there? If there aren't solutions to being practical people simply won't use it. Public transportation is a great thing but we need a good plan as to how it will be useful for the people. If it is just a tourist thing then place the track from airport to WDW and Universal and call it a day.

[MiamiRob]

Well to begin with the Feds have now given Florida $2.3 billion to build this first leg between Tampa & Orlando which is practically the entire cost to build it now. The issue is how does one get around once in Tampa since this November the voters there rejected a sales tax to build a light rail system. It seems the only way to get around Tampa will buses instead which is less than desireable.
At least Orlando will have Sunrail by then to interact with HSR. I also agree with PeteC that the best initial route would have been a Orlando to Miami route since Miami has built a huge Intermodal/Central station just east of the airport that will connect Metrorail, Tri-Rail commuter & Amtrak trains all under one roof & has space built into it for HSR.
The obstacle is that the property needed to build that route has not been acquired yet & will cost roughly $8 billion to connect the 2 cities.
This of course depends if incoming Governor Rick Scott doesn't kill the entire project once he gets into office.

[Crane's Rooster]

Rick Scott is the big wild card in the mix. The majority of the money has already been provided by the Feds, however, the question remains will Rick Scott thwart the project to satisfy his tea party supporters who were very opposed to any rail projects? Let's hope not.

As for the MIA route, I posted that question because of differing attitudes I have encountered about this project. None of my friends in Tampa are too enthusiastic about the HSR. Most don't necessarily oppose it but question the need and usefulness given it can't get the tourist all the way out to the beach.

On the other hand, my college aged cousin came to visit me during the Thanksgiving holiday from Miami via bus. When I picked him up the tour bus was completely full. On top of that he said he almost wasn't able to buy the ticket as it nearly sold out before he could. Keep in mind he had multiple bus companies to choose from and the tickets sold out at almost all the carriers. Than on his return trip, when I dropped him off there were 6 huge tour buses waiting to take passengers from I-drive down to MIA. It makes me wonder, even given the heftier price tag would the demand for this route justify starting this segment first.

That lead me to my other ponderance. Would it be feasible to redirect the first segment along the Beachline to the Space Coast with plans to eventually expand the system south along I-95 all the way to Miami. First off, with NASA looking to downsize in the near future, this could be a boost to the Space Coast economy as it seems to me that many tourists and locals alike would probably like the idea of taking a train from Orlando to our nearest beaches for the day. Additionally, running a route along I95 to MIA seems the better option as it is more heavily populated than placing the route along turnpike.

These were all random thoughts I had when starting this thread.

[Pete C]

As a local I can too easily and too cheaply get to Cocoa Beach if I want to go to the beach. Why would I spend north of $20 per person to do that, possibly not even get there any faster after parking, security, and getting there on time to wait for the train. Then there would have to be another means of transportation to get to the actual beach. No way the HSR stop would be walkable to the beach. Then on the way home it would drop you back at your car which you would have to drive home. Are you going to lug all your beach stuff on the train too? I don't see it happening.

Now, getting to Clearwater Beach is about 2 hours. However again the HSR is not going to stop anywhere near the beach...it can't with all that water over there. It would take another 30 minutes at the very least for connecting trolleys or buses to go to the beach from downtown Tampa. In the end it would take longer than driving. Maybe an option for tourists with no car though.

[sp2007]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

Rick Scott is the big wild card in the mix. The majority of the money has already been provided by the Feds, however, the question remains will Rick Scott thwart the project to satisfy his tea party supporters who were very opposed to any rail projects? Let's hope not. .

I am a little confused. I am not a big Scott supporter, but you seem to not like the planned HiSpeed Rail AND don't want Scott to kill it. ???

Since the HSR seems like a big boondongle, why do you not want Scott to kill it? Should FL just take the money and spend it because they can?

I don't see Scott killing it, but I keep reading about so many ppl dogging Scott already since he might kill the HSR but in the same sentence ppl also don't want the HSR. Huh?