All Aboard Florida Question (Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach: 2015, loan, lawyer)

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

So much drama over absolutely nothing. It's amazing the opposition to this project. Like a cause celebre founded on fear mongering.

I know a little something about living with trains. I live smack in-between TWO train tracks: The CSX and the FEC.

CSX currently runs tri-rail at a much more frequent pace than anything planned by AAF, and that train cuts right through far more densely populated areas than anything on the Treasure Coast. Tri-Rail is a mild inconvenience at one of the busiest intersections in Palm Beach County: Okeechobee Blvd. and Parker. Life goes on, and downtown is growing rapidly. Emergency services get where they need to go, and while accidents do happen with trains, they pale in comparison to the loss of limb and life on our highways and roads.


I understand boaters are upset about the bridges. That's at least somewhat legitimate of a complaint, but I believe that bridge improvements and a more regular schedule is likely to be the end result of this project. I don't really feel too badly, however, as the BIGGEST inconvenience to traffic in downtown WPB is - bar none - drawbridges that back up traffic horrendously for up to 10 minutes (not 90 seconds, like an AAF train).



The biggest quality of life issue with living next to the trains are whistles. But because this project is coming, quiet zones are now a priority (IF you happen to live somewhere that isn't short-sighted). Also, safety improvements on the rail will come that WILL NOT BE THERE if passenger service does not run on the rails. FEC will merely increase the freight traffic with NO corresponding quiet zones, etc. and THAT affects quality of life.

You'll also have a station. It could be useful for you. Not so for everyone to the north. I think they should use the csx tracks or build new along the turn pike.

[runswithscissors]

TriMT7 You have no idea WHATSOEVER what the impact of AAF will be HERE. Just like you said:

So much drama over absolutely nothing.

I don't really feel too badly, however, as the BIGGEST inconvenience to traffic in downtown WPB is - bar none - drawbridges that back up traffic horrendously for up to 10 minutes (not 90 seconds, like an AAF train).

Have you ever even BEEN HERE in Vero Beach or Indian River County?

You cavalierly seem to think that they're just going to quietly and quickly fly past here on existing tracks and it'll have no tangible impact.

It''s a MAJOR impact. Forget about the economic damage to property values, how ugly, loud and annoying it will be and the physical damage it will do - it's just STUPID for ANY resident who leaves their HOME to agree to it for YOUR URBAN DESIRES and to MOVE FREIGHT. You wanna go to Disney? TAKE AMTRAK.

So OUR Indian River County has just allocated $2.7 Million to fight it and Martin has pledged $1.4 Million.

YOUR area in WPB is absolutely NOTHING like HERE.

I'd estimate 90% of our community must cross those tracks to get to the beaches and Intracoastal. And some of the shopping and to visit friends.

Conversely, the other 10% must cross those tracks to get to the main shopping area, GOVERNMENT SERVICES, housing where their friends live, and I-95.

You wanna talk about traffic? The rail crossings are about 3 -5 CAR LENGTHS from ROUTE 1, on Old Dixie for chrissakes. So just for starters, ALL THE PEOPLE on Route 1 who want to go LEFT to cross those tracks will be piled up waiting and clogging Route 1. And NO, the WAIT ALREADY is not 90 seconds.

We have ONE HOSPITAL in Vero Beach and it is two blocks from the RAIL CROSSING. 90% of the population has to cross those tracks to get to it. And that means 90% of the ambulances have to cross, too.

YOU have 5 or 6 hospitals?

YOUR county has 1,375 MILLION people.

OUR county has 145,000.

City of West Palm Beach has 100,000 people.

City of Vero Beach has 16,000 (not including unincorporated)

We already DON'T sit for just 90 seconds when the freight goes through right NOW.

And it IS all about the freight.

All Aboard Florida: The Horror Behind Curtain No. 2 | Sunshine State News

You have CHOSEN to live smack in the middle of the urban madness. Madness that is NOT part of Indian River County.

You may have construction underway but don't count your chickens yet. Securing AAF'S LOANS of $1.75 billion for the $2.25 billion project is NOT even CLOSE to happening yet.

I thought you were a realtor? I guess you don't drive around in your car very much. OR YOUR TRACKS are located in an area where it's inconsequential.

NOT SO FOR ME. In my dog walking business I am crossing all day long. And just today I had to wait for 15 minutes at Old Dixie and 53rd for one of the MANY MANY false closures we've been experiencing. NOT including the many times per day I have to wait for the FREIGHT to come chugging by.

It's FASTER for me to play beat the train, make a U TURN and JET UP or DOWN a few blocks and try to cross elsewhere than to just sit and WAIT and I'm not even exaggerating. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But THAT'S HOW MANY crossings we have. EVERY MAJOR STREET east to west. Block after block.

SPITTING distance from Route 1. I assume you are familiar with Rt 1?



BTW it's 4:27 AM and I hear the whistle. Because I LIVE ON THE INTRACOASTAL which is on Rt 1 right AT THE OSLO RAIL TRACKS AND CROSSING!

UPDATE: IT'S 4:37 IN THE MORNING AND THE TRAIN HAS BEEN "GOING BY" FOR 10 MINUTES NOW. MOVING FREIGHT. SO MUCH FOR YOUR 90 SECOND THEORY.

[runswithscissors]

UPDATE:

5:05 AM and ANOTHER TRAIN. At least THIS one only took around 5 minutes and not 10 like a half hour ago.

IMAGINE THAT.

NOPE, no property value decrease - none at all. NO problem. Just so all the urban residents in WPB, FLL and MIAMI are happy pretending that there's a need for passenger transit for THEM disrupting everyone else between point A and point B - 235 MILES APART.

[runswithscissors]

UPDATE;

YET ANOTHER TRAIN.

IT'S 6:15.Duration 4 minutes.

I stipulate I may have missed some since an hour ago since I'm used to them.

[pslhomie]

A couple of things. I live about a half mile from a railroad crossing so the trains run in the middle of the night and sound the horn at what ever hour they come by. I never hear them because I am used to them.

Next, given the current cost of housing in Miami (where I work) if there had been a train to Miami every day, I would never have sold our house in Port St. Lucie. Houses down here are double what they are in PSL and most are dumps. We have been looking for over 3 months now and have yet to find a house that we can afford that isn't in need of total restoration.

I see a huge advantage of having the ability to be able to commute from an affordable safe area like PSL than to try and continue to find a house here in Miami. If they get the rail service going between PSL and Miami then may be I will be back.

[PDF]

Originally Posted by runswithscissors

Just so all the urban residents in WPB, FLL and MIAMI are happy pretending that there's a need for passenger transit for THEM disrupting everyone else between point A and point B - 235 MILES APART.

Well there is a need for it. No pretending.

[DanielAvery]

runswithscissors: If I could marry a post, I'd propose to Post #12.

[SeaLark7]

Well said, runswithscissors ! Another danger with so many more trains is, as you mentioned, how close the tracks are to Route 1, meaning so few cars can be on the road that crosses the tracks when a train is passing. This is particularly bad in Ft. Pierce, at Seaway Drive (which leads to A1A). The tracks are barely two car lengths from where US 1 and Seaway intersect, and you have to be a good judge of distance to know if you have room to cross the tracks and wait for a light to change, when there is no train coming. The right turn lane is the main concern, because cars turn right on red, and as one does, the next car inches over the tracks. At some point, there could be a real tragedy there if one of the 100 mph trains comes along and somebody has misjudged the room available for his car.

[kokonutty]

Originally Posted by SeaLark7

Well said, runswithscissors ! Another danger with so many more trains is, as you mentioned, how close the tracks are to Route 1, meaning so few cars can be on the road that crosses the tracks when a train is passing. This is particularly bad in Ft. Pierce, at Seaway Drive (which leads to A1A). The tracks are barely two car lengths from where US 1 and Seaway intersect, and you have to be a good judge of distance to know if you have room to cross the tracks and wait for a light to change, when there is no train coming. The right turn lane is the main concern, because cars turn right on red, and as one does, the next car inches over the tracks. At some point, there could be a real tragedy there if one of the 100 mph trains comes along and somebody has misjudged the room available for his car.

Which is easily avoided by simple signage and lights.

[Plokivos]

Do you honestly believe that the train is what's making the traffic worst?