[hurricaneMan1992]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

If you're going to pick nits this finely, then I'd argue that...

1-Tampa has a rail line already (streetcar)
2-That Tampa and Orlando are separate entities, with populations of 3M and 2M respectively, and thus compare to the cities I listed
3-I could have kept listing cities without rail but stopped
4-I didn't name many more cities that have nominal rail systems, but that are tiny (like Houston's)

I said I'd support local light rail systems where it makes sense. Putting one in Tampa and one in Orlando could make some sense. This "high speed" rail (which it's not, in reality) is a redundancy of service already available, and would not be used in the numbers needed to justify it. It's a bad idea.

Take that money and put it into local light rail.

Tampa's "streetcar" is a tourist ride between the Aquarium and Ybor City, from what I could tell. Quite a "nominal" system, if you ask me. Doesn't even go anywhere near the heart of downtown, where I was staying, so I had to drive to Ybor City.

By Kyle's standards, I could combine Miami with Naples and Fort Myers and end up with a much bigger "urban area" than Tampa-Orlando! And can't DC extend all the way out to Annapolis, and down to Richmond, VA, in that case????

[miamifloridafan]

I'm no fan of rick scott, but he did the right thing here.

[kyle19125]

[quote=hurricaneMan1992;17970690
By Kyle's standards, I could combine Miami with Naples and Fort Myers and end up with a much bigger "urban area" than Tampa-Orlando! And can't DC extend all the way out to Annapolis, and down to Richmond, VA, in that case????[/QUOTE]

That statement summed up your knowledge of this topic. DC from a transportation standpoint does extend out to Annapolis and all the way down to Richmond. It also goes as far west as Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Combining Miami with Naples and Fort Myers would be ridiculous as there isn't any development between linking the two (The Everglades separates), nor does traffic flow routinely flow between the two in terms of commuters. The Tampa-Orlando corridor is linked as areas in-between continue to fill in. (Lakeland and the Four Corners area for instance). Residents commute along I-4 from Polk County into both the Tampa metro or Orlando metro areas. Transportation planning needs to incorporate more than population statistics, and if people like yourself are involved in the planning process, would explain the status of the state/region's lack of transportation infrastructure.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

Here's a poll question for the members of this board that live in the Tampa/Orlando corridor..this is entirely unscientific, but what the heck....

Would you ride the high speed train as it's proposed? If so, describe how often and why. If not, why not?

No, because as usual in "Backwardsville" planning didn't take into account the one-person-per car mantra of area citizens. If properly planned, it would have incorporated criteria needed by the average tourist. Airport-Theme Parks-Coast/Beaches.

[Kevin from Tampa]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

No, because as usual in "Backwardsville" planning didn't take into account the one-person-per car mantra of area citizens. If properly planned, it would have incorporated criteria needed by the average tourist. Airport-Theme Parks-Coast/Beaches.

I have to ask...do you really think a tourist would ride such a train to the beach? Think about that...

family of four at Disney wants to go to beach. You really think they're going to wear suits and carry towels and all of that on multiple trains to the beach, and then turn around, sandy and kind of gross feeling, to get back on multiple trains back to Disney?

I just don't see it

Any and all you all that think that this will be ridden en masse by hordes of tourists...why do you think so?

And how will that solve the issue that this thing is supposed to resolve...traffic in this area...? Isn't this thing supposed to be for residents?

[GloryB]

Did anyone ever discuss the cost?
It is really cheap for a tourist to rent a car.
It is really easier for a local family to take their own car.
The people who ride the buses on a regular basis probably don't have enough money to take many train trips....but they would probably be the only people who would take advantage of the train.

I can't see this being enough people to keep the rails alive once they are built. It will probably prove to be a giant waste of government funds better spent elsewhere....like perhaps the local bus systems which ARE used and appreciated by local people.

[ACWhite]

It seems as if two different concepts are being combined here.

One is a metro system designed to move people within the same metro areas - to/from jobs, their homes, recreation, shopping, etc., taking traffic off the street.

The second is a high speed rail linking cities that are a long drive apart, but not far enough to make flying and all its attendant delays and hassles a good alternative.

[tomno00]

Acutally I am thinking this is kinda a shame. Intead of investing in florida, rick scott is giving the money to california

A couple of points to consider:
1) how much longer can our way of life be maintained? We are a highly car dependent state (and country in general). Granted, this train probably wouldn't change much, but at least it would have been a start. We need to start giving people alternative means of transportation, starting NOW. If we keep waiting and waiting.... then we are going to get behind the eight ball. There is a cost of doing nothing.


2) Florida is projected to be one of the largest growing states. How many billions will we spend on transportation infrastructure upkeep to handle the growth over the next several years?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by tomno00

Acutally I am thinking this is kinda a shame. Intead of investing in florida, rick scott is giving the money to california

A couple of points to consider:
1) how much longer can our way of life be maintained? We are a highly car dependent state (and country in general). Granted, this train probably wouldn't change much, but at least it would have been a start. We need to start giving people alternative means of transportation, starting NOW. If we keep waiting and waiting.... then we are going to get behind the eight ball. There is a cost of doing nothing.


2) Florida is projected to be one of the largest growing states. How many billions will we spend on transportation infrastructure upkeep to handle the growth over the next several years?

Exactly, as the fossil-fuel consuming proponents on this board (and throughout the state) cling to the status quo without any regard for the environment or the future quality of life here. While Florida officials clamor to attract new business to the state, is it really thought that our lack of transportation infrastructure and quality public education (a whole other topic) is going to seem attractive? The lack of progressiveness in this state is a real issue and soon those who keep electing idiots like Rick Scott into office (and the rest who didn't) will reap the reward of higher taxes and crumbling infrastructure as a result. HSR might not have been the answer, but there are alternatives like Light Rail or BRT.... or even HOV lanes in Tampa and Orlando would have been be a good start. Rejecting the funds has set the state back at least 20-25 years in terms of any hope of transit initiatives.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa

I have to ask...do you really think a tourist would ride such a train to the beach? Think about that...

family of four at Disney wants to go to beach. You really think they're going to wear suits and carry towels and all of that on multiple trains to the beach, and then turn around, sandy and kind of gross feeling, to get back on multiple trains back to Disney?

I just don't see it

Any and all you all that think that this will be ridden en masse by hordes of tourists...why do you think so?

And how will that solve the issue that this thing is supposed to resolve...traffic in this area...? Isn't this thing supposed to be for residents?

I think so because many visiting utilize public transit at home. Tourists from the Northeast US and Europe come to mind when thinking of who would use the service without staring like it has two heads. Of course people aren't going to board a train wearing bathing suits, I mean really? People can and do pack for day trips when utilizing mass transit. You really should spend some time outside of Florida in a place where people use transit daily for all kinds of uses.

In terms of thinking it's for residents, are you that much without a clue? How much of the traffic here do you think is non-resident? Taking either residents or non-residents (or both) off the road is the goal of mass transit. Everyone benefits, including the oft-forgotten environment.