Sunrail 2014 (Miami, Orlando, Winter Park: car rental, rentals, registration)

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by orlandosteve

Give it 30 years. It will take that long to make sense but it had to start somewhere. I4 can only get so wide. Up to 12 lanes by 2020 and it will be obsolete by then.

Hopefully one day Florida will learn to stop building uncontrollable sprawl in every direction causing untamable traffic. But i don't see that happening.

It could have been useful in 5 years if it went to UCF, Disney, Universal, Florida Mall, or the Airport.h

They ignored every important location in Orlando that would greatly benefit from Mass Transit simply to use existing lines -THAT THEY DON'T EVEN OWN.-

Poor poor urban planning in an excuse to use free federal funds.

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

This should be a leading indicator of how/why this system as planned is going to fail miserably. Our transportation infrastructure is not burdened enough for potential riders to forgo driving to commit to the time investment of riding one or more buses in conjunction with the train, not to mention a few blocks (or more) walk on both ends dressed in work attire during our seven months of summer.

I should point out that since none of the lines are elevated, including the heavily trafficked roads between Garland and Orange, the Sunrail will only serve to increase traffic flow problems downtown every 30 minutes- as the expected passenger load is lower than the car tally crossing those streets per hour.

Did ANYONE actually conduct the proper studies before starting this project?

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by WithDisp

It could have been useful in 5 years if it went to UCF, Disney, Universal, Florida Mall, or the Airport.

They ignored every important location in Orlando that would greatly benefit from Mass Transit simply to use existing lines -THAT THEY DON'T EVEN OWN.-

Poor poor urban planning in an excuse to use free federal funds.

Originally Posted by WithDisp

I should point out that since none of the lines are elevated, including the heavily trafficked roads between Garland and Orange, the Sunrail will only serve to increase traffic flow problems downtown every 30 minutes- as the expected passenger load is lower than the car tally crossing those streets per hour.

Did ANYONE actually conduct the proper studies before starting this project?

A common theme is emerging isn't it?

[bmw335xi]

Common sense is something most elected officials lack unfortunately.

[orlandosteve]

Originally Posted by WithDisp

It could have been useful in 5 years if it went to UCF, Disney, Universal, Florida Mall, or the Airport.h

They ignored every important location in Orlando that would greatly benefit from Mass Transit simply to use existing lines -THAT THEY DON'T EVEN OWN.-

Poor poor urban planning in an excuse to use free federal funds.

Agreed this makes sense but not affordable. They built a back bone for now. Lines going to the airport (main focus) as well as Sanford airport (easy add on) will be next in line. You will see additional lines to UCF and Disney at some point. They had to start somewhere.

I don't love what they did. In fact I liked the 20/20 plan in 1998 MUCH better than this. But this is what we've got. Hopefully over time proper lines will be added and infill projects will make this all work out.

I say this as they plan to build 50k new houses north of the new 429 expansion and another 50k houses off 417/528. That to me is very sad… Sprawl is never the right answer. Very short sighted.

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by orlandosteve

Agreed this makes sense but not affordable. They built a back bone for now. Lines going to the airport (main focus) as well as Sanford airport (easy add on) will be next in line. You will see additional lines to UCF and Disney at some point. They had to start somewhere.

I don't love what they did. In fact I liked the 20/20 plan in 1998 MUCH better than this. But this is what we've got. Hopefully over time proper lines will be added and infill projects will make this all work out.

I say this as they plan to build 50k new houses north of the new 429 expansion and another 50k houses off 417/528. That to me is very sad… Sprawl is never the right answer. Very short sighted.

The link to FL High Speed Rail was abandoned along with FLHSR.
There is no link to the airport, nor can one be achieved without creating a spur, which I wouldn't anticipate happening- as Floridians would never accept the funding costs once the Fed. no longer pays for this.

Any expansions from here on out (aside from North & South of the terminus) would cost more than the entire project has to date. Essentially a line from Sand Lake Station to MCO would require a fare of $20 or so to even come close to breaking even over 25 years.

SunFail was not built as it should.

[Starrman69]

Just to add my 2 cents...three years ago we asked why they were using CSX rails and giving CSX unheard of protection from liability. CSX still has use of the rails, the service does not go to the attractions, one needs to drive to the depot, ride to their destination and then either walk or take public transportation to their final destination and repeat for their return trip. Our depot in Poinciana is 12 miles from my home and is located on Poinciana Blvd north of the 17-92 (I live close to the center of Poinciana). This, in my mind, illustrates the problem with high speed rail in Central Florida, where you have a population that is spread out. I did spend quite a bit of time in New York on call out for FEMA during Super Storm Sandy last year and picked up many team members at the terminals as they came in from different sectors of the city. The system works well in dense populations. I just have the suspicion that this program was pushed through to benefit a few at the expense of many. I've talked to many people who have told me that they will not be using Sun Rail.

As it's been pointed out, it is old, expensive technology that is very limited on it's use/destinations/schedules...unfortunately

[Crane's Rooster]

All this debating is just pure speculation at this point. We're like the talking heads on the cable news channels. In a few months, we will know the initial actual results and they we can start really debating about if it's working, if it's worth it, will it work, etc etc.

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by Starrman69

This, in my mind, illustrates the problem with high speed rail in Central Florida, where you have a population that is spread out.

This is where it gets complicated- and where you assess your population hubs and how to best connect them.
It seems moreso the FL Gov't knew building rail would never be approved or be too long a time frame and went with the CSX contract system.

The best use for public transit in Orlando is to offer a service to many and help alleviate traffic.
It works absolutely best for our tourists coming into town.

Problematically, this city/county brings in an incredible amount of money from some of this, rather than pay the costs to operate a transit system.

Every tourist who rents in MCO pays $2.50 a day in county/city taxes just for renting a car... a 23 million dollar revenue right into the county/city coffers.
The tolls between MCO and I4/WDW aren't chump change either.

[tworent]

Originally Posted by Crane's Rooster

All this debating is just pure speculation at this point. We're like the talking heads on the cable news channels. In a few months, we will know the initial actual results and they we can start really debating about if it's working, if it's worth it, will it work, etc etc.

Not true no rail system makes a profit it cost money so the only question is is it worth it at the price it will cost people that will never use it. The answer is no it is another form of welfare for people that cannot afford a car.