SPRAWL RAIL, Blessing or Curse?

Downtown Maitland Florida, before Sunrail, we have to be reminded of where the downtown and railroad station were. One of the highest dollar residential area's North of Orlando, it's easy to see the center of the town no longer plays a major role in the midst of miles of planned communities. If Sunrail is to cause development to happen, it will be in downtown Maitland, Lake Mary, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Etc.. If Sunrail can bring the development back to it's historic center, ending sprawl, I say, "Bring it on."

SPRAWLRAIL?

Does that term send nightmare visions of Los Angeles type sprawl extending for endless miles caused by a railroad? If not, your not getting the message that is being sold by the supporters of Florida High Speed Rail. They want us all to believe that the recent deal with CSX for Orlando's long awaited Commuter "SUNRAIL" Project will promote sprawl, with virtually no riders. The claim has been that somehow Sunrail is a secret deal with developers. Let's look at those claims based on some easy facts.

Sure the Sunrail line WILL spur more development, there are already plans as well as construction all along the route.

BINGO, Along it, not 5 miles away from it. Commuter Rail creates dense concentrations of urban life centered around stations. Commuter Rail development will include urban, in town type Publix, Walmart, and such, but rarely if ever does it cause auto dependent plaza style sprawl in outlaying area's. The reason for this is found in the very concept itself, by nature Commuter Rail allows one to PARK the family gas guzzler, and ride. Commuter Rail certainly doesn't encourage more automobile use.

The people who live in auto dependent suburban areas, will no longer have to crowd the lone Interstate. Their trips will have the option of being greatly shortened and in many cases eliminated. Autos will pour out of the suburban tracts and into park and ride lots where their owners will take the train.

Without those automobiles people must stay centered on the stations or the concept of centrally located mass transit. Any developers who ignore this unwritten rule of nearness, will fail. Trust me, developers will follow Sunrail, but they are smart enough to realize every mile from the station equals less and less sales.

Typical Commuter Rail downtown revival in Layton City, Utah, Note where the development is taking place. In addition to the new Station, Utah DOT is also doing a study for a proposed Interchange that would be built near the Station. Layton City has designated the area as a Redevelopment Project Area and is focusing on bringing new business to the area and revitalizing existing infrastructure. There is a lot of interest in Old Downtown and the area is poised to become a major attraction along the Commuter Rail Line.

Commuter rail will force Florida into one more revelation, in Orlando or in Jacksonville, wherever we add connections, the state is about to discover that hourly bus operations are not service, they are mere accommodations. Just one more urbanest change that is headed our way like an oncoming train.

The Sunrail Train will run from Downtown to Downtown, just like Amtrak

A good friend recently listed reasons NOT to live on the Central Florida Corridor today:

1. Highly inaccessible.
2. Cheap tract home development.
3. Limited commercial base.
4. Lack of diversity and culture.
5. No industrial base.
6. Cheap looking architecture.
7. Not walkable.

Will Sunrail make this worse? Not a chance. These homes aren't going to go away, and their communities long past the rural stage are suffering from the inside out. The more central one locates in these cities, the worse the transportation dilemma and maze becomes. So the older builds are all in the "downtown's," and the newer homes and shops just keep piling on the parameter. The downtown area's become less functional with each new band of outlaying development.

The premise that Sunrail will encourage more of such irresponsible development is completely false. Sunrail will run on the CSX tracks, and what is today's CSX Railroad, was there over 100 years ago. What this means to the communities on line is anywhere there is a downtown, there and only there, will one find the train. So since it will focus all eyes back on the city centers, all Sunrail development will be in the sectors that have long been ignored and even become blighted. Sunrail won't cause Sprawl, in fact when that 5:00 o:clock whistle blows, those trains will stand ready to take you home, to the DOWNTOWN of your choice.

The Orlando CSX deal, will make this dream a reality for not just Central Florida, but for Tampa, and best of all, Jacksonville. This scene in Dallas, shows their remanfactured RDC cars in action, roumor has it they have made contact with us for these very cars.

In the next article, we shall examine a true ill conceived "Sprawl Rail Plan," one so bad that it can only lead to disaster. Taking the negatives and blaming them on Sunrail is a smoke screen, so tune in as we tackle, "Why Florida's High Speed Rail Plan is an Oncoming Train Wreck."

rail transit
bus transit
amtrak
brt
city of jacksonville

Welcome Ray LaHood

NEW READER WELCOMED

Jacksonville Transit wishes to welcome our newest reader, Mr. Ray LaHood, United States Secretary of Transportation. Hopefully the Secretary will see some of the hip shooting posts that deal with sensitive subjects like Florida's disastrous HSR plan, from the view point of a pro-rail, pro-mass transit, pseudo retired consultant. He'll also read of Amtrak's apocalyptic Florida rail system, and interstate connections,or lack of the same, as opposed to our historic travel patterns. Jacksonville, and it's heavy need for Port Rail, LRT, Streetcars, Commuter Rail, Skyway Extension, and even connecting BRT, Bus, and new concept Express Bus services, are all here too. "New Concept Bus?" Yes, he'll read it here because this is the only place it exists, so far.

The harsh critiques of Jacksonville's so called Transportation Center are spilled out across the screen throughout the blog, with much, much, more to come. So Mr. Secretary, check your diplomacy at the door, sit back, and enjoy some pointed sharp shooting blogging, who knows, perhaps you'll comment sometime?

BLUEPRINT FOR JAXPORT IS FOUND IN COMMUTER RAIL

Unlike other Florida cities, Jacksonville alone is a sea of railroad tracks. One time home to the Worlds Busiest Passenger Terminal (during the Great Florida Boom of the Roaring Twenty's), and certainly one of the largest Terminal Stations in the nation. 32 tracks, split roughly 60/40 stub and through, the great station served every passenger train entering or exiting the state (with few exceptions) until 1974.

Today freight trains of Norfolk Southern, CSX and Florida East Coast still rumble past the silent platforms and pedestrian tunnels. The Jacksonville Transportation Authority has an eye on Commuter Rail, and has completed the first two studies which have laid out a 90 mile starter system on three distinct rail lines, North, Southeast, Southwest.


Meanwhile over at JaxPort, the talk is all about building a new rail yard that they suppose will whisk away 2 Million Containers a year. Currently ranked number 19 in North America in container volume and number 2 in automotive imports, the new terminals built around trade with the Orient promise to rocket us into the number 3 or 4 position in the Nation. Dredge the river channel for Post Panamax ships, build the new rail yard, and everything will be rosy... Well not quite.

So here is a recent headline article in the Jacksonville Business Journal, taken from the recent seminars, breakfasts and meetings on JaxPort. They elude to the unknown that dredging and another railroad yard will be the fix we need. Their going to be sorely disappointed.

Game on for Jacksonville
Jacksonville Business Journal

Jacksonville’s economic development marching orders came across loud and clear at the Global Trade and Transportation breakfast this week: Find $500 million from federal, state and local government to dredge the St. Johns River to handle larger ships, make sure the Hanjin shipping company joins Mitsui to cement the city’s Asian trade ties, and finish the road and rail improvements needed to maximize the port’s ability to move cargo.

Succeed at these tasks and cement Jacksonville’s future as a premier port on the East Coast, while broadening the city’s economic base considerably. Or fail, and watch the ports of Savannah, Charleston and Norfolk eat our lunch. Yes, the choice is that clear-cut.

The river dredging is the linchpin. Here’s why:

The reason the shippers Mitsui and Hanjin want terminals here is to develop a hub for direct trade from Asia to the East Coast. The Panama Canal is being improved to allow larger cargo ships through, which are more cost-efficient for the shippers. The canal improvements should be done by 2014.

So what is the fix?

Blue Lines = Florida East Coast

Green Lines = CSXT

Black Lines = Norfolk Southern

Red Lines = Shortlines

Pink and Purple Lines = Abandoned rail subject to rebuilding

YELLOW LINES = Subject of this article and JTA/JPA Future North Line Commuter Rail District

The fix for JAXPORT is Commuter Rail North, plain and simple, the City buying the entire former CSX Kingsland Subdivision, and perhaps the Norfolk Southern's St. Johns River Terminal rail lines. From the Export Yard near the Stadium, Grand Crossing in the Westside through the Springfield Yard, Talleyrand Terminals, over the Trout River, to Blount Island, TriPac and all the way to Yulee. Getting JTA and JPA to create The Jacksonville RAIL Authority, and getting said Authority to quickly rebuild the former "S Line" between Union Terminal, and Springfield Yard, establishing Commuter Rail, at least as far North as the International Airport.

So what does JaxPort have to do with Commuter Trains and railroads? Glad you asked. At this point over 1/2 of our port is locked into CSX. For all the railroad diversity we have downtown, the Florida East Coast and Norfolk Southern are effectively cut out of the game. Saying our port is served by 3 major railroads is misleading when more then half of the terminals are captive. What good is it to try and sell shippers on the 3 railroad package when CSX says it will take them 5 full days to move a box car from Blount Island on the City's Northside, the the FEC / NS interchanges near Jacksonville Terminal.

If the City of Jacksonville and FDOT bought the former Seaboard Air Line Mainline, replaced the missing link from Jacksonville Terminal to Springfield Yard (already in City hands), it would effectively open the door to ease traffic congestion. Moreover it could all be operated as the JaxPort Railroad, a terminal road with neutral switching access by all carriers. Who needs a new rail yard when we already have the largely empty Springfield Yard which could easily be rehabilitated into a first class container facility. Who needs a one railroad port, when we already have plans for Commuter Rail on those same tracks? Why not bust the port wide open and create a quick, responsive, shortline/terminal road.

Not only would CSX retain every carload that any customer currently requests via a CSX routing, The Florida East Coast and Norfolk Southern wouldn't have to bypass the Port and hustle everything to the new Titusville Intermodal facility in order the expedite shipments. Moreover by linking Port/ACE + Freight Railroad/FRA + Transit/FTA + Commuter Rail/FRA + Station Security/DHS, and beautification/FDOT, we open hundreds of more avenues by which to obtain those vital federal grants.

Then, and only then, will we be able to honestly claim we have 3 railroad service choices for our port shippers. Only then will we be able to control the destiny of our Commuter Rail and Passenger Terminal. The day that the first RDC car rumbles over the Trout River and the big diesels of FEC or NS freely mix with CSX out at Tri-Pac, JaxPort and JTA will have come of age.

"Jacksonville" will build Orlando Commuter Rail!

In many ways Portland and Jacksonville are twin Sisters in different worlds, Portland get's it and Jacksonville doesn't.
Here we sit in apparent political blindness awaiting something, anything to happen with our own commuter rail plans in Jacksonville. Suddenly over the air comes the word that SUNRAIL the meaningless name for the Orlando Commuter Rail project will be built by a Jacksonville firm.

The bid was just awarded.



$163.28 Million dollars was the bid from Jacksonville based Archer Western Contractors/Rail Works, a partnership of the Parsons Transportation Group and TransSystems. There were two other bids which came in some millions higher. The work includes designing and building sections of double tracks along the rail corridor as well as building a signal system, concrete station platforms, several improved rail crossings and a control center in Sanford.

The project planners built in a give and take 15% contingency in the event the costs spiral above the estimates, as indeed they did. But in the case of our Jacksonville firm, it was only a difference of $5 Million, close enough for government work.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that: Archer Western likely will sign a formal agreement with FDOT in March and probably will start hiring staff in April. If SunRail wins the approval of the Legislature during the session that starts next month, FDOT will purchase 61.5 miles of tracks from CSX by June 30, with construction starting as early Sept. 30.

So Orlando? Is big Sister to the North jelous? Not at all, we'll gladly finance it for you, build it for you, even operate it for you over those previously Jacksonville/CSX owned tracks, but do it ourselves? Why we don't even know how to spell RALE.

Perhaps it boils down to the culture of two completely different cities. Orlando has lived in Fantasy Land since 1965, selling the dream outside of the box. Back in Jacksonville, we've been more then happy to make the bricks, stir the asphalt and haul it to the site, but we've never even seen Fantasy Land. From inside our glass towers, smokestacks and wharves, it's hard to even imagine the approach of a fast new train.


Time to pull our collective heads out!

HIGHWAYS -vs- TRANSIT AGAIN?

All Photos Jacksonville Terminal - from then - until now

bloggers collection available at the State Photographic Archives

HOW'S YOUR STIMULUS JACKSONVILLE?

Some very interesting numbers are on the screen for the long awaited stimulus, and now it looks like the same old war - Highways -VS- Mass Transit has raised it's ugly head again. I'm getting the feeling some politicians are revisiting the old National City Line's fiasco.

Our die should be cast with superb mass transit, we have it in our cards like no other city. JTA Has shattered ridership records, in fact all over Florida mass transit lifted off during the recent spike in gasoline prices. Some agency's could even be confused with NASA'S many rockets down on the Space Coast. Yet JTA, even with Streetcar, Commuter Rail, Bus Rapid Transit, Skyway, and Enhanced Bus, plans in hand, has asked for NOTHING! The Aviation Authority Director took some drawings and prints of a new super airport to Washington and single handily begged for $7 Billion dollars worth of improvements for Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). The Transit Authority Director has been to Washington many times, but so far no word on his asking for a cent. The timing couldn't be worse for our leadership

to sit on their hands.

We have a stacked deck in the US House of Representatives, with several members not only from our state but from OUR CITY! Not just any Representatives mind you but ranking members of the House Transportation Subcommittee. Even these members are flustered by the city's lack of action. Congressman and friend John Mica recently told me, "Bob get me something in my hands, get me a plan, anything!"

Amtrak, wants to expand and in a recent session at JTA, they confided that they have a plan which would, they believe, operate at a profit in Florida. With Jacksonville as the hub, they want to install a 5 train per route system to kick off Florida corridor services. Folks that would be 15 trains a day South of Jacksonville on 3 different routes, FEC, CSX "A" line, CSX "S" line, not to mention the chance of the "Gulf Wind" from Jax to New Orleans (more recently known as the Sunset Limited LA-JAX). The State has already enhanced capacity on the CSX to New Orleans and they have promised to do the same on the Florida East Coast.

Greyhound wants to move to new digs in Jacksonville as well, something close to a downtown train station (which we've closed for a nearly useless Convention Center suffering from a lack of space. So with Greyhound needing a home, and Amtrak wanting back into the old Terminal as a Florida Hub, the time is right to get that Transportation Center off the drawing boards and on the ground. By the way this center is often called the JTC (Jacksonville Transportation Center), or the "Prime Osbourne Convention Center", this blog will continue to call it by the name carved into the massive masonary over the 14 giant sandstone columns, JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL and JACKSONVILLE UNION STATION.

The Convention Center was subject of a deep study last year to find a new location with much more room. Many, many cities only a quarter of our size have much larger facilities. Orlando has a million square feet, Savannah and Mobile are in the hundreds of thousands, and we sit at about 80,000 square feet in a city that dwarfs these in size and corporate presence. This would seem like a no brainer, get that new center going up down on the beautiful riverfront downtown, and allow the greatest railroad station of the South to breath back to life.

>_______________

Here's a comment or two from today's Boston Globe:http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/02/07/another_gift_for_the_auto_industry/

Six million jobs are at stake in the American car industry . . . The only way to save the Big Three is to get people into showrooms, but 1,000 dealerships could close this year. That's 53,000 jobs that could be lost just at the dealerships."

The amendment passed 71-26.

Just four hours earlier, the Senate considered an amendment sponsored by Democrat Patty Murray of Washington that would have pumped an extra $25 billion into public works projects, including $5 billion for mass transit. The $819 billion stimulus bill passed by the House includes $12 billion for mass transit. The Senate bill had only $8.4 billion. Bill cosponsor Dianne Feinstein of California also tried to say the sky was falling. "Our highways are jammed," she said. "People go to work in gridlock."

That amendment failed by two votes. Just when millions of Americans are weaning themselves from unsustainable ways, the pork-brained Senate - with no complaint yet from Obama - remains the slick sales rep for a spent industry.

In Massachusetts, MBTA ridership set a new record with a 4.3 percent rise and the average number of riders per week on commuter rail is the highest in its 44 years. Ridership gains were far more dramatic in cities with younger histories of mass transit.

Commuter rail ridership in the third quarter of 2008 rose between 17 percent and 36 percent in Los Angeles, Dallas, Portland, Maine, Oakland, and Albuquerque. Bus ridership was up between 10 percent and 24 percent in Chicago, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Orange County. Subway and elevated-train rides rose between 11 percent and 14 percent in Atlanta, Miami, and Los Angeles. Trolley and streetcar ridership rose between 13 percent and 20 percent in Memphis, Buffalo, Denver, Minneapolis, and Sacramento.

The stimulus package should boldly be stimulating public transportation. Based on the American Automobile Association estimates of driving costs, the American Public Transportation Association calculates that Americans who rely on public transportation can save $8,368 a year.

_____________________

Now quickly tell me which city in the state of Florida consistently leads in the sad field of "Longest Commute by car".... Yep, you got it, Jacksonville. Adding more freeway lanes will not change anything, it's rather like putting a band aid on Marie Antoinette's neck. Next tell me which city in Florida has 3 major railroads, with 6 mainlines and several branches, 3 short lines, a world port, a new Cruise Port in the works, River Taxi's and completely belted by Interstate Highways? It sure ain't MICKEY MOUSE.

But a Mickey Mouse like cartoon character of leadership or the lack thereof, that they are literally fiddling while Rome Burns. Jacksonville burned to the ground too, on May 1, 1901, in a fire that rivaled San Francisco, Charleston and Chicago. But the Great Jacksonville Fire didn't do near as much permanent damage to our city's livability as this current crop in City Hall and our Transportation Authority. Someday there won't be a stimulus package, someday we won't have ready plans to build, someday we won't have the US House stacked in our favor.

Someday... Jacksonville? It's time to pull our collective heads out!

God have mercy on us, look what we have done behind and to the left of that great hub.

JacksonvilleTerminal
JohnMica
Amtrak
FloridaHighSpeedRail
FDOT
JohnPeyton
JTA

This is What You Get Jacksonville ! Conclusion.

Yesterdays post just touched the tip of the iceberg of what it means for Jacksonville to become the railroad hub of Florida again. Today we'll add just a few more jobs that will pop-up around town as a result:

We don't need a building, and we need a new and larger convention center, wouldn't that be a win - win situation for our city? Just look at our grand old station, hub of nothing, when it could be the crown jewel of Florida Railroading once again.

Amazing the amount of fresh foods that go on board a train, this isn't your fathers 5 PM flight to Chicago, no, this could be the Dixie Flyer with a full menu and a full and well paid chef's staff.

Now multiply this by every train and crew that goes in and out of the city and it starts to add up fast.

A new cruise terminal at Mayport? Charter Buses full of happy passengers that originate at Jacksonville Union Station, move to the downtown hotels, shop in the central city, and cruise from our beaches. The only missing element is the train.


Needless to say Amtrak, SunRail, Tampa Commuter Rail, and Jacksonville Commuter Rail are going to have to have a place to put those cars that are on lay-over or not in service for a few hours. Security? Clean Industry? Car Cleaners?

When those trains come in from the North they are going to divide into two trains, each using a different route to South Florida. Trains coming in from the South will be combining into a single longer train for the trek North, no other railroad terminal in the United States is better located to lead the nation in train breakdown and makeup movements, including St. Louis, Chicago, New York, or Washington. This spells a host of new transportation jobs working 24/7 switching duties at our terminal.

How many service industries are represented in this photo? Oh and by the way this isn't plastic airplane food either. Who raises those steaks in that dining car? Florida ranchers? Why not? Is that REAL FLORIDA sea salt? Anchor Hocking China? Flowers too? Yeah, and guess which state and wholesale markets lead in THAT industry? (uh, don't look too far).

"Our Restaurants Feature Changing Views", so said the Atlantic Coast Line brochure for tourism to Jacksonville and Florida in the early 1960's. Guess what? THEY STILL DO!
Who are these guys? Private Car Owners? What the? It's one of those if you have to ask, you probably can't afford one. Having a landscaped Private Car Track with full RV Type Services located next to our station (just as in the old days) guarantees us a steady flow of executive visits and charter trains from the NFL Games to the Who's Who of American Business Enterprise.

"Oh look Mildred, there goes the Private Car "Georgia"," just imagine that it is home based here. "Guess who's coming to dinner," indeed!

Did you know it REALLY IS? Along with a number of CSX, FEC, and private business cars hidden all around town. Just imagine if we could host them, board them and cater to them from the columns of that grand old terminal.

This is what a true railroad Terminal will get you Jacksonville. Sanford knows it, Orlando wants it, Tampa is watching, and we are fiddling away without leadership. How many military campaigns were lost by generals that got comfortable thinking they had everything they needed to be invincible? Oh hell Jacksonville, we don't even have a general.

Amtrak
John Peyton
Jacksonville Chamber Of Commerce
JTA

THE JAXPORT FIX WITH MAPS

Current Rail Access to JAXPORT's Port Of Gold.

Investors paradise? Considering that some 2 Million Containers a year will start pouring from the Tri-Pac/Hanjin/MOL Line's new ship terminals within two years, JAXPORT might be one of the only bright spots in the economy. It does however, offer a huge opportunity for railroad investment or betterment to increase access to the port for all carriers. Rail, THIS is where the opportunity for a mega project lay just beneath the surface of the current maps of the Port.


On this map we see some of the lines have changed hands - some of this is coming with Commuter Rail anyway. Possible Neutral access for all rail carriers with State and Local purchase of all Terminal Trackage and the start of Jacksonville Commuter Rails North Line. With reconstruction of the old "S" line (Former Mainline of the Seaboard Railroad now owned by the City) Florida East Coast and Norfolk Southern would enjoin CSX with total access.

In this scene, we see what happens if Commuter Rail North becomes Light-Rail and CSX maintains a stranglehold on the booming North side Port Terminals. Call this scene OPPORTUNITY knocking. The immense warehouse districts on the West Side and Northwest side of Jacksonville being connected to the Booming northeast area Port via a ready made right-of-way, under Jacksonville Electric Authority Power lines. This northern "BELT RAILROAD" touching as it does (or could) the Southern boundary's of the International Airport would thus Perice the Free Trade Zone. With FEC as a partner, it gives Norfolk Southern access to the fastest growth area in Florida.

It could go either way, one thing is certain, change for the better is right around the bend and World Ports already know, Jacksonville is on stage. Someone grab a shovel.

JacksonvilleFlorida
JaxPort
international shipping
Port of Gold
JacksonvilleTransportation Authority
CSXT
FloridaEastCoast
NorfolkSouthern
TalleyrandTerminal
JaxPortAccess
Tri Pac Terminal

JAXPORT RAIL ACCESS AND A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO FIX IT

Several times people from around the world have tapped into this blog looking for information on the port location and railroad access here in Jacksonville. I thought we'd look at this from both the positives of rapid growth which has earned us the nickname "The Port Of Gold", to the negatives of piecemeal rail services.


First the location of JAXPORT. Consider if you will a major seaport that is located exactly 1/2 way between Miami, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. This location puts 2/3 Rds of the population of the United States within 24 hours from our docks to your containers destination. One also has to surrender the old thinking of the East Coast as a rather straight line - similar to the west coast of the United States, it's simply not true. In fact the East Coast of the USA reaches so far east that in Maine it is only across a river from the "Atlantic Time Zone". Boston is South of that locale, and New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington are not only South but quite west of Maines Location. There is a slight buldge just sough of Norfolk, Virginia, in the storm prone Carolina Outter Banks, but then as the coast continues South it also continues West. The Western Most Port on the Atlantic Ocean is Jacksonville, Florida's, JAXPORT.


JAXPORT is so far west that if you drew a line on a globe you might be amazed to find the lat.-long. GPS cordinates for Jacksonville to be N 30.33and W 81.65 compaire this with Boston, Massachucetts 42°. 20' N and 71° .06' W, Jacksonville is a full 10 degrees West. The real shock to most citizens is when they note that Jacksonville is almost directly below, CLEVELAND, OHIO at: 41.46' N and 81.65' W. This means as an East coast port and beach city, we're 128 miles west of Pittsburgh, Pensylvannia - and far enough south that cold winters or large mountain ranges need not play a part in your shipping or travel worries. Just how far west is west? Well you could ship and travel from the West Florida Ports of Key West or Naples, but Jacksonville is just as far west as they are. In fact the whole pensulia of Florida is angled back toward the South and EAST so as one travels south, the East coast of Florida moves farther and farther East of the Panama Canal.


Why not just build in Miami, West Palm Beach, Naples or Tampa? Frankly these are all nice cities blessed with beautiful weather, but their port and transportation space is used up on the east coast, and the prices are in the stratosphere. Tampa and Naples on the other hand have room and decent development prices, but they are locked into a single rail carrier and shallow water with a Interstate Highway bridge restricting the height of all traffic in and out of Tampa Bay.


The fact that Jacksonville is the sole railroad gateway to Florida is quite important to shipping lines, industrial concerns, warehousing complexes and travelers. Being located near the Georgia border at the base of Florida's Crown, Jacksonville is 500 miles from Key West. So unless you are shipping all of your cargo within Florida, that's 500 extra miles more or less, of transportation on every container or every passenger. Going West with that shipment or trip? Pensacola is another 400 miles West from Jacksonville. So locating elsewhere in this state could add as much as 900 miles to your transportation costs just to get out of Florida. Most people are amazed that it's much less distance from New York City to Chicago, then from Key West to Pensacola, Florida. In fact Pensacola is closer to St. Louis, Missouri, then the lower coasts of Florida.


So what is the hangup with JAXPORT and rail transportation? Nothing that couldn't be fixed with some creative investments, either private or public.

Jacksonville Port Authority
JacksonvilleFlorida
JaxPort
international shipping
Port of Gold
JacksonvilleTransportation Authority
CSXT
FloridaEastCoast
NorfolkSouthern
TalleyrandTerminal
JaxPortAccess
Tri Pac Terminal