GO TO THE BACK OF THE BUS - OVER THE TOP IN JACKSONVILLE

COULD JTA BE A PIONEER?

For many years the phrase "Go to the back of the bus," had a terrible and racist connotation to it. Images of Ms. Rosa Parks, refusing to surrender her seat, and the subsequent race riots of the 1960's. From that point on, the terms used to describe poor bus service came to be either, "The back of the bus," or "The short bus".

According to City records, The Jacksonville Traction Company, was successful in ousting the segregation laws by 1930. At that time most of the States of the Southeastern part of the country had strict racial segregation on all public transportation. A recent visit to the Texas Electric Railroad Museum in Plano (north of Dallas) allowed me to see first hand some small brass flag like devices mounted over the rear passenger seats in the coach. When one pulls the lever down a etched sign drops out of the wall that says simply "COLORED".

Commuters as far west as Dallas were apparently separated well into the 1940's, 50's or early 60's. Not so on the true deep south streetcars in Jacksonville. The fact growing up in Jacksonville in this same era, I recall the typical fuss on the bus was who was going to get to sit in the back of the bus! Somehow, perhaps starting with our streetcar routes, we were "Back of the Bus pioneers."







Once again we are toying with a back of the bus experience. As one of the most sprawled cities in the nation, largest in land mass in the lower 48 states, we have some pretty painful commutes. Among the leading congestion area's are service to our beach cities within Duval County, Orange Park in Clay County and Ponte Vedra in St. Johns County. There is simply no way to get to these bedroom communities via bus or car without spending an hour or so stuck in near gridlock.

12 years ago JTA took delivery on 3 MCI (Motor Coach Industries) over the road - Commuter Configured - Motor Coaches. No mere city bus these are the thoroughbred, air suspended, inter-city style rolling salons. People scoffed at the idea that the high rollers in places like Ponte Vedra or Sawgrass would ever ride the bus. Then they tried them out in a joint demonstration program between MCI and JTA.



So what did Jacksonville think about them? Here are the surveys...

WS50 Free Ride Survey Results:

9 Total completed Surveys.


Did you like your ride?

Responses: 9 Yes

0 No


Comparable to other JTA buses:

Responses: More comfortable, Quiet, Nice, Climate Controlled, Smooth Ride, Cleaner, Smells Nice.


Like Most?

Responses: Comfort, Reclining Seats, Cleanliness, Quite, Smoother Ride, More Room, Climate Controlled, Spacious.


Like Least?

Responses: No Stewardess, Intercom System, NOTHING, Smell.


Other Comments: It was great, thanks for the free week. We want this bus permanent on WS50! Better bus for 30 minute trip. Great job. Nice to have this bus all the time. Please add TV’s to bus. Would be more inclined to ride bus with a bus like this on route.


BH50 Free Ride Survey Results

37 Total Completed Surveys.


Did you like your ride?

Responses: 37 Yes

0 No


Comparable to other JTA buses:

Responses: Wonderful, Better, Great Smell, Ride, Step Above, Don’t Compare, Smoother, Less Noise, Personal Space, Clean, Enjoyable, Green to the Environment, The Bomb, No Comparison, Nice Seats, Convenient, Better, More Seats, Want to see it in Service Soon, Computer Compatible, Less Noise, Cozy, Love the Details, Seems like a faster ride.


Like Most?

Responses: Seats, See more Sites, Cleanliness, Individual Lights, Quiet, Comfort, The Driver, Smooth, Coach Style, Luggage Bins, Leg Room, Nice Seats, Reclining Chairs, Electrical Outlets, EVERYTHING, Look, Smell, Fun,


Like Least?

Responses: NOTHING, Overhead Lights, Knowing it Won’t Stick Around, Narrow Isles, Entrance Steps, Not Equipped for Handicapped, Narrower Seats.


Other Comments: Thank You! Awesome Bus. BH50 is GREAT! Just thanks a lot! Wish all buses were as nice as this. Keep providing better service. Do not change this bus. With increased taxes, this is what JTA should be like. Want this bus permanent. Get more like this. I like the ride. Please keep this bus on route. Let’s keep going JTA, Thank You! Thank You. We need this everyday. Get more buses like this. We need more of these buses, please!


X2 Free Ride Survey Results:

29 Total completed Surveys.


Did you like your ride?

Responses: 29 Yes

0 No


Comparable to other JTA buses:

Responses: Quite, Roomier, Better, Nicer, Smoother Ride, Clean, No Ads on Windows, New Seats, No Comparison, Quieter, Cleaner, Superior, Additional Accessories, Heater works, This is the best, Smell good.


Like Most?

Responses: Seats, Smooth Ride, Very Pleasant, Quieter, Smoother Ride, Seats, It was new and smelled great!, Quite, Heater Works, Reclining padded seats, Reclining Seats, No wind noise, Reading Lights, Comfortable, Blue Isle Lights, Roomier, Bright and Clean, Great suspension, Kudos, High Back Seats, Reading Lights, Adjustable Vents, Smells Good.



Other Comments: Good to have new bus. You’re doing a great job! Love it! Overhead storage is seldom used. Very nice. Please consider adding to X2 route! We want TV’s showing news, sports, etc. Please remove ads from windows.Buses like this would encourage riders. Keep this bus!



X4 Free Ride Survey Results:

8 Total completed Surveys.


Did you like your ride?

Responses: 8 Yes

0 No


Comparable to other JTA buses:

Responses: No comparison, Clean, Comfy seats, New, Nice, Smooth ride, Likes handles, and reclining seats, Delux.


Like Most?

Responses: Relaxing, Smell, Comfy, Good condition, Everything, Tall backs, Cushioned seats, Quite, Clean, Lighted interior, Nice Bell, No PSAs.


Like Least?

Responses: Hope lights and AC vents last longer, Driver could not operate the AC, Not enough leg room.


Other Comments: I will only ride this bus or one comparable!



That last comment, "I will only ride this bus or one comparable" says a volume about what is wrong with a City Bus on a long commute and what is right about a proper vehicle. As often happens on long commutes into suburbia the neighborhood end point may be higher income, white collar, executive type, choice riders. These are people who normally would never darken the door of a transit bus.

Many managers and executives see their automobile as a sort of cool down asylum. Though it might mean sitting in traffic for a hour, it's a chance to listen to music or catch up on the news in a familiar, non threatening environment. But what if we could do better? What if he or she could watch the TV news on the way home? What if they could catch up on their notes? Work an hour on the Laptop? Play a game? Use the restroom? Get a cup of coffee? Hold a meeting? Eat a pastry? Wash your hands? Sleep? What if all of this could be done while moving down the freeway in complete security?

While the brand name of the coach may vary from agency to agency, according to local preference, this could be done with MCI, Prevost-Volvo, Silver Eagle, Van Hool or any other line of fine motor coaches.

Until now the deluxe coach has been the exclusive world of the upper end charter and tour business. Maybe it's time for a change. Jacksonville is leading the way in this area, by considering a completely new type of coach.



Maybe it's time for a hybrid, part commuter and part railroad lounge car? Ever heard it said that more major business deals have been brokered in the lounge cars of the New York area commuter trains then any other place on earth? Then why has it taken the industry so long to catch that attraction and wrap it up in a coach? While the idea is still in the developmental stage, it's interesting to speculate on the merits of this concept. Indeed if it's ordered in Jacksonville, it won't be a ride but more like a destination. Imagine the possibilities. Go to the back of the Bus? I can't wait.

Photos courtesy of MCI, PREVOST CAR - Volvo, SILVER EAGLE

JACKSONVILLE AND FLORIDA BLOW THE STIMULUS

Photo Credit: MetroJacksonville.com

"UP IN SMOKE"

"Kind of grabs youby the boo-boo, don't it?"

Stimulus? President Obama? Mass Transit? Sorry Florida, but our state is so out of touch that we completely blew this opportunity. Leading the charge is the "Jacksonville Stimulus List". Lot's of ditches to dig, some drain pipes, paint and a few more miles of sprawling roadways is what we want. Jacksonville, and Florida, in absolute ignorance of the vividly apparent intent of the legislation. SPRAWL CITY, the Nation's largest in land area, is expected to top 3.2 Million persons within the next 40 years. One has to wonder if JTA or City Hall have any plans for transit in this future megalopolis with bus headway's closer then every 45 minutes?

What about our other plans? Jacksonville has a host of juicy new plans and drawings for a comprehensive regional transportation system. A mix of Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, Streetcars, Light Rail Transit, Commuter Rail and our Skyway (Monorail).

Recent meetings have solidified the BRT starter line through Springfield north past Gateway Mall and out Lem Turner Road all the way to the I-295 Beltway.

Recent TV shows have given us a look at the exciting return of Jacksonville's once famous streetcar lines. Routes have been generalized and only the process of naming streets, environment impact and track laying stand in our way.

Light Rail Transit lines, which is to say, an electric streetcar type vehicle of a slightly larger size and much faster, have surprisingly shown up in some of the previously "certain" BRT corridors.

Commuter Rail? Oh, we are simply an agreement in Tallahassee with CSX or a deal between Tallahassee and Amtrak to kick one of our 4 commuter lines into being. Over 90 miles of plans have been drawn up.

Our Skyway has been our poor stepchild long enough, now with this package we have the chance to move it to the Stadium on Bay Street, Across and into the FCCJ Campus in the North side, Into Riverside, and on to San Marco at Atlantic. Oh sure some of these plans are old, but we have them in hand, we own the right-of-way, we have the trains... How long would it really take for a team of engineers to recheck those plans and stamp them approved?

Jacksonville indeed has a bright future if we follow our dreams and take action, using the full advantage of the stimulus package or the one that may follow this first effort.

"Hey, man...

am I driving okay?

I thinkwe're parked, man.

I thinkwe're parked, man.

Oh, shit."

From Green Car Congress:

Responding to a question from a city councilwoman about transportation and infrastructure in the stimulus bill during a town hall forum in Ft. Myers, Florida, President Obama said that the days of just building sprawl are over.


From a transcript provided by Transportation for America:

Not only do we need to rebuild our roads, our bridges, our ports, our levies, our dams, but we also have to plan for the future. This is the same example of turning crisis into opportunity…Now, look, this is America. We always had the best infrastructure. We were always willing to invest in the future. Governor Crist mentioned Abraham Lincoln. In the middle of the Civil War, in the midst of all this danger and peril, what did he do? He helped move the intercontinental railroad. He helped start land grant colleges. He understood that even when you’re in the middle of crisis, you’ve got to keep your eye on the future. So transportation is not just fixing our old transportation systems but its also imaging new transportation systems.

That’s why I’d like to see high speed rail where it can be constructed. That’s why I would like to invest in mass transit because potentially that’s energy efficient and I think people are alot more open now to thinking regionally in terms of how we plan our transportation infrastructure. The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody recognizes that that’s not a smart way to build communities. So we should be using this money to help spur this kind of innovative thinking when it comes to transportation. That will make a big difference.

Does this mean we will get our dream transit in Jacksonville? It CERTAINLY DOES MEAN that if ask, we would receive in this area. With typical vision of our current mayor and transit authority, we didn't bother! NOT ONE CENT REQUESTED FOR TRANSIT OF ANY KIND. Not only us, but for the most part the entire State of Florida failed miserably. So while we have put out the hand for ditches and culverts and paint, we haven't done a damn thing to build up a developable cosmopolitan infrastructure. An infrastructure that no doubt would have created thousands of new jobs in a vibrant and livable city.

"This will mellow you out, man.

What is this, man?

Just take them.

Hey, don't take those, man.

What?

I almost gave you the wrong shit, man.

I already took them, man.

Ho ho ho ho!

What do you mean ho ho ho ho?

Wow, man!

What was that shit, man?

You just ate the most acid

I've ever seen anybody eat in my life.

I never had no acid before, man.

I hope you're not busy for about a month."

Excerpts from Cheech and Chongs Screenplay "Up In Smoke" (A survivors guide to Jacksonville)

Jacksonville Development
Mayor John Peyton
Amtrak
Railroad Hub
Florida Rail Passenger Corridor
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Mark Wilson CEO FLCofC
Florida Transportation
FDOT
JTA
Jacksonville Chamber Of Commerce

ANOTHER BILLION FOR THE PORT OF GOLD

Sunrise over the St. Johns River - Just beyond this scene, around the bend is The Port Of Gold.

How Long Until The All Aboard?

Finally, some great news from a City that isn't falling apart. Another Billion in economic impact, hundreds of millions in new spending, and at least 5,500 more jobs.

Now the Transit and infrastructure race is on.

As Jacksonville scrambles to improve the parkways around the St. Johns River, the sea port is gobbling up land faster then a starving badger in a meat shop. Even in this time of credit crunches and cut-backs we're on a roll.

A trip along Zoo Parkway or Hecksher Drive is like driving through Disney World when it was nothing but endless dirt and dozier's. Miles and miles of dirt and dozier's.

Every bridge along the waterway, which Floridians know crosses countless estuary rivers and creeks, are having to be rebuilt for container traffic.

Up in the CSX Railroad tower downtown, plans call for a new freight rail line which will go North from JaxPort along the old Seaboard mainline, then cross over to the current CSX Jacksonville-Folkston mainline on the old Gross Cut-Off.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is wrestling with conceptual ideas on Commuter Rail to the foot of Zoo Parkway, Dunn Avenue and I-295E. From those stations buses, either regular transit buses or BRT could take the hordes of new employees to and from their jobs.

Some may recall with humor the funny advertisements Jacksonville Economic Development ran back in the 1970's. "Why are thousands of New Yorkers leaving town for the BIG CITY? - JACKSONVILLE!" But my hands down favorite was, "Ask any Atlantian the way to THE PORT - JACKSONVILLE!" Atlantians, got up in arms over those full page spreads, but it's all water under the keel now. Since that time we have long since trumped Atlanta's population within our corporate boundary's. Time will tell if there is a another transportation office tower rising on the banks of our majestic river.

FROM THE ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE:

After months of negotiations, Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd.’s board of directors has approved a 30-year lease with the Jacksonville Port Authority.

The South Korean company, which has its U.S. corporate headquarters in Atlanta, will open a $300 million container terminal in Jacksonville and have it operating in late 2011. The move will create more than 5,600 jobs and have a nearly $1 billion annual impact, according to JaxPort officials.

Construction of the 88-acre terminal facility is expected to take about two years once the permitting process is complete. It will be adjacent to the TraPac Container Terminal, which will be open in January 2008 to handle Mitsui OSK Lines.

“This is the one-two punch we have been working toward,” said Jaxport Executive Director Rick Ferrin in a news release. “TraPac put us on the map. Hanjin makes JaxPort a major player in Asian and European trade and together the new terminals help fulfill our mission of bringing jobs and opportunity to the region.”

The Hanjin terminal will be the company’s first dedicated operation on the East Coast and will capitalize on the increased traffic spurred the expansion of the Panama Canal.

****************************************************

FROM THE JACKSONVILLE BUSINESS JOURNAL:

Jaxport, Hanjin complete terminal deal
Officials with the Jacksonville Port Authority and Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd. put the finishing touches on a 30-year lease for 90 acres Wednesday.

The South Korean company’s $300 million container terminal at Dames Point, which is expected to be operating in late 2011, will create more than 5,600 jobs and have a nearly $1 billion annual impact, according to Jaxport officials.

Jaxport Executive Director Rick Ferrin said the deal is part of Jaxport’s goal of being a global gateway and having different types of cargo flowing through the port.

“Hanjin is a key development to that success and vision,” Ferrin said.

Hanjin Senior Vice President C.S. Choi said the company’s Jacksonville terminal will be the most efficient automated terminal Florida has ever seen.

Construction on the terminal is expected to take about two years once the permitting process is completed. It will be adjacent to the TraPac Container Terminal, which will open next month to handle Mitsui OSK Lines. The addition of Hanjin, which operates 200 ships, will triple the cargo-handling capacity at the port.

When finished, the terminal will be able to handle up to a million containers annually.

*************************************************

So there you have it, another DONE DEAL in Jacksonville's Port Of Gold. Watch the lift off of Commuter Rail and BRT in the very near future, as this sleeping giant rockets toward a new position as America's 9TH or 10TH largest city. Boisterous? You bet, I call it home town pride - just watch us grow.

The $100 Million dollar question is how long until we get off our collective wallets and build the promised Rapid Transit lines?

Port of Gold
JaxPort
international shipping
hanjin

HIGHWAY HIJINK'S AND MUSHY MAYORAL MATH

Just another Jacksonville rush hour

At a meeting of US Mayors, some very interesting items came up for consideration by the Public Transportation World. Stimulus is the catch word of the hour and everyone is looking for a piece of this golden fleece as the nation try's to spend itself rich.

Here in Jacksonville, our Mayor, John Peyton, just shocked the City last week with a call for a new $100 Million dollars of local spending to jump start the economy. Where pray-tell will the Mayor find $100 Million dollars laying around - useless? Why the funding for the Transit arm of our Transportation Authority of course. Currently the JTA enjoys a 1/2 cent on the dollar appropriation from the City. The Mayor wants to take that money away, money that was promised to the Transit Needy and Transit Savvy citizens of Jacksonville when we agreed to remove the tolls from our many bridges. So now Transit will have no toll money and no City money except that Peyton's big idea is to link the Transit funding with monthly sales tax revenue. In other words, 35+ years of Amtrak disasters look like success to this guy, after all, he now wants the same funding program for JTA.

I wonder if his daddy hadn't made a fortune in Gate Concrete and Gate Petroleum and bought him a mayoral ticket, how he would feel? He claims his $100 Million in new highways will create thousands of jobs and cause JaxPort (also know as The Port of Gold) to blossom even faster. Fat chance, (non transit type's should know that a single interchange can cost $150 Million). So where are these jobs going to come from? Not one mayor in any of the cities at the meeting had a clue. Tuscon, Arizona calculates that a $30 Million dollar road program in that City will cause 1,050 jobs. Certainly some sort of new version of the tired old "Trickle Down Economics" of Tricky Dicky and The Late Great Ronald Reagan.

If Jacksonville uses Tuscon's numbers as an example, the Mayors great rescue will amount to 3,500 new jobs in a metro of 1.4 Million people. BIG DEAL. One has to wonder how many of these jobs will be screeding concrete at Gate Products? Even if 500 of those jobs were professional trades and construction related, what happens when the money runs out? Of course we could just sell another bus. So are the other 3,000 jobs going to be burger flippers at the corner Gate Gas Station? You bet they will.

Oh but Mr. Mayor, you forgot that those folks won't make enough money to buy an automobile to get to work in this, the most sprawled, and largest City in land area in the Western Hemisphere. So they'll just take the bus right? OOP'S tossed those out for another guard rail on I-10, just another of our soon to be 4 interstate highways built with Gate Concrete.

Let's look at the mayors conference, from the Arizona Star:

$110 million for a new streetcar system that is scheduled to receive $87 million from the Regional Transportation Authority and requires only $75 million in new funding to complete.
Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup said the projects were included on the list submitted to the Conference of Mayors because that's what they wanted.

"They said 'Give us your list of things that are ready to go,'" he said.

Some of those on Tucson's list, however, are not on its five-year construction plan.

And Walkup said that if the feds picked up the tab for something like the streetcar project, "we'd probably have to pay them back."

Monday's report is in response to statements last month by President-elect Barack Obama saying he wants to create or save 2.5 million jobs by 2011.

Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, who chairs the conference, said that dovetails with the needs of cities that have infrastructure projects facing them.

"We need to invest where we can get the biggest return," Diaz said at a press conference in Washington. "We are not here for a bailout."

But if Tucson's job-creation figures are any indicator, the claim that projects from the 427 cities surveyed would create 850,000 jobs may be questionable.

Consider the item seeking $30 million for pavement rehabilitation and preservation, which Tucson says will mean 1,050 jobs.

Walkup said that does not mean 1,050 people filling potholes.

So where does the number come from?

"Nobody could explain it to me adequately," the mayor said. The best answer he got, Walkup said, was the idea that money spent on the projects would "trickle through our community."
"This is going to improve dry cleaners and people that are in the service industry by virtue of the fact that capital money is spreading," he said.

So Mayor Diaz of Miami says we need to invest where we'll get the most return. Great idea. Let's look at The Port Of Gold - JaxPort. Certainly nobody would suggest a Port that will triple in size in as many years should go wanting. But to rob the city of an already sketchy Bus System, and kill hopes for Rapid Transit in the process? That is just rabidly short-sighted. For all of these new Port highways, has one moments thought been given to a neutral railroad access or terminal company? Shhhh! We wouldn't want to tick off the resident brass hats in the CSX tower downtown.

But aren't Tuscon, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Sarasota all planning streetcars. Yes they are but the Florida Cities won't let the cat out of the bag. Why? Maybe it's because Jacksonville has already raided the Ports from Seattle to Key West to Bangor, and positioned itself to become the second or third largest port in the nation in a few years. God knows we wouldn't want any of that success to spill over to Mass Transit.

What success you say? Well, Tuscon is planning a complete modern streetcar system for a mere $110 Million Dollars - COMPLETE. I'm sitting here with two studies on my desk that say Jacksonville could self fund and have Commuter Rail with rebuilt RDC cars up and running next year for about $50 Million or half of the Mayors highway hijinks's.

Would the Streetcars make money? Of course they will, they'll make as much as City Library System, The City Parks and all those roads the mayor is so fond of. But it's the fallout from streetcars that is so attractive to everyone but Jacksonville's leaders. Tampa, for example built a historic tourist type streetcar only a mile or so in length and has seen $1.5 Billion in economic development follow along it's route. Isolated case? I think not. St. Louis Metro-Link Light Rail, $4.5 Billion in new development, Portland, Oregon, has reaped a cool $6.5 Billion.

This isn't hamburgers Mr. Mayor, this is real development, condos, retail, light industrial and corporate headquarters that follow the rails wherever they lead.

Oh, I almost forgot, we have THE PORT. Who needs a $6.5 Billion dollar legacy project when our children's children look at those big chain link fences and say, "Teacher told me to thank Mayor Peyton for dat daddy." Of course the kids will have to have a way to get to the port and Peyton won't be getting any credit for that little oversight.

So here we sit on a pile of cash, able to self fund rail if we so desire. Keeping our brain trust in our neither region's has crippled the council, defamed the mayor, and sent the press off on wild tales about losing money on rail. They say a photo is worth 1,000 words so let me insert one for our consideration:

Meanwhile having blown the whistle on this self serving foolishness, I find myself deep in an old and familiar drama:

--Do not arouse the wrath....

-- Toto at my feet --

--CAMERA PANS right with him as he runs to a veil that hangs near the throne steps

-- PEYTON'S VOICE ...of the Great and Powerful PEYTON! I said -- come back tomorrow!

-- Bob speaks as he looks to the right

-- CAMERA PULLS back to Toto - starts to pull back Peyton's veil

--Bob, "If you were really great and powerful, you'd keep your promises, talk to you constituents and educate yourself!"

--PEYTON'S VOICE Do you presume to criticize the....

-- Toto pulls back the veil to reveal the Mayor at the controls of the throne apparatus

-- his back to the camera PEYTON'S VOICE ...Great PEYTON?

--You ungrateful 800 Pound Monster of Mobility!

-- The press folds and reacts with fear

-- PEYTON'S VOICE Think yourselves lucky that I'm...giving you audience tomorrow, instead of....

-- The Mayor at the controls -- his back to camera -- he speaks into the microphone

-- he turns, looks and sees that the veil is gone

-- reacts and turns back to the controls

-- PEYTON'S VOICE ...twenty years from now.

--Oh -- oh oh! The Great PEYTON has spoken! Oh -- Oh PEYTON'S VOICE Oh - I - Pay no.......attention to that man behind the curtain. Go - before I lose my temper! The Great and Powerful ---Peyton has... uh....yes....spoken.

This scene is repeated over and over all across America, as the grass roots Mass Transit Advocates try and educate the public. As for Jacksonville and the Oil and Concrete Mayor?

No disrespect intended Mr. Mayor, but you won't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining!

monorail
highway
jacksonville transportation authority

Florida - JACKSONVILLE WARNED - Over Commuter Rail Fumbles

Photos: Rep. John Mica, R-Florida
CSX Trout River Bridge on Jacksonville Northside

FLORIDA WARNED OVER COMMUTER RAIL FAILURES

Mica Warns Florida Officials Over CSX DealPosted May 2, 2008 by Lindsay PetersonUpdated May 2, 2008 at 04:21 PM

U.S. Rep. John Mica, a long-time advocate of the deal to pay CSX more than half a billion dollars as part of a Central Florida commuter rail project, has sent Gov. Charlie Crist and state Senate leaders a letter warning of dire consequences to Florida federal transportation projects if deal doesn’t go through.

Earlier this afternoon, he called state Sen. Mike Fasano’s office with a message for Fasano’s aide. The aide noted:

“Congressman Mica called again. He asked me to send you the message that he is greatly concerned about the commuter rail issue. He said he is willing to close down all transportation projects down until this issue is dealt with. He mentioned the possibility of asking the governor for a special session if this issue is not dealt with.”

The deal is facing trouble in the final hours of the state legislative session, and its most prominent supporter, state Sen. Dan Webster, has declared it dead.
Mica also wrote a letter today on his office stationery to Gov. Charlie Crist, Senate President Ken Pruitt, Majority Leader Dan Webster and Minority Leader Steve Geller.

It read:
“Dear Gov. Crist and Members of the Florida Senate:
“As the Legislature concludes its business, it is absolutely imperative that the legislature grant final approval to proceed with the Central Florida Commuter Rail project. Failure to do so will have dire consequences affecting all transportation projects and federal transportation infrastructure revenues to the state, affecting all districts.

“Members of the Crist administration and the Legislature should know that in 2009, the Congress will be required to take up a new five-year transportation and infrastructure project authorization bill. Inaction by the Legislature on this project will significantly damage Florida’s credibility and standing on every future project that requires federal authorization. I have today consulted with Congresswoman Corinne Brown who chairs the Railroad Subcommittee, and who is my senior Democratic Transportation and Infrastructure Committee colleague in the House, and she joins me in expressing our concern at this critical juncture.
“We cannot stress enough the importance of improving this project prior to the conclusion of this session, or if necessary, a special session of the Legislature.

“Sincerely,
“John L. Mica”

Union Station is it Transportation Center or Social Darwinism?

A REAL TRANSPORTATION CENTER OR SOCIAL DARWINISM IN JACKSONVILLE

Belgian Railways are hard at work with passenger expansion programs. One has to wonder how a tiny country-state in the European Union can do such things and mighty Uncle Sam and his lovely daughter Florida can't. Miami, Tampa and Orlando are also working on true one-stop centers for Transportation. Ocala's is up and running, and Miami's will share airport-rail-metro-bus all in one place, amazing foresight. We keep talking about Jacksonville Transportation Center, yet our plans are scattering it all over LaVilla. Thus it will not be a "Center" in the classic sense, more like a Transportation Neighborhood. In a still somewhat parochial city like Jacksonville, the bait or carrot, seems to be "Amtrak". We'll move Amtrak back to the old station, and send all of the JTA buses (the stick) and Monorail down there to get those unfortunate passengers out. Meanwhile, Greyhound, (the big-dog stick) will bite and send it's coaches out of downtown. Thus in one swoop, we move Amtrak from a horrible location to a better position, offer escape, and get the "smelly bus patrons" out of our path. Is this Transit Planning or "social engineering?" We wiped out a prosperous African-American business district and very historic neighborhood for this. Now we have a "moonscape" on the West side of downtown and nothing to show for it. Could it be we WANT to scatter these various passengers and NOT bring them into a true center? Could it be this won't be where right meets left, rich sits with poor, and lions and lambs all converge in peace? Why would a City with millions of ground passengers annually, want to run those dollars away from either the City Core businesses, The grand old Union Station, (which contains acres of space for malls and shops) or a centralized tourism generator? Suspect - YOU BET! Watch this Darwinism carefully to see if the powers that be keep the useless "Convention Center" in place until the rail and bus stations are up and running. Just long enough to FORCE us to scatter out the masses of "undesirables", then suddenly the whole convention show will leap out for the downtown or the stadium district. Watch this closely, as our hypocrisy seems to know no end. Apocalyptic planning on a grand scale. Someone prove me wrong please! I would hate for these foriegn guests label us the City that is Minorität frei. It would appear that the Belgians don't have these problems. Perhaps, they just like everybody to come together, smile on their brother and love one another right now..." Antwerpen Central (pictured) and the North-South Junction projects are part of the Brussels-Amsterdam improvement program.

The River the City the Sea

Standing His Post, originally uploaded by Digit_AL.

The spirit of moving is an eternal factor in Jacksonville as the river flows northward toward the sea. Our bronzed sailor stares forever toward new and exotic horizons. He'll turn his back on his home port for months on end, until the day the whole city rejoyces over his ships return. Welcome home to Jacksonville.

The Story of Jacksonville Transportation, or "How to snatch defeat from the jaws of Victory!"