tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576993731992352882.post6309780669641024910..comments2024-03-04T03:21:18.316-05:00Comments on Eye On Tampa Bay: Hillsborough's Leaders Ride the Train to FailureEyeOn TampaBayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11804489795079963473noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576993731992352882.post-86484027634356988092020-03-10T18:33:26.377-04:002020-03-10T18:33:26.377-04:00So The Times "journalist" knows a lot ab...So The Times "journalist" knows a lot about transportation? The politicians riding the train are transit experts? Are the politicians feeding the story to the Times stenographer "fair and balanced"? Your appeal to authority to the non-experts does not help your case, especially when we've been tracking, research, and writing on this issue for over 10 years. <br /><br />For some further historical perspective, another slightly earlier 19th century technology before rail was used to settle this country. Horse and buggy. The glory days of horse and buggy are gone, just like rail. <br /><br />The real point, as we back up with data missing from the Times report, is that rail is tremendously expensive and moves relatively few people. Not to mention we'd get 10 miles of rail 20 years from now. This is not a serious effort to improve anyone in Hillsborough's mobility. Roads are far from perfect, and are screwed up largely by the same political class that believes in transit miracles. But people vote with their actions of driving, despite the risk of congestion and delays, rather than taking the SunRail, which has been running for several years with poor ridership. Why is that? <br /><br />SunRail, Tri-Rail, MetroRail and Virgin are all failing, with no plans to improve ridership that will reduce congestion or encourage people to "get out of their cars" after spending billions. How much more do we need to spend?<br /><br />Virgin/Brightline told us they are not in the transportation business, they are in the real estate development business. At least they are honest about it. We have little issue (some, they are getting some govt backed loans) with their private plans. We remain skeptical, but its (mostly) their money at risk.<br /><br />We are not against transit, but trains are a waste of money and will not help this area. The lack of success on SunRail, and the others you cite confirm that fact. We would much rather see more buses and BRT, and BRT on managed access toll lanes shared with vehicles. It will be much cheaper to build and operate, is more flexible for changing mobility patterns, and can reach more people in shorter period of time than any rail solution. It does not support Transit oriented Development, but transportation is about improving mobility first and foremost, not supporting some developers. If the business case is sound development will occur. If the development can only occur if we reengineer our transportation network around it, we are sacrificing our mobility.EyeOn TampaBayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11804489795079963473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576993731992352882.post-64134764419673782172020-03-09T20:41:48.944-04:002020-03-09T20:41:48.944-04:00Wow, yet another uninformed “journalist” posting a...Wow, yet another uninformed “journalist” posting a story about something they know very little about and are obviously biased against the subject they are writing about. Not exactly fair and balanced, or accurate for that matter.<br /><br />Let’s start with some historical perspective. Railroads built this country and Railroads, in particular Florida East Coast Railway, Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line built Florida. Men of vison like Henry M. Flagler and Henry B. Plant were responsible for the development of the east and west coast of Florida respectively. <br /><br />Passenger rail is a money losing business and it takes County, State and Federal Government money to make it work. SunRail, Tri-Rail, MetroRail and Amtrak are the prominent railroad / mass transit options operating in Central and South Florida, all government supported in one way or another. Brightline, now called VirginTrains USA is the only private passenger railroad in the State of Florida.<br /><br />The Brightline model of developing the property around their stations and along the right of way has helped bring in the needed revenue to help support the railroad, along with higher fares than the other options. Seems that the County and State government officials could learn a thing or two about thinking outside the box and not just rubber stamping widened or Highways and Interstates as the only option they ever seem to approve. <br /><br />SunRail, Tri-Rail, MetroRail, Amtrak and Brightline are successful in some ways, yet not as successful as they could be if we had visionaries like Flagler and Plant involved in restoring the railroad routes of the past. More railroads, mass transit options would remove even more cars from our streets, but I guess people really like being stuck in traffic gridlock, right?<br /><br />Instead of another train bashing piece from somebody who clearly hates trains, how about writing about how many times and how many billions of tax payer dollars were squandered by our elected representatives at the County State and Federal level which denied the public the mass transit rail that they dearly need and deserve. <br /> <br />Cully Waggonerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17707216503929571506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6576993731992352882.post-3278029658971674322020-03-09T12:20:50.475-04:002020-03-09T12:20:50.475-04:00Was this tour publicly noticed and open to the pub...Was this tour publicly noticed and open to the public or did they violate the sunshine lawAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com