Bus Rapid Transit vs. Commuter Rail
WHY COMMUTER RAIL & JACKSONVILLE MAY BE THE PERFECT FIT
Bus Rapid Transit vs. Commuter Rail – Part 4 of a 5 part series
So now that serious questions have been raised regarding our planned $700+ million/29 mile BRT system, its time to explain in detail why Metro Jacksonville considers commuter rail a viable alternative. One of the most important things about developing mass transit is route planning. Systems should be arranged in a fashion that puts commuters in close proximity to major local destinations. In the case of Jacksonville, our existing rail lines already accomplish this feat.
Also, according to most rail authorities, a typical commuter rail system can fall anywhere from $2 to $10 million per mile. The difference in cost mainly deals with the condition of existing tracks, expense of passenger rail infrastructure (ex. stations, rail cars, etc.) and R-O-W negotiations. For the purpose of this study, Metro Jacksonville endorses using a “no-frills” concept towards the development of a phase 1 starter line. Below is a series of conceptual graphics of what a local commuter rail system could resemble.
PHASE 1 – THE BLUE LINE
Rome wasn’t built in a day. This saying also easily applies to an efficient mass transit system. Bus Rapid Transit is planned to be constructed over a 20-year period and will stretch only 29 miles at build-out. However, since commuter rail cost millions of dollars less, a 30-mile starter system could be developed at less than half the cost. Using a secondary CSX rail line known as the S-Line, and FEC’s doubled track line, this route would stretch from River City Marketplace & Jacksonville International Airport south to Flagler Center (St. Augustine Road). Potential development costs could run anywhere from a low of $60 million (at $2 million/mile) to a high of $300 million (at $10 million/mile). By comparison, our entire BRT system was estimated in 2004 to be $611 million ($21 million/mile). Considering the spike in construction materials, a revised estimate will easily clear the $700 million mark.
Furthermore, not only would this line be slightly longer and half the cost, it also succeeds where BRT fails. It connects the core of the city with the rapidly growing suburbs, both North and South of Jacksonville’s core areas. Stops within short walking distance of potential stations include:
- River City Marketplace
- Jacksonville Zoo
- Gateway Mall (potential TOD site)
- Shands Hospital / Springfield (potential TOD site)
- Edward Waters College / Durkeeville (potential revitalization of warehouse district)
- Jacksonville Farmers Market
- Downtown (via skyway at Transportation Center “Prime Osborn”)
- San Marco Square (only 1 block from planned Publix anchored development)
- Baymeadows (abuts new Lowes / Costco development)
- Avenues Mall
- Avenues Walk
Avenues Walk would be the potential terminal destination for the 30 mile starter line.
Simple concrete platforms could be constructed underneath the entry bridge to provide commuters direct access to the Avenues Walk mixed-use development and Avenues Mall.
The S-Line
The S-Line is a 4.5-mile former CSX rail line that snakes through the Northside, from just north of the Prime Osborn Center up to Gateway Mall. The most important aspect of this right of way is that it is already owned by the City of Jacksonville. It also keeps a potential commuter rail system from interfering with the rail yards adjacent to the Beaver Street viaduct. Although no funding is in place, the city has plans to convert this right-of-way into a rails-to-trails jogging path. Given that the ROW is a minimum of 50’ in width, it could easily serve both with proper planning. Unlike BRT, this line also has the power of putting riders within walking distance of Edward Waters College, Shands, the farmer’s market, and Gateway Mall. In addition, it can be the catalyst for affordable housing infill development, something that BRT’s Northern extension will not be able to successfully do.
ADDITIONAL PHASES
Phase 2 – The Red Line
While the Blue line was selected as a potential Phase 1, given the destinations located along the route, a close second is what we will refer to as the “Red Line”. This 20-mile segment of CSX’s mainline tracks would provide an alternative route for Clay County residents traveling between Fleming Island and Downtown. The beauty of a multi-county system is that cost could be shared between counties making the entire system more affordable and beneficial to all.
Photo: St. Augustine aerial
Phase 3 – Extending the Blue Line
If St. Johns and Nassau Counties are willing to come to the table and share in the costs, the blue line can easily be extended. Both areas would benefit greatly from commuter rail because terminal stations would be located within short walking distance of their tourist friendly historic districts. This means that not only will these cities have access to the airport and downtown Jacksonville, everyone in the region will have direct non-vehicular access to their tourist districts.
Furthermore, both terminals offer great sites for potential transit oriented development.
Park n Ride stations could also help with the rapidly developing areas north of the airport and in Northern St. Johns County. Furthermore, both terminals offer great sites for potential transit oriented development.
The Beaches
In the future, as the city develops, additional lines extending to remote areas such as Cecil Commerce Center could also be included. Although our existing rail system covers most of the local region, a majority of the Southside and the beaches are excluded. Because no freight rail lines run in these areas of Jacksonville, it is impossible to run commuter rail to those locations. However, with the BRT money saved from implementing commuter rail on existing tracks, it could be used to apply the bus rapid transit’s techniques at major intersections and along major highways, such as JTB or Beach Blvd.
In Minneapolis, expressway shoulders were put to use as bus lanes. With the current widening project underway on JTB, this feature could be a possible affordable solution to providing faster service to the beaches, as well as paying fares before boarding buses (to decrease boarding time) and occasional queue jumpers at major intersections. The difference between this proposed plan and JTA's current BRT plan is that this method takes advantage of existing rail lines, leaving areas not served by rail (and outside of BRT’s 29 mile service area) as prime candidates for express bus service, in the short term, rather than never.