Central Florida remains a farce: Light Rail defeated (Orlando, Winter Park: lawyers, house)

[Silence Dogood]

Lawyers' grease trumps saving gas as rail deals falter -- OrlandoSentinel.com (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-miket0408may04,0,6073165.column - broken link)

Seriously my experiences in central florida are becoming more mind boggling every day I spend in this transient "MICKEY MOUSE" nightmare. I recall my last trip to Portland when arrived at the airport and wheeled my suitcase onto a light rail train. Within 25 minutes I was down town. It always struck me as odd when I first got to Orlando a year ago that the airport and downtown didn't connect by highway. That was a preview into what clearly is the worst planned most pathetic area of urban glut I have ever experienced. Today's column is a prime example of why this town will never ever be viable and will ultimately be consumed by the excrimant that is shooting it's way around town on a daily basis. So $300 million in federal aid has been flushed down the toilet because of good old transient florida designed by and for trial lawyers and transients with their get rich quick schemes. Two lane roads with no set backs, entrance ramps and exit ramps that go 1/2 mile before you get where you are going, a toll every 25 seconds, low wages and most importantly a complete lack of vision. When all that are left are the criminals and the homeless, governor Christ, Buddy Diaharreaa and the rest of these appeasers in this corrupt State will look back and say: Gee, light rail might have been nice. This is truly the "DUMBEST" place on earth and it's still happening right before our eyes. Of course even though proposed light rail system that failed wasn't planned with a connection between the airport and downtown. Why am I not surprised???

[dbansal]

Originally Posted by Silence Dogood

Lawyers' grease trumps saving gas as rail deals falter -- OrlandoSentinel.com (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-miket0408may04,0,6073165.column - broken link)

Seriously my experiences in central florida are becoming more mind boggling every day I spend in this transient "MICKEY MOUSE" nightmare. I recall my last trip to Portland when arrived at the airport and wheeled my suitcase onto a light rail train. Within 25 minutes I was down town. It always struck me as odd when I first got to Orlando a year ago that the airport and downtown didn't connect by highway. That was a preview into what clearly is the worst planned most pathetic area of urban glut I have ever experienced. Today's column is a prime example of why this town will never ever be viable and will ultimately be consumed by the excrimant that is shooting it's way around town on a daily basis. So $300 million in federal aid has been flushed down the toilet because of good old transient florida designed by and for trial lawyers and transients with their get rich quick schemes. Two lane roads with no set backs, entrance ramps and exit ramps that go 1/2 mile before you get where you are going, a toll every 25 seconds, low wages and most importantly a complete lack of vision. When all that are left are the criminals and the homeless, governor Christ, Buddy Diaharreaa and the rest of these appeasers in this corrupt State will look back and say: Gee, light rail might have been nice. This is truly the "DUMBEST" place on earth and it's still happening right before our eyes. Of course even though proposed light rail system that failed wasn't planned with a connection between the airport and downtown. Why am I not surprised???

Well this is very disappointing, I was hopeful that this would get done. I still love living in Lake Mary, but we definitely need some mass transit. Hopefully something will be worked out.

[Keeper]

That is an interesting article.. but it wasn't Orlando commissioners who are responsible this time. You need to be upset with FL legislators. Plus, the article is a commentary. Not saying it isn't factual but it is his opinion as to the reason.. Another newspaper writer may have a different view

Last week, it was outsiders who killed commuter rail, again sending more than $300 million back to Washington.

I guess I am curious if you are upset with Orlando or all of FL?

[Magnulus]

I don't think light rail would have worked very well, honestly. Especially for the Orlando metro area, there are alot of people that do not live near the proposed rail stations.

We need an expansion of the bus service. Maybe build dedicated bus lanes and improve facilities and infrastructure to get more bus riders.

Changing the zoning laws to allow more mixed-use developement would probably go further to reducing traffic than any amount of rail could do. Also, in the area where I live, alot of the roads are clogged up around 2 pm as mothers scramble to pick up kids from school, even though the busses will take them within less than a mile of their house. Things like that add up to un-needed traffic.

[bdpop]

Although I believe that having a commuter train in Central Florida is a good idea, they would need more than one line to make it work. You need a whole network of lines like in Boston and NYC. The way it is set up here you would still need a car or bus to get to the train and from train on both ends of your trip.

In other words, you should be able to walk from your house or workplace to the train or bus in order to have complete and adequate mass transit.

[Wilshire81182]

I do not know why they do not try to first build a short span before committing to the whole jaunt. I know it will not help that much with congestion, but it will spark interest and ridership in the area. I was thinking a small track from downtown to Winter Park or something. The tracks are already there. I just do not understand tracks in DeLand and down to Davenport or whatnot, but a small version would be neat. I just got back from visiting family in the Portland area and while I rented a car, I must say they do a great job of mass transit for a city the size it is (equivalent to Orlando but much less sprawl).

[Dalt10]

I don't think it would work that great either. Orlando is so spread out you would have to drive or ride a bus to get to it. I can see where bigger cities it would work where you have alot of high rises and alot of people that lived close to the lines.

[jaimeblt]

Originally Posted by Magnulus

I don't think light rail would have worked very well, honestly. Especially for the Orlando metro area, there are alot of people that do not live near the proposed rail stations.

We need an expansion of the bus service. Maybe build dedicated bus lanes and improve facilities and infrastructure to get more bus riders.

Changing the zoning laws to allow more mixed-use developement would probably go further to reducing traffic than any amount of rail could do. Also, in the area where I live, alot of the roads are clogged up around 2 pm as mothers scramble to pick up kids from school, even though the busses will take them within less than a mile of their house. Things like that add up to un-needed traffic.

BBC NEWS | UK | UK Politics | School-run charge 'could spread'

A town in Britain is planning to charge parents £75 per year for the right to drive their children to school (specifically, for parking permits to idle outside the school for up to 15 minutes).

Also, the question isn't "Would light rail work for everyone in Orlando?" but "Would light rail work for enough people to make it worthwhile?" No transportation option is going to work for absolutely everyone. That rail line cuts through some of the most populated areas of Orlando and quite a few of the regional job centers. Also, plenty of people could park-and-ride or kiss-and-ride. Further, this commuter rail line could serve as the first leg of a regional rail system (which is an unlikely idea given how short-sighted Florida's leaders can be, although some leaders floated an idea to run a commuter rail line out to Mount Dora and beyond a while back).

[Silence Dogood]

Also, part of it is planning for the future and obviously in 10 years when gas is $8 a gallong and I-4 still hasn't been widened people will have no choice but to look for alternatives, alternatives that our wise leaders have no assured us won't be there. When companies decide where to move, accessibility will be something they consider when there are no options people and company will leave and not be replaced. I've never seen an area across the board where there is a complete lack of vision. All decisions are made to appease lawyers and developers, Orlando's chickens are coming home to roost.

[FrozenShores]

That's part of the reason I'm leaving this crap hole. If it weren't for friends and family, I'd have been gone years ago.