Brains on the move

[S. Cheong Choi]

There have been a few ideas thrown around beyond, "we really really need mass transit". What other ideas do you have to throw in? We'll pick your idea apart but then rebuild it and make it better!

[Julia Gorzka]

I'm pleased to say that right now I'm about to take the first trial run of the water taxi from The Heights - Water Works Park to test out how long does it really take to travel the river if you live in the Heights and are going downtown - am I going to drink a grande or venti on the way to the work? Or how much time do I have to enjoy a cocktail on the way to a game at the Forum?

Hanging out at The Heights with Joe Cigoi, Intern Extraordinaire and Brand Tampa member, and Mr. Darren Booth - the man who's bringing the water taxi to town. Stay tuned for more info. And friend Joe. Darren should be a member soon too so look for him as well.

I'm be reporting later.... In the meantime check out the video I shot of a riverboat tour I took with Darren and a bunch of other friends of the river back in April

[S. Cheong Choi]

It would be interesting to find out more details on this happening in Temple Terrace.
Some places simply don't have the density as the center of Tampa,
so it would be good to also check out these frameworks.
Laudable Transit Plan Tackles Temple Terrace's Teeming Roads

[Julia Gorzka]

Water Taxis from d-towner on Vimeo.

[Becky Rubright]

i admit to having no idea how or what it would take to make it a reality but i love the idea of a light rail... especially since the water taxi idea is completely awesome but can't serve everyone... growing up in dc imbued me with a deep love of subways... here in tampa i imagine them all being above ground, which has got to be cheaper than underground rail... i also imagine this idea has come up before in tampa... what happened to it previously?

[S. Cheong Choi]

The only project of above ground rail I'd witnessed was the people mover that was supposed to transport rich people onto Harbor Island. People took it but it was another white elephant. Costs were excessive and it didn't really solve any problems. I'm feeling the same fate might befall the streetcar unless they extend the line enough to become useful. Water taxi is a great idea since the infrastructure is mostly there already. It's just a matter of building the landings. If it's successful, it would really change the whole face of the city and start focusing development in an entirely different way.

Elevated rail I think would be the most feasible, but I think the emphasis needs to be first on multi-modal and strengthening feeder routes first. Unless of course, people can bike to the trains and bring them on board.

[Living Harmony Healing Center]

forgive my ignorance but what does "multi-modal and strengthening feeder routes " mean exactly?

[S. Cheong Choi]

Forgive my geek-speak.

Multi-modal transport=use of several types of transport to get people/things from one place to another. Ex: container shipped by ocean freighter transport in Jamaica then put on a truck in Tampa to be shipped to Orlando. Or you get on a bus down the street that takes you to the train station downtown that takes you to Fort Myers.

Feeder routes from the perspective of the train stations and bus stops/stations are other routes that bring people to those stations/stops. For example Hartline route 1 is a pretty central north-south route, but if you live far enough east or west of it, it makes sense to take another bus towards a route 1 bus stop.

Feel free to shower me with acupuncture jargon.

[Steve]

We so need light rail. Many years ago I was in Amsterdam and realized just how convenient it was to use the trolleys that ran along with the cars in the city. It made getting around a large city so easy. Most folks live and work in the Hillsborough and Pinellas county and for most days they go straight to work and back home. If we used over-hung rail systems like in Japan, we could install rail systems that would have a minimum impact on land use and would traverse the same routes as existing bus lines. We need this to happen. :)

Becky Rubright said:

i admit to having no idea how or what it would take to make it a reality but i love the idea of a light rail... especially since the water taxi idea is completely awesome but can't serve everyone... growing up in dc imbued me with a deep love of subways... here in tampa i imagine them all being above ground, which has got to be cheaper than underground rail... i also imagine this idea has come up before in tampa... what happened to it previously?