What is missing from the All Aboard Florida proposals is the human costs.
The trains will be running through our heavily populated cities along the coast. There are 10 million Floridians living in the adjacent area and more residents that will be affected by the railway crossing of three to five passenger trains per hour during the day (32 round trips) at speeds from 80 to 125 miles per hour. Freight trains (approximately 20 at up to 2.6 miles long) will be running more frequently at night as well as during the day at higher speeds.
These trains will be running on 100-plus-year-old tracks and bridges on ground level with cars and pedestrians. A derailment would be a major disaster.
This development affects more people, traffic backups, safety and property valuations than any high-rise development in a specific location. The project has received grants and favorable incentives (tax money) for real estate in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. It has applied for a $1.5 billion federal loan.
And, we the public, will be paying for the devastation of South Florida. Amtrak and Tri-Rail are deeply in debt and have low ridership.
Where are the officials that were elected to protect and serve? The public needs to stand against this project.
David and Merrilee Lundquist
Ocean Ridge
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I witnessed a derailment in our small town of Wayzata Minnesota. The train was travelling at 25 MPH through our town, which was mandated. It just missed the restaurant section. Cars flew into the street, one even hit a building.
Can you imagine an accident at 80 MPH in Delray on Atlantic or Boynton Beach??The train is running at ground level with pedestrians and traffic, is in itself, dangerous because our population has built up around coast. Almost all high speed rail is on elevated tracks or in tunnels in the US or Europe. A person was just killed in Lantana.
The proposed train traffic is 3 to 4 per hour. 55 trains per day . This is an increase over the 9 to 14 trains currently. What about shipments of hazardous materials? The disruption to lives in our small towns is a high cost to pay for the bottom line of AAF
How will this alleviate traffic when Tri Rail, Amtrak have failed to do so and are deeply in debt. How are you going to get to a station and what transportation is available once you reach your destination??
As for your 100 year old tracks.
They are laying new tracks on the SEC line for All Aboard Florida. The other tracks have been maintained over the years, taking out old rails and replacing with new ones and they have gotten ne beds. Took out the old antiquated oak timbers and replaced with concrete ones. All crossings have been updated over the years too. We have not had any derailments going thru are downtowns. Freight trains do and have traveled over 60 mph on SEC tracks. Though usually trains have speed limits too that the engineer has to abide too. Or they can be ticketed for traveling to fast, too. We need another form of transportation other then our gas guzzling cars.
John Gross
Delray Beach
Many have assumed this project will be out by the freeway. It actually is running on 100 year old tracks parallel
to FEDERAL HIGHWAY.
Condos and apartments have been built off of Federal, so the train runs through their backyard with no barriers.
Many families with children live there. 55 trains going through this area per day will make it unlivable and dangerous
to all. Will the housing deteriorate as well as the surrounding areas.??
Will our paradise be destroyed ?