[Uptown]

Maybe FDOT could apply for this grant lol 

http://www.citylab.com/commute/2016/05/dot-every-place-counts-challenge-anthony-foxx/481008/?utm_source=SFTwitter

[Uptown]

SPUI's are pretty hostile to the pedestrian experience. Have you ever seen the one at colonial and semoran? I think there is going to be a lot of growth in this area. Creative Village and the boom of the North Quarter is going to put a lot of people in the area. This will just divide them. 

[Uptown]

I agree that the ship has sailed for most places in terms of walkability. I don't care what FDOT does at the John Young Parkway intersection. In downtown though, the first and most important user is the pedestrian. The design FDOT has given us is the same sloppy suburban design. It has no place there. I think FDOT can do better in terms of incorporating other modailities. We have to look at the plans again, and sometimes, yes, it is worth it to make commuters sit through a bit of traffic rather than destroying an important future growth section of our city. Downtown's were destroyed because of suburban highways tearing them up.  Colonial has so much potential as a great urban boulevard, but if plans like these move forward. Forget about it.  

[Uptown]

On 5/1/2016 at 0:41 PM, AndyPok1 said:

Not attempting to attack, but this is the mindset I get frustrated with.  Yes, all of us on this forum want urbanism to be a priority, and to some degree probably would prefer that cars don't exist.  But it isn't reality.  Suburbs are a thing, and people work, live, & play downtown.  It is what allows us to have a great urban environment because let's be honest.  We aren't self-sustaining.

That interchange looks like a MAJOR upgrade from the current complete mess of a layout, will get people in and out of downtown faster, and lessen the typical rush hour backups on I-4, lessening my commute from I-Drive back to my lovely urban environment.

 

If we can't even get an urban road at the Colonial interchange, where can we get it? How long are we going to let FDOT ruin our cities to shave off a couple minutes for commuters. You can forget about any future pedestrian/bike activity at street level if this goes in. It will encourage more driving and more sprawl which increases congestion. Urban areas are the only one's that make fiscal sense in the long run. Urban areas are, healthier, greener, and all around better than the suburbs. 

 

Its not about getting people in and out of downtown faster. Its about moving people to downtown.

[Uptown]

Exactly, what FDOT presents for I-4 and Colonial Drive is simply unacceptable in an urban setting. We need less lanes and slower traffic on Colonial not more of the same things that have gutted downtown. Did you see those retention ponds? Jesus...... I don't want the bridge to be a cop out for ignoring the pedestrian experience on Colonial. Not to mention most people will probably still cross at Colonial and Orange. If that is the design of I-4 and Colonial that is a massive failure of anything Urban that we have been trying to cultivate. It will kill all connectivity. Get you head in the game FDOT. 

[Creative Village]

Here is the conceptual plan for the OBE. I just see no density or really high enough demand to merit the billions plus it will cost to implement. Those are all pretty small towns on the way and very spread apart. I cannot really see the CV or the stadium changing demand either. The rail from Winter Garden to DTO is also a little out of the way and would take more time then just driving down Colonial. 

10 hours ago, metal93 said:

 

I imagine this route as a different line, I Imagine an east-west line running from Winter Garden, connecting to Ocoee, West Orange, Pine Hills, West Orlando, Downtown Orlando, the Executive Airport, Florida Hospital East Orlando/Goldenrod, Valencia College East, Waterford Lakes, and finally UCF main campus, basically a commuter train running through the median of the 408.

I don't think that is a good idea either. Building a local rail line down the median of a limited access highway does not increase connectivity, walk ability or anything really. People are only going to be able to ride it by car. It would be a huge waste. Lynx is planning an express bus to UCF, and honestly in the short and long run that is probably the best idea for the money. Things like the Colonial streetcar of I-Drive circulator or light-rail connecting downtown to the parks, are better capital investments.  

OrangeBlossomExpress_11x17.pdf

[Creative Village]

Does the OBE have any chance of happening though? I feel like this route already has less density than Sunrail, which has the bare minimum numbers to even bother opening a commuter train. Also the wiki page said a study would take two years in 2012 and I could not find anything. 

[Creative Village]

Dr. Phillips Foundation just gave 3 million today. UCF is within striking distance now of their $20 million goal. Things are getting excited 

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2016/03/01/ucf-downtown-lands-another-3m-donation.html