1. Home
  2. Monthly archive
  3. December 2014

December 2014

LETTER: ALL ABOARD FLORIDA WILL BENEFIT ORLANDO & MIAMI AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TREASURE COAST

By Edward Johnston, Hobe Sound TCPalm
All Aboard Florida may be a wonderful thing for Miami and Orlando but it's at the expense, inconvenience, safety and health of many towns that lie in its path. All Aboard Florida could use central Florida to avoid this situation but they apparently feel the extra expense outweighs the health and safety of the people.

THE NEW RIVER CAN'T MOVE BUT ALL ABOARD FLORIDA HAS OPTIONS

by Dana Goward Palm Beach Post

Fort Lauderdale prides itself on being “The Yachting Capital of the World,” and rightly so. Great weather and fancy marinas are part of the reason. But what makes the claim real is the city’s New River marine industrial complex, with its dozens of large and small businesses serving the area’s more than 50,000 vessels. Together they generate more than $9 billion a year for the local economy.

ALL ABOARD CANNOT SPEND IT'S $1.75 BILLION IN PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS UNTIL 45 DAYS AFTER THE RELEASE OF THE FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

Even if All Aboard Florida raises $1.75 billion in the next week, as it has planned, it likely won’t be able to touch the money until well into 2015.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Thursday gave All Aboard Florida the go ahead to sell tax-exempt private-activity bonds through the Florida Development Finance Corp. 

The DOT, however, prohibited All Aboard Florida from using any of the money until 45 days after release of the final environmental impact statement on the project. 

Feds Get 12,000 Letters and Climbing!

By Arnie Rosenberg TCPalm

The Federal Railroad Administration has received more than 12,000 comments about All Aboard Florida, and the number continues to climb.

The agency held a series of eight meetings in October and November — including three on the Treasure Coast — as part of the process to update the draft environmental impact statement on All Aboard Florida, the proposed Miami-to-Orlando high-speed passenger train.

More Lack of Transparency - St. Lucie Bridge Safety Reports Not Available to Public

By  TCPalm

The question seems simple enough: Is the Florida East Coast Railway bridge over the St. Lucie River safe? But finding the answer, Martin County officials have discovered, is much harder than they thought.

Negative Impacts from Proposed All Aboard Project Galvenize The Treasure Coast

Editorial: TCPalm
LOUD VOICE: Treasure Coast residents have strong opinions about All Aboard Florida — and actively shared those opinions with the Federal Railroad Administration.
Whatever the outcome of the high-speed passenger rail project, scheduled to begin shuttling passengers between Miami and Orlando in early 2017, area residents can’t be accused of apathy.

Opinion Divided on Marine Industry's Chances Against All Aboard Florida

By Arnie Rosenberg TCPalm
Will All Aboard Florida create an undue burden on boaters? The question has been at the forefront of All Aboard Florida opposition for nearly a year. But now — after a 522-page federal analysis of the high-speed rail project and eight public meetings across the state — the question may frame one of the last opportunities for critics hoping to derail the plan.

Cerabino: Wanted: 9,600 dummies to fill All Aboard train seats

By Frank Cerabino Palm Beach Post

I can understand why there’s some head-scratching over the plan to build Florida’s tallest skyscraper as part of the All Aboard Florida train project.

Draft EIS Falls Woefully Short Addressing Negative Impacts

Maybe the effort put into the draft environmental impact statement for the All Aboard Florida high-speed passenger rail project along the state’s east coast was simply sloppy. Maybe it was lazy. After all, its authors were creating just a “draft.”

No way it could have been deliberately inadequate and misleading, right?

Whatever the reason, the report prepared for the project has been justifiably met by citizens and governmental bodies along the Treasure Coast with emotions ranging from bewilderment to anger.

Responsible solutions to All Aboard Florida problems need to be developed

By Charles Gerardi  TCPalm

The Economic Council of Martin County has thoroughly evaluated the All Aboard Florida discussion from both sides of the issue.

Orchid officials OK resolution opposing All Aboard Florida

By TCPalm

The Orchid Town Council voted unanimously on a resolution against the high-speed rail project.

The resolution combines portions of similar resolutions already passed in Indian River Shores, Indian River County, Sebastian and Vero Beach. It calls for All Aboard Florida to pay for the costs of the project, including quiet zone and corridor improvements, and says any government assistance for the project should be limited to secured loans at no less than market interest rates.