KEN DAIGE
You have a right to be concerned when you are told a high speed train plans to travel through your city at 110 mph without a planned train depot.
The veiled promise of might and could do not answer the question of whether or not a train depot will be in our city.
A train is not high speed if it stops at every city along the way between Orlando and Miami. All Aboard Florida chose the four stops of Orlando, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami with a promoted three-hour travel time between Orlando and Miami. Reasonably it can be said AAF will probably not be traveling at high speed from Miami to West Palm Beach.
AAF does plan to travel through what they consider to be rural regions at 110 mph from West Palm Beach to Cocoa Beach then 125 mph to Orlando.
According to our local Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization office we are urban. 110 mph is too fast through our urban city.
For all intents and purposes the train, its depots and its improved real estate is being pursued. AAF has unveiled depot plans and improved real estate for Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. An Environmental Impact Study has been completed and accepted between Miami and West Palm Beach. Gov. Scott has promoted an Intermodal Depot at the Orlando Airport.
Our region between West Palm Beach and Cocoa is awaiting the Draft Environmental Impact Study.
When that study is revealed the public will only be able to submit their concerns in writing; there will be no public hearings or public comment time – unless the public strongly advocates for such by contacting Gov. Scott.
The passenger rail project as referred to by AAF is an active issue.
With this in mind the City of Vero Beach has graciously allowed the sharing of their city website to keep the public informed about this project. Here the public will find archived video of the HSR Commission meetings, minutes and a section following trends such as AAF news articles, port expansions, large developments, housing, transportation and other trends occuring while the AAF project is pursued.
The following is the HSR website:
The next HSR Commission meeting is August 11, 2014 at 4 pm in the City of Vero Beach council chambers. The meetings are public; please share your concerns with us.
The City of Vero Beach High Speed Rail Commission is an Advisory Board to the City Council.
Ken Daige, Chair HSR Commission
Indian River Guardian 
My concern is in getting access to medical care in an emergency. It is not unusual now to have to sit at a railroad crossing for what seems like quite a long time when there is a long train coming through the downtown area. There are situations in which a person driving a loved one or an ambulance does not have the luxury of waiting at a railroad crossing. The medical community has educated the public about the necessity of getting to an ER in that “golden hour” from the first onset of symptoms in the event of a heart attack or stroke.
The issue is not just about high speed trains. We should also be concerned about long trains.
Pat Lavins makes a good point. Even if it is just a long train, there are times when so many vehicles are waiting for a train to pass that when the way is clear, not every vehicle makes it through before the light turns to red again. And, I didn’t quite catch the particulars of something I read or heard….but I think FPL sold a piece of property to AAF in Palm Beach County for a station. I’m hearing it may be a couple of years before AAF and assorted lobbyists and politicians strong-arm this project to fruition. With the noise, vibration, frequency, and everything else, our communities don’t appear to have a fighting chance–though a combined effort by all might show it’s not just Vero Beach or Stuart – but all of us voters. No way to tunnel under the tracks – no money to do it if it was doable. I’m trying to picture the railroad tracks in Brevard County. Do they go through downtown Melbourne? THAT is definitely a populated and busy city–including the airport. Thank you, Ken Daige, for keeping us posted.