How Citrus County can lead rural America back to prosperity

-Richard Fernley

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The Vision

“The businessman who goes against the current of popular opinion should expect to be opposed, derided and damned. That’s what made me rich!”

- J. Paul Getty

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The HistoryFlagler and Plant brought the railroads to Florida, which catalyzed unprecedented prosperity to the once sparsely inhabited state.

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The Facts• 2003 Florida average gasoline price per gallon $1.59

*Source: US Energy Information Agency Week Ending 10/6/03

• 2013 Florida average gasoline price per gallon $3.49*Source: US Energy Information Agency Week Ending 9/23/13

• Increase of almost 120%

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The Costs• In July 2012 the Florida Department of Transportation estimated

the cost of building, and modifying existing highways in rural areas between $5.8 million and $11.9 million per mile *Source: Florida Department of Transportation

• Maintaining these roads can cost up to $2 - $3 million per mile. *Source: Florida Department of Transportation

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The Future• The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council estimates the

population of Central Florida will grow from 7.2 million people in 2008 to an estimated 14.4 million people by 2050. *Source: University of Pennsylvania. Connecting for Global Competitiveness: Florida's Super Region

• An estimated 980,000 acres of development will be needed to sustain this growth, if current transportation modes are utilized.

*Source: University of Pennsylvania. Connecting for Global Competitiveness: Florida's Super Region

• If a regional rail plan was put into place, Central Florida could save an estimated $270 billion in new road construction costs by 2050.

*Source: University of Pennsylvania. Connecting for Global Competitiveness: Florida's Super RegionBLAZING NEW RAILS

The Business Side• A single freight train can move as many containers as 280 semi-trucks.

*Source: National Resource Defense Council

• Freight trains can move one ton of freight 436 miles on a single gallon of fuel, compared to 140 miles on a truck.

*Source: CSX

• U.S. freight rail rates were 45% lower in 2011 than in 1981. That means a rail shipper can move nearly twice as much freight today at the same price it paid over thirty years ago.

* Source: Association of American Railroads 2012

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The Jobs • The U.S. Department of Commerce model shows for every job in day to

day freight operations stimulates another 4.5 jobs elsewhere in the economy.

*Source: Association of American Railroads 2012

• The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates for every $1 billion invested in rail creates 20,000 jobs.

*Source: U.S. Department of Commerce

• The American Society of Civil Engineers projected that the current condition of our nations surface transportation would “cost the economy 870,000 jobs and suppress the GDP by $3.1 trillion by 2020.” *Source: American Public Transportation Association 2011

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The Commuters• Imagine being able to travel to Tampa and Orlando in under an

hour, or to Atlanta in under three hours, it is possible with high speed rail.

• The U.S. Department of Transportation in 2010 adopted a policy of implementing rail service with maximum operating speeds of 150-220 mph.

*Source: University of Pennsylvania. Connecting for Global Competitiveness: Florida's Super Region

• Highway and roadway congestion cost our nation more than $101 billion in wasted fuel and lost productivity in 2010.

*Source: Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), Texas A&M University, 2011

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The Environment• Citrus County’s natural resources are one of it’s most valued assets,

introducing high speed rail would significantly lessen pollution impact to our Nature Coast.

*Source: New South Wales Australia Office of Heritage and Environment

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The Tourism Effect• Beginning at the end of 2015 privately owned Florida based company Florida East

Coast Industries, will start offering passenger rail service from Miami to Orlando with stops in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Cocoa Beach.

*Source: Eastern Railroad News

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The Nature Coast Railway…• Imagine Citrus County being able to tap into a statewide rail transit system.

• Our region would open up to additional revenue sources, and could be advertised as the “Gateway to the the Real Florida.”

*Source: The Transport Politic

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The Cost Benefit• The average cost of a rental in the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg-

Clearwater Metropolitan Area consumes an average of 45.52% of the renters income. *Source: U.S.

Census Bureau 2009

• The majority of rentals in Citrus County consume 30% or less of a renters monthly income. *Source: Florida Housing Data Clearinghouse 2007-2011

• With the option of an hour or less train ride, Tampa Bay and Orlando area residents would be attracted to Citrus County for it’s lower cost of living.

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The Real Estate Effect• Rail has a net positive effect when it comes to real estate

values.

• Property value studies done between 1991-2002 indicated property values surrounding light, commuter and heavy rail stations rose anywhere from 3.8% to 17%. *Source: Ohio Department of Transportation

• China’s smaller cities are experiencing a housing boom, brought on by bullet trains connecting them to larger cities, this has caused property values to increase by 4.5%. *Source: University of California-Los Angeles and China’s Tsinghua University 2013

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The Investment• The world’s fastest-growing major economy China is investing

$300 Billion (USD) into it’s high speed rail network. *Source: World Bank-High Speed Rail: The Fast Track to Economic Development? 2010

• America must follow suit if we are to remain an economic force in the 21st Century.

*Source: MASCA

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Will Citrus County lead the way?

*Source: Florida Center for Instructional Technology

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Will Florida Lead the way?

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*Source: My Fort Lauderdale

Will America lead the way?

*Source: The Transport Politic

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SummaryAn investment in a blend of regional, high speed and commercial freight rail would pay dividends for Citrus County. The U.S. Department of Commerce reports for every $1 invested in rail (track, locomotives, bridges etc.) returns $3 to the American economy. That is a 200% return on investment. The old way of doing things is not sustainable, the time to be proactive has arrived. Like Plant and Flagler if we invest in our vision now, we can prepare our region for another 100 years of prosperity.

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Contact Information• Creator/Presenter: Richard Fernley

• E-mail: rdf02021982@gmail.com

• Phone #: 352-419-4341

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*Source: Wilkimedia Commons