Port Canaveral Rail Plan Threatens Northern Banana River

KeyWestCaptain

If you are concerned about kayak fishing in the No Motor Zone or fishing anyplace else in the northern Banana and Indian River lagoons, please take a moment to read these couple of items on the proposed earthen-dam railway that the Canaveral Port Authority wants to erect through the No Motor Zone, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and world's largest manatee sanctuary.
http://ow.ly/Msens

Also, check this out to see how the Canaveral Port Authority is responding:
http://ow.ly/Mseqm

To learn more about the petition against this plan, visit: http://ow.ly/Msetz

KeyWestCaptain

Here's a link to new blog on rail plan: http://ow.ly/Musok

Gary S. Colecchio

KeyWestCaptain wrote: »

...the proposed earthen-dam railway that the Canaveral Port Authority wants to erect through the No Motor Zone, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and world's largest manatee sanctuary.

:huh I thought it was planned to be a bridge?

Riptide31

I'd be for the train...........but it doesnt have any stops in Brevard County. It's not going to bring any business/tourists here from what I understand.

ACME Ventures Fishing

While there are serious concerns the "No Fill, No Kill" opposition premises is based on the idea of
miles of Earthen causeway like exist with MOST other roads and rail lines in the region now. The
Proposal for this Rail Line is NOT an earthen causeway but a trestle and pile structure that allows full
water flow. They are also stating that oyster matting would likely be added to the piles which would
actually improve water quality from what it is now. I doubt that anything today could pass the required
EIS that's coming without taking the environment into consideration. The port is doing their own in
advance of what would be mandated.

Its easy to "Just Say No" but progress and commerce is coming one way or another and its better to
be involved in making it the best possible than to "Just Say No". Without the train, there will be many
hundreds of extra trucks on the road daily cross the 528 corridor which pollutes the environment much
much more than 1 train would. This proposed pathway is a compromise to the one paralleling 528 that
would have allowed passenger traffic in the future. That would have widened the existing earthen causeways
and impacted many more homes however and was shuttered. Apparently train horns would not be used and
much of the route would be on existing rail lines on federal property.

Everything we see now on the cape has been reshaped and rerouted by infrastructure designed and built before
any real environmental consideration was given and nature adapted. The bridges and causeways we have now
offer great fishing spots for thousands. The new proposal will be forced to abide by new strict environmental
impact requirements, but once done will likely add to both fishing and conservation conditions. The Port ha posted
a fact sheet that spells out their current proposal. When they closed the ramps in Port Canaveral and built the new
ones, we worked with them and held them to what they agreed to. It was going to happen one way or another and
rather than letting them choose and do as they pleased, we got involved and shaped the process to what was best
for all.

Riptide31

more pilings = more fish structure. Now get it to make a stop in Brevard.

Pucker Factor

OP has either made up the information or has a bad source. It is not going to be an earthen fill and I am pretty certain that was never really on the table.

flattitude

I still don't see how this thing isn't a giant money losing proposition to begin with. Several economists advised it would be a double digit million dollar a year loss. With ticket prices at 140$ per person from miami to orlando my family of 4 would cost 560$ one way. They are out of their mind thinking this will be a good thing and actually make money .

Gary S. Colecchio

I think its more about moving things rather than people.

CountryBumpkin

I think some who are posting are confused. :huh

This post has nothing to do with the Miami to Orlando people moving trains proposal.

This is about new rails to move cargo out of Port Canaveral. They are not satisfied to be just a huge cruise ship port, but also want to become a much larger cargo port.

surfman

I believe there is also a ship turnaround basin proposal too near the area, need to go back and look at what is all involved.