The Palm Beach Post: Frenchman’s Creek: Non! to All Aboard Florida expansion

All Aboard Florida’s proposed expansion of rail service will jeopardize lives and property values, and make life worse for Palm Beach Gardens homeowners and businesses. That’s the word from Jane Feinstein, chairwoman of Frenchman’s Creek’s External Affairs Committee, who plans to address the city council this evening.

The luxury community off Donald Ross Road borders the east side of A1A and the tracks are on the west side.

Key concerns, Feinstein says: traffic, particularly safety — the ability for emergency medical technicians and other first responders to reach those in need when trains are blocking intersections.

“Seconds really matter in an emergency. If first responders can’t get to us, it’s a real problem,” she says. “We could be talking life and death.”

The increased train traffic proposed also probably means more hazardous cargo passing by the community, with greater potential for catastrophic accidents, she says. Automobile congestion will be a problem for commuting students, people going about their daily lives or people trying to patronize local businesses, she adds. The trains will create noise and vibration and could hurt property values as well, she said.

“Palm Beach Gardens has distinguished itself from other cities by careful development planning to ensure we don’t have significant traffic congestion in our city and I don’t think city residents want that to be compromised and I don’t think the council does either.”