Jacksonville Transportation Authority

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is the independent agency responsible for public transit in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, and roadway infrastructure that connects northeast Florida.^[3] However, they do not maintain any roadways. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 6,687,200, or about 22,300 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2023.

Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Jacksonville Transportation Authority headquarters building
Overview
Locale	Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Transit type	Transit Bus, People Mover, Ferry
Number of lines	46 (bus) 2 (people mover)
Number of stations	8 (people mover)
Daily ridership	22,300 (weekdays, Q4 2023)^[1]
Annual ridership	6,687,200 (2023)^[2]
Headquarters	Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla
Website	jtafla.com
Operation
Began operation	1971 (bus) 1989 (people mover) 2016 (ferry)

History

In 1955, the Florida Legislature established the Jacksonville Expressway Authority. Its responsibility was limited to highways, bridges and tolls in Duval County until 1971, when the Jacksonville Transportation Authority was formed by a merger of the Jacksonville Expressway Authority with several private bus companies.

Governance

The JTA is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The mayor of Jacksonville appoints three members who must be confirmed by the Jacksonville City Council; the Florida Governor appoints three members who must be confirmed by the Florida Senate. Each member serves a four-year, unpaid term and can be re-appointed for a second term. If a member serves eight consecutive years, they must rotate off the board. From its membership, the Board elects its own Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer for one year terms. The seventh member is the District Two Secretary from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) who serves as long as s/he is employed in the position. That individual is responsible for the FDOT activities within the 18 counties of the district, including administrative, planning and operations.^[4]

As of September 2022, members included Ari Jolly, chair; Debbie Buckland, vice chair; G. Ray Driver, secretary; Abel Harding, treasurer; Greg Evans, FDOT District Two Secretary; Kevin Holzendorf, board member; and Aundra Wallace, board member.^[5]

Revenue

Originally, when a bridge or roadway was completed, a toll was imposed at that location to create a revenue stream to repay bonds used to fund construction. State and federal tax money was used for specific capital projects, such as interstate highways.

Gas surcharge

The Jacksonville City Council approved a 10-year, 6¢ per gallon gasoline surcharge in 1986 to pay for new roadways and other transportation projects. Prior to its expiration in 1996, the council extended the tax for 20 additional years, until 2016.^[6] In 2021, the City Council approved a further extension and increase to 12¢ per gallon in order to pay for infrastructure projects including the Emerald Trail system and the Ultimate Urban Circulator project to convert the Skyway monorail into an autonomous vehicle network.^[7]

Tolls

J. Turner Butler Boulevard, the Fuller Warren Bridge, Mathews Bridge, Hart Bridge, and Trout River Bridge were tolled by JTA until 1988, when Jacksonville voters approved a ½¢ sales tax increase to pay off the toll bonds, fund future road construction, and abolish toll collections.

Growth management

JTA was the major beneficiary of the $2.25 billion Better Jacksonville Plan (BJP), passed by voters in September, 2000. Roadway/drainage improvements, resurfacing, new sidewalks and railroad grade crossings accounted for $1.5 billion, of which half was funded by the BJP ½¢ sales tax increase and half from the existing gasoline surcharge.^[8] In 2005, the JTA and city re-prioritized the projects still outstanding. The actual cost for most projects had significantly exceeded the estimate due to an 18-month lag time and an unanticipated increase in the price of construction materials. Dozens of projects were deferred to the future and removed from the BJP or left on a $320 million list of unfunded tasks.^[9]

Budget

The gasoline surcharge generates approximately $30 million in revenue each year, about one third of JTA's budget of $100 million in 2010. Prior to the 1986 gasoline surcharge, tolls were the primary source of local revenue for the JTA. Federal and state highway money provided the balance. In early June, 2010, JTA announced their intentions to request an extension of the 6¢ per gallon gasoline surcharge, due to expire in 2016. They will also ask the council for an additional 5¢ per gallon tax over 30 years that would generate another $25 million per year, for a total of $55 million each year. Most council members questioned the need to extend the existing tax and were opposed to any new tax during difficult economic times, but JTA executives warned that if the gas taxes are curtailed, no road construction will occur and bus service will be slashed.

Responsibilities

The mission of the JTA is to improve Northeast Florida’s economy, environment and quality of life by providing safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable multimodal transportation services and facilities.^[10]

Roadway infrastructure

The JTA develops and implements construction and financing plans for state and city roads, bridges and interchanges in conjunction with the city government and the Florida Department of Transportation. This was the original role of the Expressway Authority.

Public transit

• Regular bus service: JTA's fleet has 197 vehicles, as of 2023, that travel 8.5 million miles per year on 46 routes; 110 maintenance workers and 320 drivers are employed.
• Express bus service: five once-daily early morning routes are offered which originate from an outlying area and go directly to their destination with no intermediate stops, then return in late afternoon.
• First Coast Flyer: a bus rapid transit (BRT) system; all four planned routes are now in operation.^[11]
• Trolley-replica buses: local transportation available weekdays from mid-morning to early afternoon; Bay Street and Beaver Street (downtown) routes are free; Riverside and the Beach trolley have a minimal charge but also run on weekends.^[12]
• JTA Connexion: paratransit for the disabled and elderly, provided by private vendors with specially equipped vehicles and drivers.
• St. Johns River Ferry: vehicle and pedestrian ferry that operates between Mayport Village and Ft. George Island. ^[13]
• Stadium shuttle: game day bus transportation from suburban, downtown and Park-n-Ride locations to the stadium and back.
• Jacksonville Skyway: Automated people mover system which travels 2.5 miles from the King Street parking garage across the St. Johns River and through the central business district, ending at LaVilla or the Florida State College at Jacksonville downtown campus.
• Park-n-Ride: Parking facility available in combination with express bus service or JTA Skyway.^[14]
• Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center (JRTC): JTA opened a new intermodal transit center in May, 2020, bringing together Jacksonville Skyway, JTA bus, First Coast Flyer, intercity bus, and rail service in one facility. JRTC replaced the aging and overcrowded Rosa Parks Transit Station. JRTC is situated across the street from the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.^[15][16]

Future transit

• First Coast Commuter Rail: JTA is undertaking evaluations for a future commuter rail system.^[17]
• Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C): JTA is undertaking a project to modernize and replace the Jacksonville Skyway by converting and expanding the automated people mover into an autonomous vehicle (AV) network.^[18][19]

Hurricanes

The JTA has the responsibility to identify, plan and prepare Jacksonville's hurricane evacuation routes. The JTA and the city of Jacksonville established a Hurricane Preparedness Plan that will provide emergency evacuation/patient transport and move civilians and/or emergency service personnel with mass transit.^[20]

Routes

On December 1, 2014, JTA underwent a complete system redesign called Route Optimization. This was to provide more frequent, more direct, and more reliable service. The current routes as of 2022 follows.^[21][22]

Local Bus Routes

• 1 North Main
• 3 Moncrief
• 4 Kings
• 8 Beach / Town Center
• 10 Atlantic
• 11 A. Philip Randolph
• 12 Myrtle / Lem Turner
• 13 Commonwealth / Lane
• 14 Edison / Normandy
• 16 Riverside / Wilson
• 17 St. Augustine
• 18 Atlantic / Monument
• 19 Arlington
• 21 Boulevard/ Gateway
• 22 Avenue B
• 23 Townsend / Southside
• 24 Mayport
• 25 San Jose
• 27 Philips / Avenues
• 28 Southside / Sunbeam
• 30 Cecil / Blanding (renamed from 30 Cecil on December 5, 2016; sections replaced by ReadiRide Southwest on December 3, 2018)
• 31 FSCJ Kent Campus/Argyle Village
• 32 McDuff
• 50 University
• 51 Edgewood
• 53 Commonwealth / Cassat
• 80 NAS Shuttle
• 81 Dinsmore Shuttle
• 82 Amazon Shuttle
• 102 First Coast Flyer Green
• 105 First Coast Flyer Orange
• 107 First Coast Flyer Blue
• 109 First Coast Flyer Red

Trolleys

• 71 Riverside/Avondale Night Trolley (only runs the first full weekend of the month, on Friday and Saturday from 6pm until 2am)^[23]

Express Routes

• Clay Express Select
• Nassau Express Select
• St Johns Express Select
• 202 Mayport Express

Ferry Routes

• 500 St Johns River Ferry

Former Routes

• 2 Lem Turner (converted to First Coast Flyer and renamed route 102 First Coast Flyer Green on December 7, 2015; local stops served by extended route 12 and new route 21)^[24]
• 7 Philips (converted to First Coast Flyer and renamed route 107 First Coast Flyer Blue on December 5, 2016; local stops served by new route 27)^[25]
• 9 Arlington / Beach (converted to First Coast Flyer and renamed route 109 First Coast Flyer Red on December 3, 2018; local stops served by routes 8, 10, and new Coastal Cab Southside service, which was replaced by ReadiRide Southside on July 1, 2019)^[26]
• 15 Post/Normandy
• 26 Collins (service west of Rampart Road replaced by ReadiRide Oakleaf on December 2, 2019)^[27]
• 31 Talleyrand (Replaced by ReadiRide Talleyrand on December 2, 2019)^[27]
• 33 Spring Park / Philips
• 34 Blanding / Edgewood (mostly merged into route 30 on December 5, 2016; rest discontinued)
• 35 Sunbeam / Baymeadows (combined with part of route 23 to form new route 28 Southside / Sunbeam on December 3, 2018)
• 70 Beaches Trolley (Discontinued in September 2016; only ran from May-September each year; replaced by Beachside Buggies service)^[28]
• 83 Soutel / Pritchard (Replaced by ReadiRide Pritchard on December 2, 2019)^[27]
• 84 Philips / Gran Bay
• 85 Highlands / Busch Drive
• 86 Northside
• 200 Mandarin Express
• 201 Clay Regional Express
• 203 NAS Shuttle (renumbered route 80 on December 5, 2016)
• 204 Dinsmore Shuttle (renumbered route 81 on December 5, 2016)
• 205 Beaches Express
• 300 Dunn / Pritchard Community Shuttle (replaced by new route 83 Soutel / Pritchard on December 3, 2018; rest covered by route 81)
• 301 Oakleaf Community Shuttle (replaced by new route 26 Collins on December 3, 2018)
• 302 Southeast Community Shuttle (replaced by new route 84 Philips / Gran Bay and new ReadiRide Southeast on December 3, 2018)
• 303 Beaches Community Shuttle (replaced by ReadiRide Beaches on December 3, 2018)
• 304 Mandarin Community Shuttle (discontinued on December 3, 2016 due to low ridership; restored on May 8, 2017 as Coastal Cab service; this service was replaced by ReadiRide Mandarin on July 1, 2019)^[29]
• 305 Highlands Community Shuttle (replaced by new route 85 Highlands / Busch Drive and new ReadiRide Highlands on December 3, 2018)
• 306 Heckscher Community Shuttle (merged into route 305 in August 2015)
• 307 Northside Community Shuttle (replaced by new route 86 Northside and new ReadiRide Northside on December 3, 2018)
• 308 Arlington Community Shuttle (replaced by Coastal Cab service on December 3, 2018; this service was replaced by ReadiRide Arlington July 1, 2019)

First Coast Commuter Rail

First Coast Commuter Rail
Overview
Status	Alternative Study Stage
Locale	North Florida
Termini	Central: Downtown Jacksonville, FL North: Yulee, FL Southwest: Green Cove Springs, FL Southeast: St Augustine, FL
Website	https://gis.jtafla.com/portal/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=9813461a3590462892bcd0cc13d26161
Service
Type	Commuter rail
Technical
Line length	91 mi (146 km)^[30]
Character	At-grade
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)
Route map Legend   FEC Mainline           Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center           Jacksonville Skyway to Rosa Parks         Jacksonville Skyway maintenance facility       St. Johns River       Jacksonville Skyway to Kings Avenue       I-95     I-95   The Avenues     I-295 (Buckman Bridge)   Racetrack Rd   Duval County St. Johns County   San Sebastian River   St. Augustine   FEC Mainline to Miami This diagram: view talk edit

First Coast Commuter Rail is a proposed commuter rail system serving Jacksonville, FL and northeast Florida. It is currently in the planning stages, having completed the first step of a feasibility study and currently pursuing an alternatives analysis.

Three routes were analyzed in depth, north to Yulee, FL, southwest to Green Cove Springs, FL and the southeast to St. Augustine, FL.^[31]

A feasibility study was completed in November 2009 for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA). James Boyle, JTA's regional transportation planner, has since said that there are no fatal flaws in the study.^[30]

JTA hired a consultant to conduct a feasibility study in early 2008 at the cost of $400,000. It was completed in November 2009.^[32] The study looked into 7 routes, most along existing freight rail right of ways. Three of these, north to Yulee, FL, southwest to Green Cove Springs, FL and the southeast to St. Augustine, FL were selected for in depth study.^[31] In the Summer of 2010, JTA allocated $1 Million for an Alternative Analysis study on the proposed system. This is a required step to participate in the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) New Starts program.^[33]

In May 2013, St. Augustine City Commission voted in a resolution supporting the proposal of a commuter train service on the southeast corridor. JTA says that the federal government could fund half of the southeast corridor project, estimated to cost about $193.3 million. The proposal still needs approval from St. Johns County, The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization board, and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority board.^[34]

As of 2023, First Coast Commuter Rail is still in the planning stages and no funding has been identified for its implementation.^[35]

 

All routes in the in-depth study start in downtown Jacksonville and head out in one of three directions: North (to Yulee), South (to Green Cove Springs), and Southeast (to St. Augustine).

North Corridor
Overview
Status	Planning (Alternatives Analysis)
Termini	Downtown Jacksonville, FL Yulee, FL
Stations	15
Service
System	First Coast Commuter Rail
Daily ridership	1020 to 2040 (Projected TBC)
Technical
Line length	23.7 mi (38.1 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The North Corridor originates in Downtown Jacksonville, and heads North along the abandoned S-Line to the CSX Kingsland division line to Yulee, FL. The Kingsland division line is a remnant of the Seaboard Air Line's mainline. The route passes two miles (3 km) from Jacksonville International Airport.

Southwest Corridor
Overview
Status	Planning (Alternatives Analysis)
Termini	Downtown Jacksonville, FL Green Cove Springs, FL
Stations	12
Service
System	First Coast Commuter Rail
Daily ridership	1490 to 2970 (Projected TBC)
Technical
Line length	29.3 mi (47.2 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The Southwest Corridor originates in Downtown Jacksonville, and heads South along the CSX A-Line to Green Cove Springs, FL.

Southeast Corridor
Overview
Status	Planning (Alternatives Analysis)
Termini	Downtown Jacksonville, FL St. Augustine, FL
Stations	13
Service
System	First Coast Commuter Rail
Daily ridership	2410 to 4810 (Projected TBC)
Technical
Line length	38.4 mi (61.8 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)

The Southeast Corridor originates in Downtown Jacksonville, and heads Southeast along the Florida East Coast Railway's main line to St. Augustine, closely following U.S. 1, known as Philips Highway in Jacksonville and Ponce de Leon Boulevard in St. Augustine . The proposed 38.4-mile (61.8 km) route would share the railbed with the northernmost part of a 368-mile (592 km) freight rail line to Miami. The heavily trafficked corridor already serves 17 regularly scheduled interregional freight trains per day, a figure which does not include Amtrak service, unscheduled freight trains, and other services. The 2009 feasibility study estimated that this route could carry an estimated 5,469 passengers in 2020 on trains between Jacksonville and St. Augustine. Travel time is estimated at 51 minutes end to end, comparable to travel time by car.^[36] Notable proposed stops along the route include the J. Turner Butler Freeway, The Avenues, Race Track Road/Nocatee, the massive mixed-use residential/commercial development at Palencia, West St. Augustine, the Northeast Florida Regional Airport (not to be confused with the much larger and busier Jacksonville International Airport almost 50 miles to the north), the St. Johns County Government Complex, and its terminus in Downtown St. Augustine.^[34][36]

By 2023, planning for the Southeast Corridor had progressed to the planning phase with a potential of four stations along the route: the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla, Avenues Walk, Racetrack Road, and St. Augustine.^[37]

References

1. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
2. "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
3. "FAQ" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
4. "Board of Directors" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
5. "Board of Directors". JTA. Jacksonville Transportation Authority. September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
6. Hannan, Larry: "JTA to ask council for gas tax increase and extension" Florida Times-Union, June 5, 2010
7. "Jacksonville City Council approves doubling gas tax for $930 million 'Jobs for Jax' plan". firstcoastnews.com. May 26, 2021. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
8. "ROADS/INFRASTRUCTURE/TRANSPORTATION" City of Jacksonville, Better Jacksonville Plan
9. "Unfunded Better Jacksonville Plan road projects" Florida Times-Union, May 7, 2009
10. "Jacksonville Transportation Authority – About JTA". www.jtafla.com. Retrieved 2021-10-11.
11. "First Coast Flyer" (2016). www.jtafla.com. Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
12. "Trolley Schedules" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
13. "St. John's River Ferry | Schedule, Costs, Information, Directions | JTA". ferry.jtafla.com. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
14. "Profile of Services" 2010-03-26 at the Wayback Machine Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
15. "JRTC" (2016). www.jtafla.com. Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
16. Tarancon, Alicia; Jax, Action News (May 4, 2020). "Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center officially open after COVID-19 delay". Action News Jax.
17. "Commuter Rail" 2016-05-21 at the Wayback Machine (2016). www.jtafla.com. Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
18. "Skyway Modernization Program" (2016). www.jtafla.com. Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
19. "Jacksonville Transportation Authority – Ultimate Urban Circulator". www.jtafla.com. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
20. "History" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
21. https://ride.jtafla.com/
22. https://www.actionnewsjax.com/news/local/jacksonville-transport-authority-announces-new-service-enhancements-starting-january-22/ZHDZUKICY5HYTMJISTPO4PT7VM/
23. "Trolley route + dates". 10 December 2013.
24. "JTA Ready to Launch First Coast Flyer Green Line".
25. "JTA Ready to Launch First Coast Flyer "Blue Line" on December 5, 2016".
26. "JTA launches First Coast Flyer Red Line in Jacksonville" (published December 3, 2018). 4 December 2018.
27. . Archived from the original on 2019-12-08.
28. Skepple, Junior. "JTA partners with Beachside Buggies to enhance mobility at the Beaches".
29. Jenae, Julia. "JTA terminates community shuttle in Mandarin". First Coast News.
30. Chapman, David (April 9, 2010). "JTA finds 'no fatal flaws' in commuter rail study". Daily Record.
31. (PDF). Gannett Fleming. July 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2011.
32. Hannan, Larry (September 28, 2009). "Report: Jacksonville commuter rail would be costly". jacksonville.com. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
33. "Jacksonville Commuter Rail Plans Progressing". Metro Jacksonville. July 2, 2010. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
34. Inclan, Lorena (May 14, 2013). . ActionNewsJax.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013.
35. (PDF). CPCS. 2018. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
36. Jordan, Douglas (May 13, 2013). "St. Augustine asked to support commuter rail link to Jax". StAugustine.com. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
37. Harding, Ashley (July 28, 2023). "Updates on First Coast Commuter Rail project coming Aug. 8 & 9". 4JAX. Retrieved 2 August 2023.

External links

• Official website
• FDOT District 2

30°19′51″N 81°40′36″W / 30.330763°N 81.676686°W / 30.330763; -81.676686