JTA Seeks New Development Near Transportation Hubs
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is looking to help encourage private development around its transportation hubs and expand mass transit on the First Coast.
During its annual State of the Utility presentation JTA officials looked back on the challenges of operating during the pandemic, and presented plans for the future.
JTA is also commemorating their 50th anniversary. It was first created by the state legislature in 1955 as the Jacksonville Expressway Authority. It was renamed the Jacksonville Transport Authority in 1971 when it began bus service. The annual presentation was delivered entirely virtual.
Mayor Lenny Curry praised the JTA and its Board for its work during the pandemic offering free rides for people to vaccine centers and operating mobile vaccine clinics in areas where getting to a vaccine site was difficult. “It takes all of us working together to build a better, stronger, more connected community,” he said.
Curry also thanked JTA for its support for the “Jobs for Jacksonville” gas tax.
“By leveraging the gas tax as other major Florida cities do we will make significant progress on improvements to transportation and infrastructure throughout our community,” Curry said.
JTA Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Vice-President Cleveland Ferguson discussed the Authority’s latest study to encourage more development near transportation hubs.
Ferguson said Transit Supported Urbanism can enrich communities and help provide the spark needed for growth. He said it can help reduce urban sprawl and congestion, while increasing pedestrian activity and economic development.
He said thanks to help from the state legislature, JTA can now agree with private developers on 99-year leases of parcels owned by the Authority for private development.
“This allows the JTA to negotiate with the private sector in a way that increases certainty and predictability as developers finance their construction projects with JTA as its partner,” Ferguson said.
It’s hoped such development will spur others to invest in areas around the transportation hubs for further growth.
Ferguson said he hopes any zoning changes needed development projects will be completed with the City Council by the end of the year.
JTA CEO Nat Ford said they are very pleased with their partnerships with Beachside Buggies in the Beach communities and Go Tuk’n in Downtown, Riverside, and Avondale and hopes to see further expansion.
JTA is looking for more ways to expand mass transit opportunities with an expansion of the Skyway. The plan is to make use of autonomous vehicles to expand transportation opportunities to TIAA Bank Field, Riverside, San Marco, and Five Points.
The hi-tech busses include technology that allows the vehicles to follow traffic patterns.
By Kevin J. Meerschaert
Resident Community News
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