Downtown Development Review Board Taps the Brakes for New JTA Facility for Autonomous Vehicles
Plans for the proposed Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA) Autonomous Vehicle Operations and Maintenance Facility on Bay Street will have to wait a bit longer to advance through the planning process after the Downtown Development Review Board (DDRB) deferred conceptual approval at its Aug. 10 meeting.
These autonomous vehicles are part of JTA’s Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C), the “comprehensive program to modernize and expand the Skyway and introduce autonomous vehicles (AVs) into JTA’s transportation system.” Currently, the Skyway covers a 2.5-mile system of stops between downtown and the Southbank. U2C plans to extend that to 10 miles.
The site selected for the proposed facility covers the entire block bordered by Jefferson, Broad, Bay and Water streets in LaVilla, just south of the future site of the proposed Daily’s mixed-use project. The 1.11 acres of land is currently a paved parking lot.
According to the DDRB application, construction on the project is expected to start on Dec. 1 and end in February 2025. The design team for this project includes Vision 2 Reality, a partnership between Balfour Beatty and WGI, which will provide survey, engineering and architectural services.
A 2021 WGI press release explained that Balfour Beatty will partner with Superior Construction Company Southeast; Beep, Inc.; Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.; and Miller Electric to deliver the project.
While the building itself wouldn’t be open to the public, site plans do detail a “pocket park” for the community, though during the DDRB meeting, Eric Luttmann, Director of Architecture for WGI, stated the park would be a “future project by JTA.”
Several board members were not impressed with the designs presented for the proposed project. DDRB Chairman Matt Brockelman said, “I’m not super comfortable with the project. I think it needs work.”
A staff report presented to the board recommended conceptual approval for the application, with seven conditions, including one to meet with the LaVilla community and/or the LaVilla Heritage Trail Committee in “an effort to align the design of the site and structure with the community’s goals.”
DDRB Vice Chair Linzee Ott expressed support of that condition, among the six others, stating that “community input and involvement is going to be the key for me to get to final [approval].”
That being said, and with the understanding that discussions will continue on the project, she added she would be in favor of conceptual approval. Board Member Trevor Lee also voiced support for conceptual approval with board members Christian Harden and Gary Monahan in favor of deferral.
Ultimately, Brockelman deferred the project using his authority as chair. It will be revisited for conceptual approval at a future meeting.
JTA’s U2C is a project several years in the making, consisting of three phases: Bay Street Innovation Corridor, Skyway Conversion and Neighborhood Extensions. The first two phases are currently active.
On Aug. 30 and 31, JTA hosted its two-day Strategic Board Retreat, during which an update presentation was given about the U2C project.
The Resident News will continue coverage of the U2C project, including any updates provided at
the JTA retreat.
By Michele Leivas
Resident Community News
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