JTA awarded federal ferry grant; readies for launch of community transit route
Water and community transportation services provided by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) will see new routes and upgrades thanks to a federal grant and the start of a new line.
JTA will use a $3.9 million Passenger Ferry Grant from the Federal Transit Administration to move forward on the next phase of upgrades to the St. Johns River Ferry. The work includes $5.6 million worth of work to bulkheads, catwalks, warehousing, mooring bollards and other improvements to both the Mayport Village and Fort George Island facilities.
The Jean Ribault is a car and passenger ferry that connects the north and south ends of Florida State Road A1A, linking Mayport Village and Fort George Island via a 0.9-mile voyage across the St. Johns River, 2.5 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean.
“When the JTA took over operation of the St. Johns River Ferry in 2016, we also embarked on an ambitious plan to address needed upgrades and maintenance issues that had accrued over several decades,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr.
“The next phase of work is only possible because of the strong relationships we’ve built with our partners in Congress and with the FTA, who have seen firsthand how important this vital mode of transportation is to the thousands of customers who sail with us every day,” said Ford.
The JTA completed Phase III in January, which includes upgrades to the vessel, as well as operational and other safety improvements like rehabilitated bulkheads, new terminal bridges and stopping mechanisms. The grant will account for roughly 70 percent of the estimated $5.6 million project cost and represents Phase IV of JTA’s ongoing upgrade plan for the ferry system. Work is scheduled to begin in Spring 2020.
In other news, JTA plans to launch the Magenta Line on Aug. 12. The line is the newest Clay Community Transportation Flex Route to provide flexible and affordable transportation.
The line will make daily morning and afternoon trips from the Keystone Heights Senior Center to the Rosa Parks RTS Downtown Transit Station and standard fares are $1 per trip.
The JTA became the Community Transportation Coordinator for Clay County on Jan. 1, launching Clay Community Transportation. On March 4, the authority launched the Red and Blue lines, providing much needed flexible transportation services for Clay County residents, with stops between the Orange Park Mall and various locations. The JTA also provides paratransit services for disabled customers in Clay County.
Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director
Mischa Wanek-Libman is director of communications with Transdev North America. She has more than 20 years of experience working in the transportation industry covering construction projects, engineering challenges, transit and rail operations and best practices.
Wanek-Libman has held top editorial positions at freight rail and public transportation business-to-business publications including as editor-in-chief and editorial director of Mass Transit from 2018-2024. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.
She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and served 14 years as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.
She is a graduate of Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
