The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) hosted a ceremony Dec. 3 to celebrate the launch of the First Coast Flyer™ Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line. The line will provide more frequent and faster bus service and provide a needed transportation option in a heavily transit-dependent corridor.
The First Coast Flyer Red Line departs Rosa Parks Transit Station and runs along Arlington Expressway with stops at major destinations such as FSCJ Downtown Campus, Regency Mall, FSCJ South Campus and Jacksonville Beach. Half of the $33.9-million project was funded by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with $16.9 million through the Capital Investment Grants (CIG) Program. The remainder of the project was funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and the JTA.
“JTA’s new East Corridor BRT Red Line will connect Jacksonville residents to education and jobs, and improve the quality of life in the region,” said FTA Acting Administrator Williams.
The 18.5-mile East Corridor Red Line is the fourth segment of a five-phased First Coast Flyer BRT system planned for the Jacksonville area. This segment includes 21 branded stations and transit signal priority at 32 intersections that hold green lights, allowing buses to move through intersections without stopping.
“Already the largest BRT network in the Southeast, the new 18.5 mile Red Line nearly doubles the footprint of the existing First Coast Flyer Blue and Green lines and connects more people to jobs, education, healthcare and entertainment,” said JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “The Flyer serves as an economic driver for the region. In the last year, there has been a half-billion dollars in economic activity within a half-mile of high frequency transit corridors.”
The Flyer makes fewer stops and offers 10-minute frequency during weekday peak hours and 15-minute frequency in weekday off-peak hours. The Red Line offers complimentary Wi-Fi, MyJTA mobile ticketing, onboard monitors with real-time bus route/stop, weather and other information.
The JTA launched BRT with the opening of the Green Line in December 2015 and the Blue Line in December 2016. The Southwest corridor is in the project development phase.
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.