Groundbreaking held for JTA’s Autonomous Innovation Center

May 30, 2024

The project, which includes partners Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality team and Beep, will construct a control center for the city’s electric and autonomous mobility system.

Mischa Wanek-Libman

Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) held a groundbreaking ceremony on May 29 for its Autonomous Innovation Center (AIC) at LaVilla, which will serve as the command-and-control center for the electric and autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Jacksonville, Fla.

The AIC is what could be described as an operations and maintenance facility. However, JTA says AIC is a better descriptor for the facility as it will be a hub where the authority’s electric and AV fleet will be stored, serviced, monitored and maintained, as well as where the Jacksonville community can gather. The AIC will be built with an open terrace that allows for guided tours and educational opportunities that showcase the program in-action with an optimal viewing area of the AVs arriving and departing the facility. Additionally, in partnership with LaVilla Heritage Trail & Gateways, an area outside of the secure perimeter will be provided along Bay Street for food trucks.

The AIC is a component of the first phase of JTA’s Ultimate Urban Circulator (U2C) program, the Bay Street Innovation Corridor (BSIC). The BSIC project will introduce autonomous vehicles along a transportation corridor in downtown Jacksonville. JTA explains establishing an innovative mobility network to connect a rapidly developing downtown with neighborhoods on both sides of the St. Johns River is a critical cornerstone to revitalizing the area. The U2C represents a way to accomplish this through an initiative that will modernize and expand transportation options and introduce Avs to the system.

“The groundbreaking of the AIC is a culmination of hard work to provide the city of Jacksonville with enhanced connectivity through autonomous mobility at-scale,” said JTA CEO Nat Ford. “Throughout this project, JTA has leveraged its partners’ experience and expertise, and this groundbreaking is a visible symbol of our collective, forward-thinking progress. Today, we are one step closer in realizing our shared goal of providing a transportation network that is sustainable, adaptable and places Jacksonville as a city at the forefront of AV mobility.”

Among the partners on the project is the Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality (V2R) Team, which was awarded a contract by JTA to deliver the first phase of the authority’s U2C AV service with the BSIC. Balfour Beatty will build the two-story AIC on an existing parking lot with a secure perimeter. The facility’s top floor will feature the command-and-control center, while the first floor will include maintenance bays for vehicle service and covered AV parking with charging stations.

Beep, Inc., which is part of the Balfour Beatty V2R Team, is providing insights around the command-and-control center and design as it relates to managing AV systems to ensure JTA and the community are planning for key features across safety, sustainability and efficiency.

“The introduction of the AIC is a major milestone for this industry-leading program and a reflection of how the JTA, Beep and entire U2C team are revolutionizing the integration and management of autonomous mobility networks in our communities,” said Beep CEO Joe Moye. “Beep’s initial autonomous vehicles on the BSIC will be supervised and monitored through the AIC’s command-and-control operation, serving as a blueprint for providing a safe and reliable transportation solution for Jacksonville residents and visitors. In addition, the command center is designed for scale, enabling the orchestration of future mobility networks with over 100 vehicles to connect key areas of the city, such as Brooklyn, Springfield, San Marco and Riverside. We join the community in celebrating the future of transportation right here in Jacksonville.”

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Group Editorial Director

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine and group editorial director of the Infrastructure and Aviation Group at Endeavor Business Media. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the editorial direction of the group and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. 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 serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.