Jacksonville Transportation Authority

Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Overview
Locale Jacksonville, Florida
Transit type Rapid transit and bus
Number of lines 2 (rail)
39 (bus)
Number of stations 8 (rail)
Daily ridership 42,200 weekday (Q3 2012)[1]
5,400 (rail)
Website www.jtafla.com
Operation
Began operation 1971 (buses)
1989 (trains)
Operator(s) Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Technical
System length 2.5 miles (4.0 km)

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) is the independent agency responsible for public transit in the city of Jacksonville, Florida, and roadway infrastructure that connects northeast Florida.[2] However, they do not maintain any roadways.

History

In 1955, the Florida Legislature established the Jacksonville Expressway Authority. Their responsibility was limited to highways, bridges and tolls in Duval County until 1971, when the Jacksonville Transportation Authority was formed by a merger of the Jacksonville Expressway Authority with several private bus companies.

Governance

The JTA is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The mayor of Jacksonville appoints three members who must be confirmed by the Jacksonville City Council; the Florida Governor appoints three members who must be confirmed by the Florida Senate. Each member serves a four-year, unpaid term and can be re-appointed for a second term. If a member serves eight consecutive years, they must rotate off the board. From its membership, the Board elects its own Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer for one year terms. The seventh member is the District Two Secretary from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) who serves as long as s/he is employed in the position. That individual is responsible for the FDOT activities within the 18 counties of the district, including administrative, planning and operations.[3]

As of February 2016, members included Scott McCaleb, chairman; Isaiah Rumlin, vice chairman; Kevin Holzendorf, secretary; Ari Jolly, treasurer; Greg Evans, FDOT District Two Secretary; Denise Wallace, board member; and Jeanne Miller, board member.[4]

Revenue

Originally, when a bridge or roadway was completed, a toll was imposed at that location to create a revenue stream to repay bonds used to fund construction. State and federal tax money was used for specific capital projects, such as interstate highways.

Gas surcharge

The Jacksonville City Council approved a 10-year, 6¢ per gallon gasoline surcharge in 1986 to pay for new roadways and other transportation projects. Prior to its expiration in 1996, the council extended the tax for 20 additional years, until 2016.[5]

Tolls

J. Turner Butler Boulevard, the Fuller Warren Bridge, Mathews Bridge, Hart Bridge and Trout River Bridge were tolled by JTA until 1988, when Jacksonville voters approved a ½¢ sales tax increase to pay off the toll bonds, fund future road construction, and abolish toll collections.

Growth management

JTA was the major beneficiary of the $2.25 billion Better Jacksonville Plan (BJP), passed by voters in September, 2000. Roadway/drainage improvements, resurfacing, new sidewalks and railroad grade crossings accounted for $1.5 billion, of which half was funded by the BJP ½¢ sales tax increase and half from the existing gasoline surcharge.[6] In 2005, the JTA and city re-prioritized the projects still outstanding. The actual cost for most projects had significantly exceeded the estimate due to an 18-month lag time and an unanticipated increase in the price of construction materials. Dozens of projects were deferred to the future and removed from the BJP or left on a $320 million list of unfunded tasks.[7]

Budget

The gasoline surcharge generates approximately $30 million in revenue each year, about one third of JTA's budget of $100 million in 2010. Prior to the 1986 gasoline surcharge, tolls were the primary source of local revenue for the JTA. Federal and state highway money provided the balance. In early June, 2010, JTA announced their intentions to request an extension of the 6¢ per gallon gasoline surcharge, due to expire in 2016. They will also ask the council for an additional 5¢ per gallon tax over 30 years that would generate another $25 million per year, for a total of $55 million each year. Most council members questioned the need to extend the existing tax and were opposed to any new tax during difficult economic times, but JTA executives warned that if the gas taxes are curtailed, no road construction will occur and bus service will be slashed.

Responsibilities

The goal of the JTA is to improve the flow of traffic into and throughout Jacksonville/Duval County.

Roadway infrastructure

The JTA develops and implements construction and financing plans for state and city roads, bridges and interchanges in conjunction with the city government and the Florida Department of Transportation. This was the original role of the Expressway Authority.

Public transit

[9]

Future transit

[11]

Hurricanes

The JTA has the responsibility to identify, plan and prepare Jacksonville's hurricane evacuation routes. The JTA and the city of Jacksonville established a Hurricane Preparedness Plan that will provide emergency evacuation/patient transport and move civilians and/or emergency service personnel with mass transit.[12]

Routes

On December 1, 2014, JTA underwent a complete system redesign called Route Optimization. This was to provide more frequent, more direct, and more reliable service. The new routes were as follows. [13]

Local Bus Routes


Express Routes

Community Shuttles

References

  1. ↑ http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Documents/Ridership/2012-q3-ridership-APTA.pdf
  2. ↑ "FAQ" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
  3. ↑ "Board of Directors" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
  4. ↑ "Board of Directors". Jacksonville Transportation Authority. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  5. ↑ Hannan, Larry: "JTA to ask council for gas tax increase and extension" Florida Times-Union, June 5, 2010
  6. ↑ "ROADS/INFRASTRUCTURE/TRANSPORTATION" City of Jacksonville, Better Jacksonville Plan
  7. ↑ "Unfunded Better Jacksonville Plan road projects" Florida Times-Union, May 7, 2009
  8. ↑ "Trolley Schedules" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
  9. ↑ "Profile of Services" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
  10. ↑ https://sharepoint.jtafla.com/sites/ROI/Pages/Main.aspx
  11. ↑ "Future Plans" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
  12. ↑ "History" Jacksonville Transportation Authority website
  13. ↑ https://sharepoint.jtafla.com/sites/ROI/Pages/Main.aspx

External links

Coordinates: 30°19′51″N 81°40′36″W / 30.330763°N 81.676686°W / 30.330763; -81.676686

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