Jacksonville To Replace Monorail With Autonomous Shuttles

Jacksonville, Florida’s monorail system will be replaced by autonomous shuttles, reports Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive. “The aging 2.5-mile elevated transit system will become part of 10-mile automated shuttle service with transit-oriented development at some stations.”

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority will repurpose parts of the three-decade-old monorail system to build 10 miles of shuttle paths. The 3-mile first Bay Street Corridor phase “will connect major sports stadiums and entertainment venues along Bay Street with the existing monorail.” Rather than major construction, implementation work for the project will consist of the installation of cameras, antennas, and sensors at intersections.

“The proposed Shipyards station along the [Bay Street] corridor is one of the locations selected as a possible site for transit-oriented development. According to a plan posted on the JTA website, it would include a mixed-use waterfront district, a public plaza adjacent to the station and a 20-acre linear park.”

According to Zukowski, “Funding for the $49 million contract comes from a $12.5 million U.S. Department of Transportation BUILD grant, the Florida Department of Transportation, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization and JTA.” The second phase will be funded by the city’s gas tax.