JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — An information session held tonight at the JTA Administration Building in downtown Jacksonville provided taxpayers with an opportunity to gain insight into the proposed commuter rail connecting Jacksonville and St. Augustine.
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The session addressed inquiries about a potential plan that could bring a First Coast Commuter Rail spanning nearly 40 miles to Northeast Florida. Locations of various stations were discussed, including JTA Headquarters, Baymeadows, and Avenues Walk area.
Joshua Turner, Assistant Vice President and Southeast Urban Design Practice Leader shed light on the nature of the discussions. “It was very clear that there were a lot of unanswered questions,” said Turner.
The proposed First Coast Commuter Rail, depicted on a map showcasing its route from downtown Jacksonville to St. Augustine, has generated interest and anticipation among the local community.
Turner emphasized that the ongoing conversations about the rail’s potential were centered on broader concepts such as real estate development and economic opportunity.
During the community workshop, Turner showcased conceptual renderings of how certain areas around the planned commuter rail stations might appear in Jacksonville. However, he made it clear that the potential station locations presented during the study did not represent the final configuration of the commuter rail system in Northeast Florida.
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Among the attendees with concerns and questions was Caleb Taylor. Expressing his worries about the impact on the Baymeadows and Avenues Walk areas, Taylor highlighted an infrastructure concern, saying, “If the best-case scenario works and all of this goes perfectly. You still have no sidewalks on Southside Blvd. So it’s going to be hard to funnel people into that, other than driving.”
The information session was held as a precursor to a community meeting tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. in St. Augustine. At the meeting, community members will get another chance to seek clarification and discuss the proposed commuter rail project.
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