JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The State of the Authority luncheon called first coast forward is a change for JTA to reflect on the successes of the past year, but also to project that success into the future.
President and CEO of JTA, Nathaniel Ford, says the organization is focused on developing new technology and continuing to enhance the emerald trail.
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“We see ourselves as mobility integrators, and when you look at mobility, you can have a siloed approach, one for biking, walking, and transit, it’s all got to be pulled together and harmonized.”
Nathaniel ford sr. – President/CEO, JTA
Over the last year, Nathaniel Ford says that JTA has made progress toward its goal of providing holistic transit solutions. He’s excited about the progress they’ve made with their autonomous vehicle program; he highlighted the monthly riding records with the St. Johns River ferry and touted the numerous road projects that have been completed over the last few years. Possibly the most impactful project JTA is working on is the emerald trail.
“We have a 31-mile project that is going to knit together communities that have been separated because of transportation infrastructure. It will also be an environment for communities to come together.”
Nathaniel ford sr. – President/CEO, JTA
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The Atlanta belt line is an example of how the emerald trail could impact Jacksonville economically. President and CEO, Clyde Higgs say that 700 million dollars have been invested in that project, and it has produced an 11 to 1 return, with over 9 billion dollars of private investment that have followed the beltline.
“We have a lot of scar tissue, a lot of mistakes that we’ve made in the past, so we are trying to educate other cities on what they should be doing from a best-practices standpoint, but also a cautionary tale as well.”
Clyde Higgs – President/CEO, Atlanta Beltline inc.
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“I have some tenure in Atlanta, and I remember when that concept was being talked about 20 years ago. To see the progress they’ve made, and to learn from them will help the development of our project.”
Nathaniel ford sr. – President/CEO, JTA
For more information on the new systems JTA is developing, and for updates on the emerald trail, visit Jtafla.
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