JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A proposal to transform downtown might be subject to change itself.
As first reported by our news partners at the Florida Times-Union, there is a move underway to shift revenues from a proposed 12 cent gas tax.
A city council amendment would move some of that money from the city’s JTA Skyway system and into a connecting network of greenspaces known as the Emerald Trail.
Councilmember Matt Carlucci told the Times-Union he has worked with the city’s Office of General Counsel to make sure the gas tax funds can be spent on the Emerald Trail.
“This will be one of the biggest things Jacksonville has done for quality of life in a long time,” council member Matt Carlucci said.
This change could get more support for the gas tax hike. As city leaders come up with new and exciting ways to get people moving in and around downtown, the Skyway is one that could cost hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.
Some council members have been resistant to a plan that could spend $375 million on the Skyway.
Mary Turegano recently moved back to Jacksonville and just learned about the Skyway. She has taken advantage of it.
“I use it every day, now that I know about it before, when I left [Jacksonville] back in 2015 I didn’t know they had it,” Turegano said.
The Skyway needs an overhaul and would get one under a plan to hike the county’s gas tax up from 6 cents to 12 cents.
City council member Matt Carlucci would like to shift $150 million of tax revenues away from the Skyway and into the Emerald Trail. It’s a long-supported project that has some funding for portions of the 30-plus mile network of trails it will connect via bicycle and pedestrian trails.
JTA officials say they support developing the Emerald Trail and are pursuing federal dollars but didn’t directly comment on Carlucci’s proposal.
“We have been at the table regarding this very project in seeking redirection of federal dollars secured by the JTA to go towards the Emerald Trail, as well as utilizing JTA real estate along the trail. We will continue to work with City Council through this process,” JTA spokesperson David Cawton said.
The Mayor’s Office is also in support of Carlucci’s proposal but told the Times-Union that JTA’s vision for the Skyway will remain intact.
From a policy perspective, the mayor has always supported funding the Emerald Trail," Jordan Elsbury, Mayor Curry’s Chief of Staff said. "This is a revenue source that can cover it and the mayor is 100 percent supportive of the amendment,” Elsbury adds.
The latest segment of the Emerald Trail is the 1.3-mile LaVilla Link. A contractor has been selected with the cost of construction for that segment at $8.4 million, according to non-profit Groundwork Jacksonville.
The city’s capital improvement plan includes $4.9 million and Groundwork says the city is working to solve the funding gap.
Design of the entire Emerald Trail is $145.5 million, and the proposed gas tax funding allocation could help accelerate project construction according to Groundwork.
The mayor still prioritizes spending to expand the Skyway, something Turegano says is needed.
“It’d be a lot easier if it went all the way down to the beaches rather than just this certain area,” Turegano said.
Another group that’s in support of slashing funding for the Skyway project is the Jacksonville Civic Council.
In a letter to the Mayor, JTA, and City Council, the Jacksonville Civic Council says it “supports the proposed [local option gas tax] but strongly recommends adjustments and reductions to the proposed allocation of funds to the Skyway repurposing and extensions.”
“While it is important to keep an eye on the future, it is impossible to ignore the many, more immediate infrastructure and transportation improvements needed today. For this reason, the Jacksonville Civic Council supports a larger investment in road and surface transportation than is currently proposed,” the letter said.
Carlucci plans to introduce his amendment at Wednesday’s committee of the whole council meeting.
“It allows us to do something bold, which is, it’s a multi-modal urban transportation system of very wide walkways and bikeways,” Carlucci told First Coast News.