(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Development/Emerald-Necklace-Trail-Master-Plan/i-FD7nxMQ/0/adbabf00/L/title-L.jpg)
The mission of Groundwork Jacksonville is to build and connect Jacksonville's Emerald Necklace. When complete the Emerald Necklace could encompass as much as 19-miles of new trails, greenspace, parks and waterways encircling the urban core and linking at least 14 neighborhoods and downtown to Hogans Creek, McCoys Creek, the S-Line Rail Trail and the Northbank and Southbank riverwalks.
Full plan concepts and renderings: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/a-look-at-the-emerald-necklace-trails-master-plan/
This is amazing. The McCoys Creek and Hogans creek portions look very doable and connecting those to the riverwalk and S-Line would be so great for the surrounding neighborhoods.
If all options get built, or even just the connecting loops to make a full path, I worry if the city will take it seriously to maintain all these beautiful paths. That will be the biggest key for its long term success
Quote from: itsfantastic1 on July 25, 2018, 11:19:50 AM
If all options get built, or even just the connecting loops to make a full path, I worry if the city will take it seriously to maintain all these beautiful paths. That will be the biggest key for its long term success
You already know the answer to this.
This is absolutely amazing. But like itsfantastic1 said, it should be a major concern whether the city will maintain this expansive park space. But if they can, they have to do it. This is the walkability downtown needs.
The good thing about the plan is that it tries to work in various urban neighborhoods that are often left out of planning discussions. But feasibility a major concern. Expect to see major changes between this plan and the final product. Currently the plan involves purchasing a lot of private property and converting public alleys into bike paths, and that's just not likely to happen.
^The Trust for Public Land just released their new 2018 Park Scores, which score each American city for their park systems, based on roughly a dozen different criteria.
Was curious to see how each city ranked versus how much each city actually spends per resident on parkland.
Ran the numbers and, no huge surprise, there's a statistically significant correlation between cities with great park systems and cities who prioritize funding for parks.
Probably too small to read, but Jacksonville in orange, near the bottom.
(https://snag.gy/3gf2xG.jpg)
It's easy to blame the city for failure to maintain our parks, but the real problem probably lies more with the funding mechanism than a lack of care by the city. On the public side, the only way we're going to increase maintenance on a per-park basis is to constrain supply (close parks, and stop building new ones), or increase funding (raise taxes, or reallocate budget from elsewhere).
Would KILL to see 19 miles of new greenspace in the urban core and surrounding neighborhoods, but like others above have mentioned, I'd hope that beyond just the initial capital spend to build this thing, someone has a plan for how we're going to pay to maintain it without diverting even more money from all of our other already underfunded parks.
Ditto the Landing park.
Ditto the District park.
Ditto the Shipyards park.
These things will all exist beyond the ribbon cutting.
That said, LOVE the plan.
Very ambitious.
Quote from: itsfantastic1 on July 25, 2018, 11:19:50 AM
If all options get built, or even just the connecting loops to make a full path, I worry if the city will take it seriously to maintain all these beautiful paths. That will be the biggest key for its long term success
The plan calls for the trail to be concrete, not asphalt, to reduce maintenance. The diagram at the top of this thread shows one proposed section. In many areas they are taking an existing road lane, or alley, and converting it to the trail. In the alleys cars would still have access, but each block would have a barrier to stop cars using the alley as a cut through. There is often minimal landscaping to be maintained. I live next to one of the alleys that is proposed for the trail and I know that we and our neighbors would be happy to help with maintenance, as we do already! At the recent public hearing they said they do have plans for the maintenance of the trail.
A good model for the maintenance of this and other parks might be the Florida Theatre where the land and structures are owned by the city but maintained by a non profit using donations and revenue from fees and concessions. Just a thought.
Is there a budget for what this would cost to get up and running?
Rename it "The Wayne and Dolores Weaver Emerald Necklace Trails Public Walkway" and maybe the 'green' part will magically appear.
If someone tossed a number out there right now, I'd tell you they're making a random guess that should be taken with a grain of salt. What's shown is pretty conceptual. No engineering and design has been done to the point where anyone would know potential right-of-way acquisition needs, drainage, utility, easement, historical impacts, etc. With that said, the mayor is looking to spend +$60 million on the restoration of McCoys Creek and the construction of a greenway along it. Throw in Hogan Creeks and all the alignments shown in the concept and you're likely way over $100 million. However, once more analysis and community outreach is conducted, there may be collaboration and funding opportunities out there that have not surfaced yet.
I had a meeting with Parks the other morning and afterwards we were chatting about 'things' - this project being one of them.
The couple of guys and lady were THRILLED about this project. [I hope the sarcasm reads through]
Most of that department is very aware of the perception that they 'can't maintain anything' and wonder how all of this money comes about to add more responsibility without adding more people to handle said responsibility.
Quote from: thelakelander on July 28, 2018, 12:44:52 PM
If someone tossed a number out there right now, I'd tell you they're making a random guess that should be taken with a grain of salt. What's shown is pretty conceptual. No engineering and design has been done to the point where anyone would know potential right-of-way acquisition needs, drainage, utility, easement, historical impacts, etc. With that said, the mayor is looking to spend +$60 million on the restoration of McCoys Creek and the construction of a greenway along it. Throw in Hogan Creeks and all the alignments shown in the concept and you're likely way over $100 million. However, once more analysis and community outreach is conducted, there may be collaboration and funding opportunities out there that have not surfaced yet.
At the public meeting this month they had estimates on short (roughly 1 mile) sections that they were hoping to start first, and they were roughly $2 million per mile. I think the total for the entire system was just under $50 million. This was based on similar trails that they have recently completed.
Yea, sitting on the steering committee, I consider those estimates to be pie in the sky and I wish they would have not been mentioned to the public. No analysis has been done on actual ROW acquisition, areas of drainage concern, utility impacts, cross slopes, etc. have been studied. Heck, it's even too early to assume that concrete is the most appropriate paving material for the entire thing. As I mentioned before, what was shown was very conceptual in nature. Once real analysis begins many of those routes will either disappear or materialize in other forms and alignments.
QuoteThis was based on similar trails that they have recently completed.
What are the similar trails? Many of the trails (like the Beltline) shown in the presentation aren't totally applicable. In the Beltline's case, it's basically a rails to trails project in Atlanta, hundreds of miles from the Atlantic coast. ROW acquisition, soil conditions, flooding impact, raising existing bridges, the need to restore McCoys and Hogans Creek, etc. would blow that $50 million number right out the water. I believe over $60 million is being proposed by the Mayor's Office on the McCoys Creek segment alone over the next few years.
If we shut down the Skyway today, we'd free up $10M in local funds to put into this project. Throw in state and federal matching funds and we could have this done in a handful of years.
Really like what they did or will do in front of Prime Osborne
Quote from: bl8jaxnative on August 18, 2018, 02:05:52 PM
If we shut down the Skyway today, we'd free up $10M in local funds to put into this project. Throw in state and federal matching funds and we could have this done in a handful of years.
Except shutting down the Skyway requires JTA to pay back $25 million (http://floridapolitics.com/archives/190413-in-jacksonville-a-skyway-or-a-money-pit) in federal grants. Which not only wipes out your $10 million, but then requires pulling out another $15 million to end up with less.
Quote from: Keith-N-Jax on August 18, 2018, 03:04:10 PM
Really like what they did or will do in front of Prime Osborne
I don't expect the end product to look anything like that. Eventually, the City will reconstruct Park Street in Brooklyn. Last year the DIA paid a consultant to start preliminary work and develop a scope on the Park Street road diet. Their recommendations do not match up to the renderings presented by Groundworks. It doesn't look like Groundworks did much to coordinate with various stakeholders (particularly the private landowners that would be giving up their property within these renderings) when putting together these renderings. Right now, they are nothing more than that= renderings.
As Lakelander said:
QuoteOnce real analysis begins many of those routes will either disappear or materialize in other forms and alignments.
Quote from: fieldafm on August 21, 2018, 08:28:20 AM
It doesn't look like Groundworks did much to coordinate with various stakeholders (particularly the private landowners that would be giving up their property within these renderings) when putting together these renderings.
Welcome to Jacksonville, where nobody coordinates anything!
Looks like Phase 1 will begin in the Fall:
https://news.wjct.org/post/emerald-trail-construction-begins-fall-30-mile-jax-urban-path#_ga=2.154212913.865272569.1592571627-2049863580.1592571627
Not to nitpick (OK, to nitpick), it would be nice if there were more detail on the "Park Street Bridge" portion of the video. Without the caption, I did not know the location of that part of the video.
I know it's no longer the case, but I still associate this with the Bacon Barge and the early years of groundwork Jax. I'm not holding my breath for the work to start.
Quote from: Captain Zissou on June 19, 2020, 10:19:09 AM
I know it's no longer the case, but I still associate this with the Bacon Barge and the early years of groundwork Jax. I'm not holding my breath for the work to start.
It's happening.
Quote from: Captain Zissou on June 19, 2020, 10:19:09 AM
I know it's no longer the case, but I still associate this with the Bacon Barge and the early years of groundwork Jax. I'm not holding my breath for the work to start.
In fairness GW Jax has brought some weight to the organization since those days. Plus the money has been secured.
I'm pretty confident the LaVilla Link will become reality. There's a lot of momentum and funding behind it. Hopefully it will spur community support and forward movement on many of the other Emerald Trail segments.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on August 18, 2018, 04:09:45 PM
Except shutting down the Skyway requires JTA to pay back $25 million (http://floridapolitics.com/archives/190413-in-jacksonville-a-skyway-or-a-money-pit) in federal grants. Which not only wipes out your $10 million, but then requires pulling out another $15 million to end up with less.
That's been a claim that's floated around for a long time. However
a) There's no reason why Reps couldn't amend a bill to end this requirement
b) Even if 100% accurate and not prorated, that $25 million..... we break even after not running it a couple of years
c) I've never been able to find source material for this claim. Does anyone know exactly what legislation is in play that requires this? Does anyone have copies of the actual agreements with the Feds on this?
Quote from: bl8jaxnative on June 22, 2020, 10:57:56 AM
Quote from: marcuscnelson on August 18, 2018, 04:09:45 PM
Except shutting down the Skyway requires JTA to pay back $25 million (http://floridapolitics.com/archives/190413-in-jacksonville-a-skyway-or-a-money-pit) in federal grants. Which not only wipes out your $10 million, but then requires pulling out another $15 million to end up with less.
That's been a claim that's floated around for a long time. However
a) There's no reason why Reps couldn't amend a bill to end this requirement
b) Even if 100% accurate and not prorated, that $25 million..... we break even after not running it a couple of years
c) I've never been able to find source material for this claim. Does anyone know exactly what legislation is in play that requires this? Does anyone have copies of the actual agreements with the Feds on this?
^Agree on this, Especially (a). The Skyway was sold as a "demonstration project." It was really a PORK BARREL (yes, in caps!) project promoted by Corrine Brown and her Republican friends to take "free" federal funds. Forget that locals are on the hook for decades of operating losses in the tens of millions of dollars.
Rather than admitting that the "demonstration project" failed (i.e. it did its "job" by showing the Skyway is not a viable transportation alternative although that was known before it was built) and asking for forgiveness of any paybacks (certainly Curry and Rutherford could get that from their friend Trump), JTA keeps trying to salvage it by wasting millions more on PORK BARREL V 2.0, autonomous vehicles. Typical of Jacksonville chasing rainbows and failing to learn lessons of the past.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on June 22, 2020, 11:56:52 AM
^Agree on this, Especially (a). The Skyway was sold as a "demonstration project." It was really a PORK BARREL (yes, in caps!) project promoted by Corrine Brown and her Republican friends to take "free" federal funds. Forget that locals are on the hook for decades of operating losses in the tens of millions of dollars.
Corrine Brown was not in Congress when the Demonstration Project grants were awarded in the mid-1970s; she was first elected to Congress in 1992 (term began 1993). She was in the Florida Legislature between 1980 and 1988, which did not have a whole lot to do with the USDOT grants to JTA for the Skyway. As with all federal transit grants, Florida DOT splits the non-federal share with the local government (typically either 25% or 10% for each). Once she reached Congress, she worked to assure continued funding for the existing Skyway.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on June 22, 2020, 11:56:52 AM
Quote from: bl8jaxnative on June 22, 2020, 10:57:56 AM
Quote from: marcuscnelson on August 18, 2018, 04:09:45 PM
Except shutting down the Skyway requires JTA to pay back $25 million (http://floridapolitics.com/archives/190413-in-jacksonville-a-skyway-or-a-money-pit) in federal grants. Which not only wipes out your $10 million, but then requires pulling out another $15 million to end up with less.
That's been a claim that's floated around for a long time. However
a) There's no reason why Reps couldn't amend a bill to end this requirement
b) Even if 100% accurate and not prorated, that $25 million..... we break even after not running it a couple of years
c) I've never been able to find source material for this claim. Does anyone know exactly what legislation is in play that requires this? Does anyone have copies of the actual agreements with the Feds on this?
^Agree on this, Especially (a). The Skyway was sold as a "demonstration project." It was really a PORK BARREL (yes, in caps!) project promoted by Corrine Brown and her Republican friends to take "free" federal funds. Forget that locals are on the hook for decades of operating losses in the tens of millions of dollars.
Rather than admitting that the "demonstration project" failed (i.e. it did its "job" by showing the Skyway is not a viable transportation alternative although that was known before it was built) and asking for forgiveness of any paybacks (certainly Curry and Rutherford could get that from their friend Trump), JTA keeps trying to salvage it by wasting millions more on PORK BARREL V 2.0, autonomous vehicles. Typical of Jacksonville chasing rainbows and failing to learn lessons of the past.
While Corrine Brown did a tremendous amount to secure funds for JTA throughout her political career, planning for the Downtown People Mover (what became the Skyway) began in the early 1970's. Here is the feasibility study from 1979 (https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=jaxdoc). Here is the initial proposal prepared by the Hans Tanzler administration when applying for the program in 1976: (https://www.jtafla.com/media/Documents/General/Skyway/7_jacksonville-downtown-people-mover-june-30-1976/1003/7_jacksonville-downtown-people-mover-june-30-1976.pdf).
Corrine Brown didn't become a Congresswoman until 1992, seven years after the Skyway received funding from the Urban Mass Transportation Administration (now known as the FTA). Although, she did work to secure federal funds for the Skyway expansion over the river and the accompanying construction of JTA's Kings Ave parking garage... characterizing the Skyway as nothing more than a Corrine Brown pork-barrel project is patently false.
During the last useful life study completed in 2015, if the Skyway was to be permanently shutdown, the payback requirement was calculated as $33.5mm being owed to the FTA and $12.1mm being owed to FDOT.
The federal government will definitely require payback. Last year, for instance, the Mayor's office quietly moved nearly $2mm through the City Council appropriation process in anticipation of paying back the National Park Service for the eventual repurposing of Metropolitan Park.
^ I never characterized the Skyway as a "Corrine Brown pork barrel project." I did say she promoted it which you just backed up and admitted that she was responsible for a large (50+%?) portion of today's Skyway investment. I also allowed that others were aligned with her including the usual group of politically involved "business leaders" which I identified as her "Republican Friends" as it is well known she was the rare Democrat who catered to their interests. I am happy to add other "co-conspirators" to the list with your assistance and agree there is plenty of blame to go around. Ms. Brown just happened to be the most modern face of the project which she appeared to relish. If one wants credit for the "good" they also have to take the blame.
Comparing the payback for Metro Park to the Skyway is false equivalency. Different agencies, different project, different issues. Metro Park was supposed to be a park in perpetuity, not a demonstration project of limited life. Metro Park's demise is on the table to benefit a private billionaire developer, Mr. Khan, at the expense of the public. Doing away with the Skyway is just the opposite as it would stop the bleeding of the public.
Curry has successfully milked the Federal teat for hundreds of millions of dollars for the port, JTA projects, Hart Bridge ramp removal, interstate construction projects, the innovation corridor, hurricane relief, COVID relief, and more. The Skyway Forgiveness Dollars, whatever the final number is, pale in comparison. You can't convince me that, politically, Trump of all people, along wtih DeSantis, can't be persuaded to waive the penalties on the Skyway for our kiss-ass mayor. Further, as noted by bl8jaxnative, eliminating the cost of continuing the operations of the Skyway would provide a pretty quick payback if the penalty was paid in full.
P.S. If you look at the hundreds of millions of dollars Curry has found, or plans on finding, for the Landing, the Hart Bridge ramps, City Hall/Courthouse demolitions, Lot J incentives, port dredging, paying off the police and fire for the fake pension reform, etc. the City could find the dollars for this. Not so much in comparison.
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on June 22, 2020, 01:35:20 PM
^ I never characterized the Skyway as a "Corrine Brown pork barrel project." I did say she promoted it which you just backed up and admitted that she was responsible for a large (50+%?) portion of today's Skyway investment. I also allowed that others were aligned with her including the usual group of politically involved "business leaders" which I identified as her "Republican Friends" as it is well known she was the rare Democrat who catered to their interests. I am happy to add other "co-conspirators" to the list with your assistance and agree there is plenty of blame to go around. Ms. Brown just happened to be the most modern face of the project which she appeared to relish. If one wants credit for the "good" they also have to take the blame.
Comparing the payback for Metro Park to the Skyway is false equivalency. Different agencies, different project, different issues. Metro Park was supposed to be a park in perpetuity, not a demonstration project of limited life. Metro Park's demise is on the table to benefit a private billionaire developer, Mr. Khan, at the expense of the public. Doing away with the Skyway is just the opposite as it would stop the bleeding of the public.
Curry has successfully milked the Federal teat for hundreds of millions of dollars for the port, JTA projects, Hart Bridge ramp removal, interstate construction projects, the innovation corridor, hurricane relief, COVID relief, and more. The Skyway Forgiveness Dollars, whatever the final number is, pale in comparison. You can't convince me that, politically, Trump of all people, along wtih DeSantis, can't be persuaded to waive the penalties on the Skyway for our kiss-ass mayor. Further, as noted by bl8jaxnative, eliminating the cost of continuing the operations of the Skyway would provide a pretty quick payback if the penalty was paid in full.
P.S. If you look at the hundreds of millions of dollars Curry has found, or plans on finding, for the Landing, the Hart Bridge ramps, City Hall/Courthouse demolitions, Lot J incentives, port dredging, paying off the police and fire for the fake pension reform, etc. the City could find the dollars for this. Not so much in comparison.
I think you are conflating a lot of grievances together.
I'm the last person that will defend Corrine Brown or JTA. The Downtown People Mover was a project advanced by and secured federal funds under two Democratic mayoral administrations (and a Democratic Senator). It was a pork barrel project for sure, but shoehorning some political party debate into the failure that is the Skyway (and there are multiple reasons for its failure) takes the conversation off the rails.
I brought up the MetroPark repayment, not to compare dollar amounts, but to give a local example of how the federal government definitely requires payback when the contractual terms are no longer being met. There seems to be this notion prevalent in this thread, that State and Federal payback is some kind of false threat. Its not.
You are also discounting the total breath of the payback obligation. The numbers I floated earlier are a few years old, but that isn't the only pot of money at stake. COJ and JTA also received an additional $25mm that is allocated to the U2C clown car boondoggle (which is just as much of a pork barrel debacle as the Skyway was). Those funds are tied into the Skyway conversion. Shutting down the Skyway would also require that money to be paid back as well. JTA doesn't have $75mm in extra cash laying around to close up the Skyway and close up shop on their 'innovative' new baby, the U2C.
If you get the impression that Mayor Curry cares much about JTA... or that instead of positioning himself for any potential Presidential pardons, that he'll be swayed to use that political capital to lean into President Trump about forgiving some obligations towards the Skyway... then with all due respect, you may be misreading how this administration has operated over the last 6+ years.
The more likely scenario, is that both Trump and DeSantis both propose some pretty large infrastructure projects at the Federal and State level in the very near future. Letting that much transportation-related cash just vanish, seems about as probable as me winning the lottery this week.
An incalculable factor in shutting down the Skyway and returning the money (as fieldafm said, where would it come from?) is the impact on future federal funding. Most highway funding is formula-driven - collect so much in gas tax, have a certain population, you get this much money. However, most transit funding is discretionary, especially for big projects like commuter rail or streetcar systems. How do you think FTA will look on asks from Jacksonville when they have requests for many times their available funding?
Quote from: Charles Hunter on June 23, 2020, 11:06:42 AM
An incalculable factor in shutting down the Skyway and returning the money (as fieldafm said, where would it come from?) is the impact on future federal funding. Most highway funding is formula-driven - collect so much in gas tax, have a certain population, you get this much money. However, most transit funding is discretionary, especially for big projects like commuter rail or streetcar systems.
The money at issue is pocket change in comparison to what Curry cough's up for other projects as I previously posted. It's even less money to the Feds and the State who probably throw that much away every day on boondoggles somewhere in their jurisdictions.
Do you think this is really the first transportation or public works project these parties funded that someone walked away from after it failed or was outdated/outmoded? Or never completed (see Cross-Florida Barge Canal)? Consider the removal of trolleys decades ago. How about the billions just spent to replace LaGuardia airport in NYC? It's also been noted several times on this blog about roads abandoned/removed due to changing times. It's all part of the "circle of life."
Are you worried that the National Park Service won't invest in the area again because the City wants to walk away from Metro Park? I note that, in spite of those intentions, the NPS just purchased another 2,500 acres for the Timucuan. Didn't seem to hold them back.
Likewise, no way USDOT and FODT are going to penalize Jax in the future for a 30 to 40 year project that failed. The City & JTA have proven they have bent over more than backwards to see it through. If this was a private company, they would have either given up on it long ago or been driven into bankruptcy over it. No way any private person would stick it out this long. It's just silly to keep it going and insane to put even more money into it.
That aside, transportation allocations are very much driven by politics and politicking of elected officials, not some totally rational case and historic evaluation. That's why Cecil Field was closed when it shouldn't have been and Alaska got funding for a real "bridge to nowhere." It's also why the Hart Bridge ramps, the autonomous vehicles and the port dredging are plowing ahead, contrary facts be damned. Exhibit A is that's why the Skyway got built in the first place!
I don't understand the undying loyalty some people have to promoting the continuation of the Skyway. There is always a way out if the will is there. The penalty money is not the real issue here.
QuoteHow do you think FTA will look on asks from Jacksonville when they have requests for many times their available funding?
What do you think taxpayers, the Feds and the State think about spending $50 million to tear down the perfectly good Hart Bridge ramps they helped fund for no good reason? And that's more than any Skyway penalty. Don't hear any concerns about that.
Quote from: fieldafm on June 23, 2020, 09:57:58 AM
You are also discounting the total breath of the payback obligation. The numbers I floated earlier are a few years old, but that isn't the only pot of money at stake. COJ and JTA also received an additional $25mm that is allocated to the U2C clown car boondoggle (which is just as much of a pork barrel debacle as the Skyway was). Those funds are tied into the Skyway conversion. Shutting down the Skyway would also require that money to be paid back as well. JTA doesn't have $75mm in extra cash laying around to close up the Skyway and close up shop on their 'innovative' new baby, the U2C.
Fieldafm, apologies. Overlooked your post in replying to Mr. Hunter first 8).
Looks like we agree on many things here. No need to further beat the dead horse.
I will only add to your comment quoted above, that if we closed down the Skyway and it killed the clown car project, that would be a double win to me and probably many taxpayers. I say go for killing the Skyway even more in that case!
^But that double win could be a huge loss if you can't get worthwhile funding assistance for the things that do make sense because of a poor track record. In the grand scheme of things, both the Skyway and U2C are a drop in the bucket when it comes to transportation funding and assistance for projects throughout the region.
And all of the sums here would build miles and miles of Emerald Necklace ... (trying to get this thread back on "track") :D
Quote from: thelakelander on June 23, 2020, 01:19:59 PM
^....both the Skyway and U2C are a drop in the bucket when it comes to transportation funding and assistance for projects throughout the region.
LOL. Then I guess the penalty for killing the Skyway is also a drop in the bucket?! My point all along.
If USDOT, FDOT and JTA work the way described herein, then it comes down to bureaucrats and elected officials who are unable to deal with failure. They should talk to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos about that. In the meantime, we taxpayers pay the price.
The most beneficial method would probably be to see how to take advantage of the existing transit infrastructure. Perhaps the rolling stock needs to be upgraded and the DIA land development strategy should be TOD oriented.....like it is in most cities with fixed transit. Allow your transportation infrastructure and land use development patterns to grow together and support one another. For that to happen, I think we have to consider a lot more than kill it or switch to AVs.
I can't say I expected my two-year-old post to spark this much debate. Might as well throw my present two cents in.
Given that we already have the infrastructure (I mean good lord, we just finished building a transportation center around it), I still think the Skyway is worth keeping. It just needs to be given the right level of consideration, care, and development. As with a lot of other things, competent leadership and proper planning goes an enormous distance in building a sustainable and useful urban circulator, and making our investments pay dividends for our people.
Now, given that this is Jacksonville, maybe it isn't completely out of the question to ask whether competent leadership will ever happen and thus whether we should maybe just dump the whole mess and forget about it.
As far as the actual topic of this post, it looks fine. Decent enough. Just get it done.
I think the Main Street bridge should be closed and be pedestrian only and lead to a park on the south bank while also leading to the park where landing used to be