Huge get for the Emerald Trail today. $147 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's Reconnecting Communities program.
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/664703-aaron-bean-john-rutherford-secure-147m-from-joe-biden-administration-for-jacksonvilles-emerald-trail/
Funny how when it's for something that works there's suddenly a bunch of federal money out there.
Based on the added below quote, this should hopefully enable its completion well before 2029. Hope some of the money goes to endow a maintenance fund.
Far better use of US DOT dollars than for U2C. I expect more people per day on the Trail by several times any number riding U2C, for way less than half the cost and doing far more to boost the urban core.
Quote....The trail is expected to be built by 2029.
The trail was launched with $132 million in funding from Duval County's local option gas tax approved by City Council in 2021.
Groundwork Jacksonville CEO Kay Ehas said at the August 2021 Emerald Trail groundbreaking it was expected to cost $184.3 million, but that could increase with rising construction costs....
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on March 11, 2024, 10:08:52 PM
I expect more people per day on the Trail by several times any number riding U2C, for way less than half the cost and doing far more to boost the urban core.
This won't be hard to do. 250 people a day is such a low bar to beat. lol
That is a massive amount of free money for the City. Will be curious to see how the money is phased and how much more quickly it allows the Emerald Trail to be completed. Either way, this is a very nice win!
Quote from: thelakelander on March 11, 2024, 10:39:31 PM
Quote from: jaxlongtimer on March 11, 2024, 10:08:52 PM
I expect more people per day on the Trail by several times any number riding U2C, for way less than half the cost and doing far more to boost the urban core.
This won't be hard to do. 250 people a day is such a low bar to beat. lol
The SUP averages about 1,200 people per day. I expect the emerald trail network to have 5-10 times that amount.
Hmmm
Quote
JTA [will be] overseeing design and construction for future work on the trail.
With JTA in charge, I wonder if the trail will be designed and built to accommodate AVs"
Quote from: CityLife on March 12, 2024, 08:50:25 AM
That is a massive amount of free money for the City. Will be curious to see how the money is phased and how much more quickly it allows the Emerald Trail to be completed. Either way, this is a very nice win!
I wouldn't call it free money. City Council (wisely) made a major downpayment on the Emerald Trail three years ago and the federal government thanks to our legislative delegation recognizes its value. Hopefully we act quickly to sign a grant agreement and progress segments now.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on March 12, 2024, 10:17:23 AM
Hmmm
Quote
JTA [will be] overseeing design and construction for future work on the trail.
With JTA in charge, I wonder if the trail will be designed and built to accommodate AVs"
Haha, don't think there's enough right of way to make that work, or else I'd be worried.
Quote from: marcuscnelson on March 12, 2024, 10:32:30 AM
Quote from: CityLife on March 12, 2024, 08:50:25 AM
That is a massive amount of free money for the City. Will be curious to see how the money is phased and how much more quickly it allows the Emerald Trail to be completed. Either way, this is a very nice win!
I wouldn't call it free money. City Council (wisely) made a major downpayment on the Emerald Trail three years ago and the federal government thanks to our legislative delegation recognizes its value. Hopefully we act quickly to sign a grant agreement and progress segments now.
Looking at the term too literally. I always call federal grant funding that would otherwise be given elsewhere "free money" at the local level. If these Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant dollars weren't given to Jax, they would be used elsewhere in the US with no value provided to the residents of Jacksonville. In that sense, they are free money for the City and its residents. Especially when you consider that they may free up some local dollars that would have otherwise been spent on the project and/or enable the project to get completed much earlier than without it.
This isn't just Jax's pro rata share of federal dollars that have to go to Jax either, like say the CDBG program. These are dollars that don't have to be spent anywhere close to Jacksonville. That makes it in even bigger win for me.
We will need both the local allocated funding and this grant funding to get the entire trail network built. Very happy to see such a lump sum of federal infrastructure money coming to assist in this massive endeavor.
I'm happily surprised this got the award that it did, as the original application didn't seem entirely strong for this particular program.
Give credit to where its due. Mayor Deegan personally lobbied Peter Buttigieg for the Emerald Trail funding. Between her personal touch, and Bean and Rutherford's work in Congress... this is a really big deal, and all parties deserve a lot of thanks.
The last few mayors haven't been much to write home about. Deegan deserves a pat on the back at least, for this one.
The press release:
https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/emerald-trail-awarded-147-million-federal-grant/
A lot of work by a lot of folks made this happen. Couldn't be prouder of the mayor and all my colleagues who brought it home!
Quote from: Tacachale on March 14, 2024, 12:01:47 AM
A lot of work by a lot of folks made this happen. Couldn't be prouder of the mayor and all my colleagues who brought it home!
Hats off mainly to Groundwork Jacksonville and Mayor Deegan. Correct me if I am wrong, but JTA's involvement only came about when the City Council redirected part of the gas tax to the Emerald Trail and funneled it through JTA for technical/legal reasons. While it is great JTA supports the project, it would seem they are getting something of a free ride (no pun intended ;D) taking this much credit for the Trail. Maybe they are anticipating the fallout from the U2C and looking at an offset by associating with the Trail. LOL.
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024/03/14/secretary-of-transportation-buttigieg-talks-about-jacksonvilles-emerald-trail-in-exclusive-interview/
From A. G. Gancarski at Florida Politics, interesting info below on this win:
QuoteAaron Bean stole her thunder earlier this week, but Jacksonville's Mayor had a press release Wednesday with more context.
Days after a Northeast Florida member of Congress announced that Jacksonville's Emerald Trail was in line for $147 million in federal money, Mayor Donna Deegan offered a belated promotion of the good news.
"This is the result of fantastic collaboration with our partners JTA and Groundwork Jacksonville, the relationships we've built with the Joe Biden Administration, and the experienced team we hired to bring more federal tax dollars home. I'm grateful to President Biden for investing in cities and to our federal representatives for securing this critical funding," Deegan said in a social media post.
The release from the Deegan administration, in contrast to that from U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean, paints the Mayor's Office as key to securing this money, and suggests that the oft-criticized arrangement with Langton Consulting, a political backer that got the federal lobbying contract, has borne fruit.
It also suggests that the announcement was intended to wait until the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a tranche of 132 projects getting funding on Wednesday, a read confirmed by a spokesperson for the Mayor noting an embargo was in place, one Bean presumably breached.
"In September 2023, JTA and Groundwork submitted a Neighborhood Access & Equity Program Grant from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to fund the construction of the five remaining trail segments under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City, Groundwork, and JTA," the Deegan release said.
"Mayor Donna Deegan, JTA CEO Nat Ford, and Groundwork CEO Kay Ehas traveled to Washington DC in November to demonstrate Jacksonville's resolute commitment to bettering its communities. The group spoke with Reps. John Rutherford and Aaron Bean, as well as staff of Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and other government officials about the Emerald Trail."
Ford and Ehas offered quotes affirming the Mayor's Office's role in securing the money.
"Thank you to Mayor Deegan and our partners with Groundwork Jacksonville for your support, and to the communities of Jacksonville who entrust us to compete fiercely and continually for federal funding that is so important to improving the mobility infrastructure of our city," Ford said.
"This $147 million grant, along with over $180 million in highly competitive federal grants awarded to the JTA since 2016, reflects the U.S. Department of Transportation's confidence in the JTA and the City of Jacksonville's ability to deliver complex infrastructure projects. This funding will accelerate the completion of these five segments of the Emerald Trail ahead of schedule, allowing our citizens to enjoy enhanced mobility and green spaces much sooner than anticipated."
"We are ecstatic to have secured this funding for the Emerald Trail and are so appreciative of our partners, the City of Jacksonville and JTA," Ehas added...
https://floridapolitics.com/archives/664992-emerald-deegan/
Its about time we bring home some real bacon from DC for a project that the majority of the residents in town actually want. While everyone involved should share in the credit, knowing the backstory here, the Mayor's Office should be recognized with doing the heavy lifting. Congrats! Keep up the good work. With focus and inclusive strategic thinking and implementation, we have the resources to make great positive change very quickly.
Mark Woods does a nice job recapping the history of the Emerald Trail from that ever present genius from the early 1900's, Henry Klutho, to today. Hats off to the National Park Service, who hasn't received enough credit for funding the ground floor of this project before most anyone else around here.
QuoteWoods: $147 million federal grant a game-changer for Groundwork Jacksonville, Emerald Trail
I remember going to a community meeting about a decade ago, shortly after Groundwork Jacksonville launched in 2014.
I was vaguely aware of how the National Park Service was a partner with Groundwork USA and about 20 local programs around the country. When Jacksonville was selected as a Groundwork site, the ambitious goal was a new Emerald Necklace — a 21st-century version of the urban greenways and waterways that architect Henry Klutho envisioned after the Great Fire of 1901.
I liked the idea. But, to be honest, I didn't like the odds of it actually happening.
The park service had pledged to chip in $80,000 for the start-up phase of Groundwork Jacksonville, and the city had committed $50,000 a year for three years....
....For as long as I can remember, we've been talking about reviving the Emerald Necklace. There are stories in the Times-Union archives from the 1990s about it. Ron Littlepage wrote columns about it long before I ever did. These seeds didn't grow overnight.
When Alvin Brown was mayor, the ball started rolling with the launch of Groundwork Jacksonville. And when Lenny Curry was mayor, the ball kept rolling with support for the Emerald Trail, including the master plan and gas tax, approved by City Council.....
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/mark-woods/2024/03/19/147-million-federal-grant-for-jacksonvilles-emerald-trail/73010977007/
QuoteImages: Emerald Trail federal grant press conference
(https://photos.moderncities.com/Cities/Jacksonville/Transportation/Emerald-Trail-Federal-Grant/i-FskBVJD/0/FKnmsvjgJg2nT7K2t5XwCwpghN2cXFbtkNCRbhgpG/L/signal-2024-03-19-15-00-43-231-2-L.jpg)
Sights and scenes from a recent press conference celebrating the largest one-time federal grant that Jacksonville has ever received. Recently awarded $147 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the funds will be utilized to advance the construction of the full 30-mile Emerald Trail system.
Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/images-emerald-trail-federal-grant-press-conference/
Elections appear to have consequences: the federal grant awarded to Jacksonville to build out the Emerald Trail may be endangered by a new bill being discussed in Congress.
https://t4america.org/2025/04/29/reconnecting-communities-projects-are-under-threat-here-is-whats-at-stake-and-where/
The House proposal would largely repeal the funds from the federal program which awarded Jacksonville the grant, blowing a hole in the city's ability to complete the Emerald Trail.
If the City Council and Mayor had the fortitude, they should subtract $147 million from JTA's U2C funding and reallocate it to the Emerald Trail. Poetic justice and maybe kill the U2C at the same time.
If we lose it, we know where we can recover it....killing the rest of the U2C bonfire.
Local officials are now "very concerned," according to JTA CEO Nat Ford.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/may/02/jta-ceo-nat-ford-officials-very-concerned-about-federal-grant-for-emerald-trail/
$147 mill grant is now rescinded. Damn.
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2025/07/07/trump-signed-budget-cuts-147-million-for-emerald-trail-in-jacksonville/84499658007/
Quote from: fsu813 on July 07, 2025, 10:56:45 PM
$147 mill grant is now rescinded. Damn.
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2025/07/07/trump-signed-budget-cuts-147-million-for-emerald-trail-in-jacksonville/84499658007/
Trump Administration priorities:Rid the country of every last immigrant (unless they are whites from South Africa)
Throwing money at the Fox-bred, incompetent Secretary of Defense
Giving more tax breaks to the rich
Catering to Trump's ego and take revenge on any one or any organization/company that crosses him
Finding ways to enrich Trump
Quashing dissent
Cozying up to dictators and autocrats
Some things the Trump Administration could care less about:Funding and supporting quality education
Science and scientific research
Climate change
Helping the downtrodden or victims of disasters
Equality for all
Ethical and/or moral behavior
Bipartisanship for the good of the country
Quality healthcare for all
Environment
Supporting our allies who support us
Respecting the justice system
Free press
Treating veterans with respect
Bean and Rutherford just seem to have no ability to independently think. Totally in the Trump cult. Brag about doing things for Jax. What have they done since Trump came back to office vs. what they have lost for us by supporting Trump and his cuts, etc.?
Time to start taking a good look at the massive U2C pot.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on July 08, 2025, 07:26:36 AM
Time to start taking a good look at the massive U2C pot.
Exactly. The city should be majorly reprioritizing things based on this... It's our city to maintain and beautify, if the fed won't help we gotta do it ourselves rather than spending huge amounts of cash on hopeless AV projects...
Quote from: fsu813 on July 07, 2025, 10:56:45 PM
$147 mill grant is now rescinded. Damn.
https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/local/2025/07/07/trump-signed-budget-cuts-147-million-for-emerald-trail-in-jacksonville/84499658007/
That the Feds would spend that amount of money in ONE city for this purpose was very surprising to say the least. I've never heard of any city getting that kind of money for trails.
An absolute gut-punch to Jax, and a total sell-out by our State Representatives who backed this project.
Question:
Beyond speculation, do we know for certain why the federal grant had not yet been fully secured? As in, was this inevitable given the project's timelines, or was the loss of the grant due to a failure by JTA to move quickly from a clerical perspective on securing the funds. If it's the former, this is still terrible. If this is the latter, Nat Ford needs to be fired. This was the largest grant in city history, and if the loss was preventable, heads need to roll.
For those still defending the orange goblin, this is what you get. A $150 million grant designed to right the wrongs of the 1950s and 60s highway construction that bulldozed and/or isolated minority neighborhoods by reconnecting them with vital city services, schools, hospitals, and job centers. Pulled away from Jacksonville as part of the Transportation Secretary's vow to "review grant projects and renegotiate or cancel any incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion; climate change activities, or environmental justice."
Fantastic.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on July 08, 2025, 07:26:36 AM
Time to start taking a good look at the massive U2C pot.
Part of me agrees. A larger part of me thinks the massive U2C pot needs to be shifted toward true transit, with the Emerald Trail being completed via the general fund, or by pursuing other grants. This thing had a LOT of political support on both sides of the table. Hoping we may be able to claw back some of the loss in the form of other federal grants framed around less controversial goals, such as "wealthy people getting wealthier."
^
My take is that you could see this coming a mile a way when it came out that we had still not executed a contract, for whatever reason. Elections have consequences. That's a time proven fact, that's much bigger than Jax. Especially, in the political climate we're living in today. Time to accept our blame locally and deal with our reality. Moving forward, based on my transportation planning background, here are some things that can be looked at:
(1) Do more with less. Yes, look into the word people generally hate. Value engineering to get a good product done quicker, while also stretching the funds in hand further than initially anticipated. Just spit balling here but if you originally wanted 14-feet wide paths, maybe you go down to 12' or 10' in some stretches? Perhaps, its right sizing some corridors to have protected cycle tracks adjacent to existing sidewalks, instead of moving curb & gutter, utilities, etc. to force in a side path in constrained areas? Maybe its an asphalt trail in some areas instead of concrete? Maybe you go with more native and low maintenance landscaping instead of other options? That's generally what I mean by value engineering to stretch funds further.
(2) Look to coordinate some planned future alignments with other planned capital improvement road projects. This gives the ability to comingle existing infrastructure funding pots. An example would be SR 526/Robinson Street in Downtown Orlando and Thornton Park. That street is a 4-lane undivided like what Hendricks used to be in San Marco. FDOT was going to resurface it. The City of Orlando, the Downtown CRA and residents had other dreams. Through a mix of funding, added to the resurfacing budget, its now being transformed into a complete street with two travel lanes for automobiles, freeing up space for a protected cycle track and shared use path (i.e. trail).
That news article was pretty weak, but these are two realistic options to consider, given the unreliable path of getting grants (still pursue grants as well though...so not an either or situation!).
Quote from: Charles Hunter on July 08, 2025, 07:26:36 AM
Time to start taking a good look at the massive U2C pot.
JTA already bonded out their LOGT capacity a year ago to pay for the clown cars.
At ready (alternative) Revenue $$$ may have been a factor in the Fed stop. Trump Fed Stop was a given. (By the way-how many $$$$$$ dedicated to Big beautiful b i l l for "Defense"?.)
Let's now see details on Alternative Funding.
Too bad this project/concept was not Presented and Implemented decades ago.
Big Bold City. Maybe lock down (back then) future land use and zone. Duval Substantilal Land Use & Zone Revision 'Request', far flung Towne Cener..."Et Al"...( But one of many examples). Sprawl proposals Denied.Maybe even the First Coast beltway Early roceedings....Focus on the ...well...what was the term...Ha!.....CORE!.
And "comprehensive river restoration". The "Little" Creeks drive the Narrative.
State Ocklawaha/Rodman Restoration budget funds veto by Desantis.
Perfect denounement for Trump and DeSantis.
Shucks- I will be far away from Jax When and If The Trail Happens.
At least I will not be subjugated to a Political Press Event pictured in a kayak next to Joe Carlucci.By then,probaly his Son.
This is a tragedy. We will have to push on. I can only hope that some local folks can pick up some of the slack.
I know the Emerald Trail is an ambitious project, but it does seem like a high price tag considering significant sections have already been built and paid for in conjunction with other projects.
For example, I'm looking at the 2021 master plan and the 4.1 mile westside connector section was estimated to cost over $37 million in 2021 dollars. That's over $9 million per mile. If you account for inflation, that's over $10.7 million per mile.
The 3.5 mile Northwest Connector section was projected $33,310,922 in 2021 dollars. That comes $9.5 million per mile in 2021 dollars or $11.2 million when adjusted for inflation.
I'm not an expert, but it definitely feels like there are ways to still build something great for less.
https://www.groundworkjacksonville.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/EmeraldTrailMasterPlanReport-rev-8-21.pdf
The mayor getting all political on this immigration issue and making a scene definitely didn't help the situation. Sometimes you just have to play nice, soapboxing against an issue that is the biggest priority for the administration that ultimately has a say when it comes to the purse, and a issue that more than half the country is in favor of has consequences.
If you want to credit donna for getting the money then you cant blame other people for taking it.
Huh? The entire nationwide funding category was recalled by the current administration. It included the word "equity" in the title. Mayor Deegan could have worshipped at the altar of 47, and these funds would still be gone.
Trump is killing projects like the Trail and DeSantis isn't far behind, killing funding for removing the Rodman Dam, that most everyone (e.g bipartisan) has now come around to that it is time to go. (Not to mention, it is near the end of its useful life and may self destruct so no politico will ever have to take a stand on it. Shameful.)
Quote from: Pottsburg on July 09, 2025, 08:20:47 PM
The mayor getting all political on this immigration issue and making a scene definitely didn't help the situation. Sometimes you just have to play nice, soapboxing against an issue that is the biggest priority for the administration that ultimately has a say when it comes to the purse, and a issue that more than half the country is in favor of has consequences.
If you want to credit donna for getting the money then you cant blame other people for taking it.
Nothing the mayor could have done about this one once Trump came into office. We needed to have the contract executed prior to Biden leaving office. Unfortunately, we didn't.
The mayor has never "made a scene" on immigration and we worked very closely with our (all Republican) congressional delegation to get the grant. Most of the time when she's even spoken on the issue has been when local politicians have dragged the city into it such as vetoing Rory Diamond's recent bill — those instances are definitely examples of stepping way out of their lane and making a scene. But as others have said, none of that had anything to do with why the grant was cancelled.