Fire-damaged stop should be ready by the end of October:
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-09-01/story/riverplace_skyway_station_should_open_before_halloween
QuoteThe Skyway station on Riverplace Boulevard will reopen in time for the Georgia-Florida game Oct. 31.
The Skyway does not go to Jacksonville Memorial Stadium. But shuttles are usually available at either the Rosa Parks Station on Hogan Street or The Jacksonville Landing to take people to football games.
JTA spokesman Mike Miller said repairs have taken this long because the transit agency has been haggling with Travelers Insurance, JTA's insurance provider, over payments.
All of the repairs will be paid for with insurance money. But Walker said there was a lot of debate over exactly what could be done.
For example, there was an issue over whether fuel-efficient light bulbs could be installed, which were more expensive than the original lighting in the station when the fire broke out. In that instance, it was agreed that more fuel-efficient lighting would be used, Walker said.
"In the end we made some concessions and so did the insurance company and now we're going to get this back up and running," he said.
Bush Construction of Jacksonville will be paid $269,000 to replace lighting, signage, platform tiles and other components that were destroyed in the fire. A separate contract of $178,000 was approved with Kone Inc. to repair two escalators and one elevator that also were damaged.
Two nearby stations on San Marco Boulevard and Kings Road remain open. The Southbank Skyway dead ends at the Kings Avenue station, and there is a park-and-ride lot next to this station that allows people to park their car and take the Skyway into the downtown area.
The actual track through the Riverplace station is fine, but the station itself was damaged and is unsafe for people to be in until repairs are made. The Kings Avenue station was closed for a few weeks after the fire until it was determined the track was safe.
Ridership of the Skyway has been low for years, but Steve Arrington, director of engineering for JTA, said the station has been missed.
JTA has gotten calls from people staying at the nearby Hampton Inn, who had taken the Skyway downtown during previous trips and were frustrated that the station is now closed, Arrington said.
Does anyone know what caused the fire to begin with?
I searched for that and all I could find was that it was suspected to be electrical. I was waiting to find out it was for some idiotic reason, like someone flicking a lit cigarette butt off their balcony or something, but no dice! ;D
Your one up on me......I sure hope it was not inspected by City Inspection Office but thats another grip!
so how does it look now? Cant find any pics of it anywhere. What did they replace??? Id like to see what it looks like now.