JTA Receives $3.35M Passenger Ferry Grant

May 9, 2018
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority was awarded a $3,356,900 Passenger Ferry Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority was awarded a $3,356,900 Passenger Ferry Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration. The funds will be used to make improvements to the St. Johns River Ferry, including providing critical elements related to public safety and state of good repair for the ferry slips, the vessel, and the ferry terminal.

“We have made a lot of improvements since JTA assumed ownership and operations of the ferry on March 31, 2016,” said JTA Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “Ridership continues to grow, and improvements to the ferry’s infrastructure will continue thanks to grant awards that the JTA has received from the FTA. With this recent award, the JTA will continue to strengthen the ferry’s infrastructure, and give our riders a safe and reliable service.”

JTA would like to thank our congressional partners, Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Bill Nelson, Congressman John Rutherford and Congressman Al Lawson, as well as state and local officials, for their support and efforts to make this award a reality, and for their continued partnership to see the St. Johns River Ferry thrive.

Phase III of JTA’s investment in the St. Johns River Ferry is under construction and is anticipated to be completed in January 2019. The scope includes removal of existing terminal bridges along with the design and construction of rehabilitated bulkheads, replacement of terminal bridges and installation of stopping mechanisms.

In order to replace the terminal bridges and perform required maintenance/overhaul, the vessel will be removed from service beginning on September 4, 2018. The vessel is expected to be back in service by October 31, 2018.

Phase IV of the improvement project will involve the addition of vertical panels on the fender wales to enhance the operational safety of the ferry vessel and improves long-term maintenance on the slip walls.