The decision on the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville, Fla., which came after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a much-debated transgender girls sports ban on the first day of Pride Month, appears to have been reversed Wednesday amid mounting blowback.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on Wednesday said it will allow Jacksonville's Acosta Bridge to display rainbow lights this week in honor of Pride Month a day after it said the display was not in line with the city's existing permit. Confusion and backlash erupted in the city after the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) said in a public statement Tuesday night that FDOT earlier in the day had "informed the JTA that our.
Instead of 25, 30 people can now ride on a JTA bus at the same time.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority made the original seating limits in March 2020 as COVID-19 began to impact the area. It was part of local lockdowns and restrictions implemented by the JTA and most government agencies.
The change in passenger number begins what the authority called a phased approach in returning to full capacity as vaccination rates increase and the number of coronavirus cases decrease. Full capacity could return this summer, the authority said.
Riders and employees must still wear a face covering inside JTA facilities and aboard buses, the Skyway and other transportation services through at least Sept. 13.
The Emerald Trail is meeting the color of money as city leaders enter the home stretch on whether to increase Jacksonville s local gas tax.
The late emergence of the Emerald Trail as a contender for funding from the proposed doubling of the local gas tax continues to evolve as City Council member Matt Carlucci said Tuesday he will seek $132 million for construction of trails rather than the $150 million he previously signaled support for last week.
Carlucci also said he would support having the Jacksonville Transportation Authority oversee construction of about 19 miles of future trail segments instead of keeping the work in the city s public works department as he originally contemplated.
A proposed $379 million overhaul and expansion of the Skyway system in downtown Jacksonville faces growing questions from City Council members as they prepare for a likely vote on doubling the local gas tax.
City Council Finance Committee Chairman Matt Carlucci sent the Jacksonville Transportation Authority a list of queries Monday and said that depending on how much public support and council buy-in there is, the amount of money for the Skyway might need to be reduced.
“What I’m telling people is to keep an open mind to it, Carlucci said. That’s what I’m doing, but it’s up to the JTA to sell it. If it turns into some kind of big drama, it may need to be downsized because I don’t want the Skyway taking down all the other gas tax projects.”