WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today announced that the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) will receive a $5.2 million grant through the FTA's Passenger Ferry Grant Program to continue improvements and upgrades to the St. Johns River Ferry.
The award in Jacksonville is part of a $47.5 million package of Passenger Ferry Grants awarded to 12 systems, announced Friday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao
“This $47.5 million in federal funding will improve mobility and enhance safety for passenger ferry services across our nation,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao.
The JTA's grant will primarily fund an overhaul of the Jean Ribault vessel, as required every 2-3 years by the U.S. Coast Guard, to ensure a state of good repair, along with other improvements.
In 2016, the St. Johns River Ferry became part of the JTA’s network. Since then, we’ve embarked on upgrading an infrastructure untouched for over 30 years. These improvements have been made possible thanks to the support of the FTA. All projects have been done on-budget and on item.
“Passenger ferries are an important mode of transportation across the country, providing thousands of people with access to employment, education, and other critical needs,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams through the media release.
In 2019, the St. Johns River Ferry had its most successful year in history, carrying over 457,000 passengers, and over 257,000 vehicles.
Federal public transportation law (49 USC § 5307(h)), as amended by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, authorizes FTA’s competitive Passenger Ferry Program through Fiscal Year 2020.
For questions or concerns please reach out to JTA Customer Service.