JACKSONVILLE, FL. September 28, 2021 – The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) opened the First Coast Flyer Orange Line, a 13-mile Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route that connects Downtown Jacksonville to Orange Park.
“After more than 10 years of planning, building and opening new routes, the First Coast Flyer Orange Line is finally open, completing our BRT program in Jacksonville,” said JTA Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. during an official ribbon cutting hosted Sept. 27 at Florida State College at Jacksonville Kent Campus. “The Orange Line gives our customers direct access to shopping, college campuses, medical facilities and our entire transportation network at the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla,” added Ford.
The ribbon cutting was attended by officials from the Jacksonville City Council, Clay County Board of Commissioners, Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Region IV Administrator Dr. Yvette Taylor, JTA officials and Dr. John Avendano, president of Florida State College at Jacksonville.
The First Coast Flyer Orange Line completes the JTA’s 58-mile BRT system, the largest in the Southeast United States. The Orange Line features 13 branded stops and stations in both directions with real-time passenger information, premium amenities, onboard Wi-Fi, traffic signal priority at busy intersections and segments of bus only lanes.
The route heads southwest from the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla along Park Street through Brooklyn, Historic Five Points, Riverside, Avondale and Florida State College at Jacksonville Kent Campus. From there, the Flyer heads down Blanding Boulevard with stops at Cedar Hills, 103rd Street, Mores Avenue and the Orange Park Mall.
About the First Coast Flyer
The $33 million project is part of a $138 million BRT program that began in 2014 with the ground breaking of the First Coast Flyer Green Line. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) provided $90 million in grant funding, along with the Florida Department of Transportation which provided $24 million in state match to JTA’s local investment.
The Green Line opened in 2015 and runs northwest from the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla to the JTA’s Armsdale Park-n-Ride facility near Lem Turner and Interstate 295.
The Blue Line opened in 2016 and runs Southeast along U.S. 1 from the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla to the Avenues Walk Park-n-Ride center near U.S. 1 and Southside Boulevard.
The Red Line opened in 2018 and was the first BRT route in the state of Florida to connect to beaches community. It runs from the Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla, Rosa Parks Transit Station and Jacksonville Beach.