$147 million secured for Emerald Trail

[thelakelander]

Its about time we bring home some real bacon from DC for a project that the majority of the residents in town actually want. While everyone involved should share in the credit, knowing the backstory here, the Mayor's Office should be recognized with doing the heavy lifting. Congrats! Keep up the good work. With focus and inclusive strategic thinking and implementation, we have the resources to make great positive change very quickly.

[jaxlongtimer]

Mark Woods does a nice job recapping the history of the Emerald Trail from that ever present genius from the early 1900's, Henry Klutho, to today.  Hats off to the National Park Service, who hasn't received enough credit for funding the ground floor of this project before most anyone else around here.

Woods: $147 million federal grant a game-changer for Groundwork Jacksonville, Emerald Trail

I remember going to a community meeting about a decade ago, shortly after Groundwork Jacksonville launched in 2014.

I was vaguely aware of how the National Park Service was a partner with Groundwork USA and about 20 local programs around the country. When Jacksonville was selected as a Groundwork site, the ambitious goal was a new Emerald Necklace — a 21st-century version of the urban greenways and waterways that architect Henry Klutho envisioned after the Great Fire of 1901.

I liked the idea. But, to be honest, I didn’t like the odds of it actually happening.

The park service had pledged to chip in $80,000 for the start-up phase of Groundwork Jacksonville, and the city had committed $50,000 a year for three years....

....For as long as I can remember, we’ve been talking about reviving the Emerald Necklace. There are stories in the Times-Union archives from the 1990s about it. Ron Littlepage wrote columns about it long before I ever did. These seeds didn't grow overnight.

When Alvin Brown was mayor, the ball started rolling with the launch of Groundwork Jacksonville. And when Lenny Curry was mayor, the ball kept rolling with support for the Emerald Trail, including the master plan and gas tax, approved by City Council.....

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/columns/mark-woods/2024/03/19/147-million-federal-grant-for-jacksonvilles-emerald-trail/73010977007/

[thelakelander]

Images: Emerald Trail federal grant press conference



Sights and scenes from a recent press conference celebrating the largest one-time federal grant that Jacksonville has ever received. Recently awarded $147 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the funds will be utilized to advance the construction of the full 30-mile Emerald Trail system.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/images-emerald-trail-federal-grant-press-conference/

[marcuscnelson]

Elections appear to have consequences: the federal grant awarded to Jacksonville to build out the Emerald Trail may be endangered by a new bill being discussed in Congress.

https://t4america.org/2025/04/29/reconnecting-communities-projects-are-under-threat-here-is-whats-at-stake-and-where/

The House proposal would largely repeal the funds from the federal program which awarded Jacksonville the grant, blowing a hole in the city's ability to complete the Emerald Trail.

[jaxlongtimer]

If the City Council and Mayor had the fortitude, they should subtract $147 million from JTA's U2C funding and reallocate it to the Emerald Trail.  Poetic justice and maybe kill the U2C at the same time.

[thelakelander]

If we lose it, we know where we can recover it....killing the rest of the U2C bonfire.

[marcuscnelson]

Local officials are now "very concerned," according to JTA CEO Nat Ford.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2025/may/02/jta-ceo-nat-ford-officials-very-concerned-about-federal-grant-for-emerald-trail/