JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We’ve been hearing a lot about the Emerald Trail lately.
One thing we weren’t quite sure of was how and why Jacksonville was awarded that federal money. Well, News4JAX got the answers to those questions and more during an exclusive interview with U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
He said getting $147 million for the project was a very competitive process. He is optimistic it will help re-engage local communities disconnected years ago when they were disrupted and disconnected by Interstates 95 and 10.
The secretary said the idea is to improve the quality of life, create safer ways for people to access critical services like medical care or even just go to the grocery store or get to work and go see family. It’s also designed to generate economic opportunity and connect neighborhoods.
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Secretary Buttigieg said he “applaud(s) the vision of the Emerald Trail for creating more ways for people to cross that very large spread out city of Jacksonville to be better connected to neighborhoods, jobs, opportunities, shopping, and most importantly, to each other.”
The entire project is scheduled to be completed by 2029.
You can click here to read the master plan of the Emerald Trail.