Earlier this morning, Jacksonville Transportation Authority celebrated the official launch of the First Coast Flyer Orange Line.
The Orange Line runs from Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center at LaVilla to Orange Park Mall, stretching 13 miles along Park Street and Blanding Boulevard. The $33.2 million project, funded by the Federal Transit Administration (50%), FDOT (25%), and JTA (25%), includes bus-only lanes along parts of Blanding Boulevard, traffic signal priority at intersections, enhanced bus shelters, live passenger info screens, and other amenities.
In addition to Orange Park Mall, destinations along the Orange Line include Five Points in Riverside as well as FSCJ’s Kent Campus. Other key intersections with stops along the route include 103rd Street and Collins Road. The first bus on the line passed through JRTC at LaVilla this morning at around 4:00 AM.
The new Orange Line is the fourth and final line of the First Coast Flyer bus rapid transit system. The $138 million project is the largest of its kind in the southeast U.S., encompassing 58 miles across its four lines and utilizing buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), a more environmentally friendly alternative to regular gasoline.
For more information on the Orange Line and the First Coast Flyer system, visit https://go.jtafla.com/orange.