FOLIO
Words by Kaleb Mantela
U2C: Future of transportation? Or looming liability?
The revamp of the Skyway is long overdue. Opened in 1989, the Skyway operated only three stations, but was expanded in the subsequent years, with the final addition in 2000. That’s roughly 33 years the Skyway has operated for Jacksonville in and around the downtown area. Famously underutilized, the very existence of the Skyway has been in question, coming off more as an expensive gimmick to deal with parking issues in the downtown core. In 2015, the JTA (Jacksonville Transit Authority) passed a resolution that would modernize and expand the system. They continued to unveil a new driverless system called the Ultimate Urban Circulator or, “U2C.” Despite advances in technology, there are glaring issues with the U2C’s cost, minimal capacity, and safety. Many of these issues stem from the shuttles themselves.
The future is here
The shuttles feature zero carbon, 360-degree LIDARS, with mixed traffic capabilities, and app real-time responsiveness. These shuttles would also have the capability to operate in tandem or split off into different routes based on customer need. This program ultimately saves on operating costs as well because the shuttles are driverless. On total completion, there will be a much-needed expansion in stops with a three-phase program. The first phase being the Bay Street Innovation corridor, which introduces three miles of mixed traffic stops around the entertainment and sports district. The second phase is a total conversion of the old monorail system to accommodate the new shuttles, with a street-level connection to the Bay Street Innovation corridor. This phase also includes an operations and maintenance facility, with route charging capabilities for shuttles along the Skyway routes. Phase three finally includes the needed routes to Brooklyn, Riverside, San Marco, and Springfield. All of this and more is promised with the advent of new technologies.
The cost of new technology
These new technologies are nice and have yet to be built out on a scale such as this. What’s the asking price? Approximately $400 million. That’s close to half a billion dollars of taxpayer money, grants, and loans going towards this transit system. That price point boils down to $40 million per mile in construction costs. Though new transit systems often have gut wrenching costs, the U2C is uniquely expensive for what the JTA is attempting to pull off. Detroit’s QLINE had a construction cost of $187 million, or $55 million per mile. The El Paso Streetcar system had a total cost of $97 million, at $20 million per mile. And Richmond’s bus rapid transit system had a build out of $65 million, or just $8.5 million per mile. All these cities completed their transportation projects at price points far below what Jacksonville is paying for. Surely the complete reconstruction of an old transportation system, and the addition of new miles of transit is the reason to blame for this outrageous price. However, one must wonder if Jacksonville is getting gouged?
What are people riding in?
What are we exactly paying for? There are three models of driverless shuttles. Navya, EV Star, and Olli 2.0. They vary in specifications, but there are some red flags. The most capable is the EV Star, seating 15 people, with a max speed of 35 mph, and 150 miles on a full charge. The Navya seats 11 people, has a max speed of 25 mph, and nine hours’ worth of battery. And the Olli 2.0 seats 9, has a max speed of 18 mph, and has a pitiful life of four hours operating at 10 miles per hour. Remember that the JTA is far from phase two of rechargeable tracks. When phase one is rolled out in 2025, these EVs can only do a couple of laps before having to recharge. Not to mention they publicly state that these shuttles will not run in heavy rain, or heavy fog. Jacksonville gets 53.4 inches of rain every year. That’s 20 inches more than the national average. The software that would allow it to operate in the rain is in development, but with no completion date. Is the JTA prepared to plan for the weather? What if it rains and people get stuck inside the shuttles? What if those shuttles are in traffic? Or up on the Skyway? Is the shuttle going to dump them off in the rain as soon as possible? The JTA can optimize all they want, but not operating in rain or fog entirely defeats the purpose of a transit system if people cannot get where they need to go. That’s if a person can get a ride in the first place.
Overpaid and under delivered seating
One must also point out the abysmal seating. At most the EV Star can seat 15 people. A city bus can take on 36 to 60 passengers. Streetcars can take 70 to 130 passengers. Depending on the length of carriage, a light rail train can have a capacity up to 125 to 500 passengers. You would have to stack four expensive EV Star shuttles to reach the same amount as a regular city bus. On heavy use days, the system is going to be stressed, most likely delayed, and would encourage people to just drive. If a person catches a shuttle, they might be paying more than just transit fees.
Where’s the safety?
Safety for this project must be called into question. The first phase of U2C is set to open as early as 2025. This is to debut the use of mixed traffic. This means that the shuttles will work in traffic while stopping at their routes. This is a drastic change that might be out of the comfort zone of riders. Especially considering a technical memorandum by the firm Peters and Yaffee, who discovered 22 crash hotspots. The most egregious hotspots were on East First Street and Prudential Drive which reported a 40% injury rate in all crashes. This not only opens Jacksonville to liability, but also may maim riders and drivers alike. In all U2C’s grandeur, this transit system has promise but is not realistic.
Why not just drive?
It is obvious that public officials have been swindled by “tech bros” who are more interested in using public funds for experiments, than providing a genuine transportation system. At its worst, the U2C is a Disney ride gimmick trying to attract people to the wasteland that is downtown Jacksonville. If the goal of U2C is to get people to use it, then it must compete with the automobile. It’s no secret Jacksonville is a driving town. According to Strong Towns, 26% of Jacksonville’s downtown core is space for parking. That’s little incentive to get out of a car, enter a shuttle, then walk a dangerous and hot sidewalk to a destination. It’s far easier for a person to just drive and park at a destination in the first place. Much of that can also be said about the current monorail stations. If the JTA wants to maximize ridership, they need to work with developers to create actual destinations than fancy parking garages. Jacksonville should hope public officials learned from the Skyways mistakes, but it does not seem likely.
Final thoughts
The true purpose of a transit system had eluded the JTA since urban renewal in 1949. The wheel does not need to be reinvented, especially when so much money is at stake. If Jacksonville wants to revitalize downtown, the JTA needs to prioritize a legitimate form of public transportation. The city should invest in building transit stops in areas where people genuinely live, and not offices and parking lots. Investment is also needed in neighborhoods for walkability, and affordability especially around those transit stops. These implantations would drive Jacksonville to be more of a city than just an overgrown suburb.
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