Jacksonville's transportation authority has proposed a flashy public transportation service designed around autonomous busses. The proposal does little to improve the public transit system of a growing, Sunbelt city.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) embarked on a mission to finally upgrade downtown's oft-maligned and long-suffering Skyway monorail system. JTA proposes the Ultimate Urban Circulator, or "U2C" to replace the Skyway's monorail train with autonomous vehicles—essentially small, driverless busses—that would travel the ramps and also run on city streets to provide access to adjacent neighborhoods. Local transit advocates are beginning to believe that the U2C is simply an elaborate PR stunt designed to make JTA look more "innovative" and "forward-thinking" than it really is.
FULL STORY: It's Time For Some Real Talk On JTA's Skyway Plans
Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
Jacksonville To Replace Monorail With Autonomous Shuttles
The city’s aging monorail system will be repurposed as part of an expanded 10-mile shuttle system.
Keep Calm. Carry On. AVs Are Just the End of Parking.
Opinion: As autonomous vehicles continue to appear on roads around the world, planners and engineers must be proactive in devising new and creative uses for soon-to-be-obsolete urban parking.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Baker Creek Pavilion: Blending Nature and Architecture in Knoxville
Knoxville’s urban wilderness planning initiative unveils the "Baker Creek Pavilion" to increase the city's access to green spaces.
Pedestrian Deaths Drop, Remain Twice as High as in 2009
Fatalities declined by 4 percent in 2024, but the U.S. is still nowhere close to ‘Vision Zero.’
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie