CH. 2 - CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES - CH.2
THE GREEN LINE CORRIDOR: CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES
Environmental Framework The main waterways of both the St. John’s and Trout Rivers and the associated McCoy’s-Hogans Creek and Trout River watersheds create a system of natural features of greenways and waterways interspersed throughout urbanized development. These features along with impervious surfaces of parking lots, roadways, rooftops, etc. create stormwater management and flood risk challenges in many parts of the corridor. Conversely, these waterways, greenways, parks, and other open spaces also provide residents with access to nature, reduce urban heat island effects, and help sustain ecosystems. Stormwater management through nature- based solutions and low-impact development with native plantings are also key strategies for more sustainable urbanization. Citywide there are several initiatives underway to restore natural systems interrupted by development. One major project in the Green Line corridor is the restoration of Hogans Creek near UF Health/Shands Hospital and Florida State College at Jacksonville. This project will transform a major portion of this part of the city, including Klutho Park, to a more natural and ecologically vibrant setting. Doing so will help to mitigate flooding, improve water quality, increase habitat for wildlife, build resilience through nature-based solutions and green infrastructure and create new opportunities for active and passive recreation. The creek restoration project is also tied to the construction of the Emerald Trail which will provide multiuse trail access across the city. This significant project will become a defining feature within the Florida State College of Jacksonville, VA Clinic, and UF Health/ Shands station areas providing a new asset for existing residents and becoming a catalyst for more residential development in the area. This project serves as a model for how natural systems can be restored within urban areas to create multiple benefits. As reinvestment and redevelopment occur in other station areas further north along the Green Line corridor, there will be additional opportunities for similar approaches in building more green and blue infrastructure to support more TOD.
The Green Line corridor connects Downtown with key destinations on the northside including Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ), the Veterans Administration (VA) Clinic, University of Florida (UF) Health/Shands Hospital, Gateway Town Center, large retailers at the I-295/Lem Turner Boulevard interchange, and the Armsdale Park-n-Ride. The 9.4-mile corridor traverses the historic LaVilla and Springfield neighborhoods downtown and the northside neighborhoods of Brentwood, Norwood, Lake Forest, Riverview, and Garden City. The Armsdale Park-n-Ride is located a few miles south of Jacksonville International Airport and large warehouse portions of the Green Line run a few miles east of the historic Myrtle-Moncrief corridor which is another historically significant commercial corridor on the northside of the city. Appendix A – Existing Conditions Report – has additional technical detail. Introduction FORM & FUNCTION This study assessed the TOD strategies for the corridor through the key pillars of sustainable outcomes by focusing on economic development, jobs, housing, health, education, safety, and security. The key systems shaping the places where people live, work, learn, socialize, and play include: • Environmental framework – this includes all of the green spaces such as parks and natural areas as well as the waterways from wetlands to rivers. • Transportation framework – this includes multiuse trails, sidewalks, streets, highways, and transit systems. • Socio-Economic framework – this includes demographics, investment trends and market activity. • Settlement patterns – this includes the site features, building areas and parking lots.
The almost 10-mile-long corridor has a variety of existing environmental features, transportation infrastructure, socio-economic dynamics, and settlement patterns that reflect the continuous evolution and rich history of the city from urban, suburban, and more rural conditions. Those features create the building blocks for this plan.
Hogans Creek and Kuthlo Park (aerial view to SE)
Rendering of Hogans Creek and Kuthlo Park: Groundwork Jacksonville
Rendering of newly daylighted Hogans Creek: Groundwork Jacksonville
Green Line corridor context map with 1/2-mile station areas
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Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority
Northwest Jacksonville Connects: Green Line TOD Study Final Report | Jacksonville Transit Authority
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