Skyway Modernization Program

RS&H is serving as the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s Skyway Modernization Consultant to assist with updating and extending Jacksonville’s Automated Skyway Express. The system will be modernized by replacing the existing monorail vehicles with autonomous transit vehicles that will operate elevated or at street level.

• RS&H assisted with developing basic requirements for what is expected to be one of the first transit systems in the United States deploying emerging autonomous vehicles. Basic requirements were developed for:
• Supervisory System – Outlined requirements for centralized supervisory system, with a focus on designing for interoperability with vehicles and components from different manufactures.
• Vehicles – Basic requirements for autonomous transit vehicles, including operational, safety, and ADA compliance.
• Operations and Maintenance – Basic requirements for operations and maintenance for a fleet of autonomous vehicles.
• Physical and Cybersecurity – Outline for physical security both on board and at stations, as well as detailed requirements for cybersecurity, including a tool to evaluate cybersecurity readiness for potential vendors for all system components.

The RS&H team is providing planning and engineering services, including state of good repair related items and researching autonomous vehicle technology, conducting an industry forum, developing a Transit Concepts and Alternative Review to determine eligibility for state and or federal funding, and developing visualizations of the proposed system for use in public outreach activities.

The RS&H team assisted with development of a successful BUILD grant application. JTA was awarded $12.5 million in federal funds for the first phase of the project, which will be an approximate 3-mile route in downtown Jacksonville along Bay Street from the existing Skyway Central Station to TIAA Bank Field, home of the Jacksonville Jaguars. RS&H is assisting with advancing the Bay Street plans, including conceptual plan development, a detailed Project Management Plan, traffic analysis, and a criteria package for what is anticipated to be procured as a public-private partnership (P3).

RS&H’s team includes national and international experts in all aspects of transit planning, design, and finance for automated people movers, and other transportation systems. RS&H has a thorough understanding of the existing system through experience on previous Skyway projects, as well as other projects in downtown Jacksonville.