The two remaining Skyway cars are aging, so JTA is hosting community meetings showcasing several options for what to do moving forward.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — New cars, a new track, a trail or a new approach?

A slew of options are on the table as the Jacksonville Transportation Authority tries to figure out what to do with the Skyway.

JTA started out with 10 Skyway cars in the late 90s, but just like cars on the road, time takes a toll, and there are just two left that are still operational.

Those two are also reaching the end of the their lines, which means JTA has to figure out what the future holds before the Skyway stops altogether.

In order to do that, the agency wants to hear from people who take it regularly.

“I’m actually going to McDonald’s, and then a dentist appointment right across the street,” said Leonard Battle after boarding the Skyway at the LaVilla station.

Leonard Battle just moved to Jacksonville from South Florida, and he’s already checked off one right-of-passage of sorts — taking the Skyway through downtown.

“I’m from the country, so you actually get to see the panoramic view of downtown, so it’s pretty awesome having it up top,” said Battle.

Battle’s first rides could be some of the last for the existing Skyway cars – with just two of the original 1997 fleet still operational.

“We want to make sure the community has a wide range of options, not just one being told to them, but one they can help shape and be a part of,” said JTA Director of Communications Taniel Koushakjian. “That’s what this exercise is all about.”

JTA is looking for the community to help pick an option to move forward with, weighing the pros and cons for each one, like cost, timeline or federal repayment.

There’s the no-build option, which would keep the current cars in operation as long as feasible.

Alternative 1 – Rehabbing the existing vehiclesAlternative 2 – Upgrading the track and purchasing people mover trainsAlternative 3 – Converting the track for NAVIs to ramp up and down fromAlternative 4 – Ditching the Skyway platform altogether and keeping the autonomous network on the ground.Alternative 5 – Repurposing the Skyway into a trail to connect with the Emerald Trail, letting autonomous shuttles run on the ground.

“My concern is not whether they put it up or down,” Karen Lewis-Hannah said while attending a community meeting on the topic. “My concern is to make sure the rider can get to it easily and have a comfortable wait.”

JTA says the plan is still to move forward with expanding to other neighborhoods like Brooklyn and Springfield, but what that looks like depends on which option gets picked.

“What do we want to go in there,” Koushakjian said. “Do we want an elevated structure? Do we want NAVI autonomous vehicles? Do we want the NAVI vehicles on a dedicated roadway?”

Battle is looking forward to whatever JTA comes up with.

“Well, that’s evolution for you,” said Battle. “As time evolves, so do you, so do our ideas.”

JTA has a handful more public meetings through the end of March before they finish the study in August to finalize which option to move forward with.

More information on the alternative options is available here.

The remaining community meetings of the future of the Skyway are as follows:

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. — Conference center at the Main Library, 303 N. Laura St. (enter on Main Street)

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. — FSCJ Advanced Technology Center, Room T140, 401 West State St.

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. — DoubleTree Jacksonville Riverfront, 1201 Riverplace Blvd.