Jacksonville, FL, July 3, 2024 – Several exciting projects are well underway to deliver a continuous, activated, beautiful, and resilient riverwalk along the western end of the Northbank riverfront in downtown Jacksonville.
- McCoy’s Creek Restoration: Construction on the McCoy’s Creek Restoration project started in 2019 with the removal of the Leland St. and Smith St. Bridges and is progressing in phases. Phase I of the channel reconstruction, from Leland Street to I-95, is underway and scheduled for completion in Fall 2024. Construction on the McCoys Creek Outfall, from May Street to the St. Johns River, began in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in Fall 2025. As designed, this project mitigates flooding by restoring McCoys Creek to a more natural design, with a wider and deeper channel. A linear park system runs alongside the creek and will feature the Emerald Trail.
- Riverfront Plaza: The construction of a new bulkhead and a destination riverfront park at the former Jacksonville Landing site is underway. Phase One is the western half of the park and will include a flexible event lawn facing the Performing Arts Center, a destination playground and splashpad, restrooms, a small café and park office, as well as a landscaped Riverwalk and new bulkhead running from Hogan Street to the Main Street Bridge.
Design will begin this summer on a Downtown Investment Authority CRA funded riverfront restaurant that will add yet another amenity to the western side of the park.
Construction for Phase Two in the eastern half of the park will follow Phase One and is scheduled to be completed in 2027. This Phase will feature a pedestrian path connection to the Main Street bridge, a grand civic staircase with a large fountain that can be used for water play and water shows, and a beer garden with outdoor seating.
- Northbank Bulkhead Replacement – CSX: This project includes the design and construction of a new bulkhead between the Acosta Bridge and W. Coastline Dr. The new bulkhead will resolve subsidence issues along that length of the Riverwalk. Construction is projected to start in the Fall of 2024 and continue until the Fall of 2025.
- Performing Arts Center – Jacksonville Musical Heritage Garden: The design and construction of a musical-themed garden space behind the Performing Arts Center is underway. The project will include hardscaping, landscaping and other artistic amenities to formalize and activate the space along this section of the Northbank Riverwalk. Design is currently underway, and the anticipated construction completion is in Fall of 2025.
Please be advised that as the City continues to make great progress on the Northbank, the construction list above will impact riverwalk availability. It will need to be closed in locations with active work zones, and closed completely when all work zones will be active, which is tentatively projected to occur from fall 2024 through fall 2025.
Currently: The Riverwalk is closed between Pearl Street and Main Street.
July 8, 2024: The next scheduled closure will begin the week of July 8, 2024, in the McCoys Creek Work Zone from Jackson Street to the Acosta Bridge and last until fall 2025. Corkscrew Park will remain accessible when approaching it from Pearl Street until construction begins in the CSX Bulkhead Work Zone this fall. Corkscrew Park will fully close from Fall 2024 to Fall 2025, but Parks will update the public if it can be re-opened sooner.
Fall 2024: The CSX bulkhead project will begin in Fall 2024 and last until Fall 2025. During this time period, the Riverwalk will be closed completely from Jackson Street to Main Street. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be required to bypass the Riverwalk from Jackson Street to Newnan Street. The detour route is identified on the map below, which is also attached, and illustrates the project locations, closure dates and approximate duration of closures. Pedestrians and bicyclists will not have access to the Northbank Riverwalk at these sites during the indicated times.
Vehicle Detours: The riverwalk construction projects will not impact vehicular traffic. However, vehicular detours associated with other projects (i.e. Emerald Trail – Hogan Street Connector, Adams St. and Forsyth St. Two Way Conversion, and Park Street Road Diet) will be marked by the appropriate signage in the impacted areas.
For more information on these and other Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) projects, please visit the Mayor’s Transparency Dashboards at www.jacksonville.gov.
About the City of Jacksonville
The City of Jacksonville is the largest city by land mass in the contiguous United States, serving nearly one million residents. City of Jacksonville leadership includes Mayor Donna Deegan and a 19-member City Council led by President Randy White. To learn more, visit jacksonville.gov.
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