Driverless cars could be included in proposed Skyway extension

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The future of the skyway may not be in the sky but on the ground.

On Thursday, the head of Jacksonville Transportation Authority Nat Ford updated the plans for the downtown people mover.

The proposed doubling of the local gas tax from 6 to 12 cents would go to fund an expansion of the skyway from 2.5 miles to 10 miles.

Of the possible $1 billion, JTA is planning to use over $380 million of the proposed new gas tax dollars on the system and expand it to other areas like the stadium and Springfield.

Now, JTA planners said we could see driverless cars tied into the skyway system. Those cars could be along Bay Street as early as 2024.

As for the gas tax hike to fund all of this, the legislation would have to be approved by the city council and that’s expected to be presented next month.