JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Completion of the Emerald Trail is now one step closer to becoming a reality after the Jacksonville-based company Swisher pledged $500,000 to the city’s transformative project.
Once it’s finished, the trail will connect 14 historic neighborhoods to downtown.
The full Emerald Trail project will be roughly 30 miles and will benefit what’s known as the S-Line -- a nearly 5-mile stretch of abandoned CSX railroad right-of-way.
“That $500,000 will go right toward completing this unfinished section of the S-Line,” said Kay Ehas, CEO of Groundwork Jacksonville, the nonprofit overseeing the project. “You can see on the map it helps connect to many neighborhoods in Jacksonville.”
Not only will the trail connect those 14 historic neighborhoods to downtown, but it’ll also connect them to the St. Johns River, McCoys Creek and Hogans Creek. Sixteen schools, two colleges and 21 parks will also be linked, along with businesses, restaurants and retail shops.
Marisa Brighton, Swisher’s senior director, said the donation is about giving back to the company’s home.
“We’ve been here for 100 years in 2024. We want to make an investment in the families, the friends, the neighbors. And also, we have employees at Swisher who live in this community. It’s important to us to be at the forefront of this,” Brighton said.
Ehas said the goal is simple.
“We want No. 1 the trail to get built to be a world-class trail system. And neighborhoods to get revitalized and people that live there to prosper,” Ehas said.
Ehas said the full project will inspire positive change for the city at large.
“Beauty matters as much as function. That’s what makes people care about their neighborhood,” Ehas said. “Community pride is a huge thing and that’s what this is going to bring to these neighborhoods. Something they can really be proud of. That they’ve had a part in designing it and getting it done.”
The full Emerald Trail Project is expected to be completed in 2029.
For more information on the trail’s progress, go to https://www.groundworkjacksonville.org/.