JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For Jacksonville residents, infrastructure problems can show up in different ways: a pothole on the morning commute, an uneven sidewalk on the walk to school, or standing water after heavy rain.
Mayor Donna Deegan’s proposed budget, coming in at just over $2 billion, puts millions of dollars toward addressing those everyday concerns, including nearly $36 million for roadway resurfacing, nearly $12 million for new sidewalks and sidewalk repairs, and $25 million for stormwater drainage projects.
“Infrastructure is not abstract. It is daily life,” Deegan said during her budget presentation. “It is the road you drive to work. The sidewalk your child uses to get to school. The drainage system that protects your home in a storm.”
Road conditions are one of the biggest focuses of the proposed infrastructure spending.
Deegan said the city has made progress on resurfacing roads but acknowledged residents continue to ask for more improvements.
“In every town hall, every interview, and even in chats along my morning run, I hear the need to do more to make our roads smoother,“ Deegan said. The proposed budget would increase funding for resurfacing. “That’s why we are bumping the road resurfacing budget up to $36 million to increase road resurfacing across the entire city.”
Deegan said that’s why she is proposing to bump up the road resurfacing budget to increase road resurfacing across the entire city.
For drivers, the condition of local roads is something they notice every day.
“Even some of these roads right here in this neighborhood in the back are pretty rough. There is a street right over here you go down, and the asphalt is all crumbling up. It’s old; it’s just rough in there,” resident Telli Torgon said.
The proposed budget also includes nearly $12 million to build new sidewalks and repair existing ones.
Deegan said sidewalks play an important role in keeping people safe while moving through their communities.
“Every child who walks to school or a bus stop, every family who takes the dog out for a walk, all know that good sidewalks are essential for a safe city,” Deegan said.
The investment comes as pedestrian safety remains a concern across Jacksonville.
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News4JAX has reported several deadly crashes involving pedestrians this year, including three fatal crashes in just one week last month.
Residents say damaged sidewalks can create challenges for people walking through their neighborhoods.
“It’s an annoyance. It’s an annoyance, I would say. I don’t really get scared, but I’m thinking ‘ew man I wish this was fixed,” Trogon said. “I’ve seen people trip and go face down before. I’ve seen it happen and it’s not a pretty sight.”
Infrastructure concerns in Jacksonville go beyond roads and sidewalks.
The proposed budget also includes $25 million for stormwater drainage projects, which Deegan says would help reduce flood risks.
News4JAX has previously spoken with San Marco residents about flooding concerns after heavy rain.
Deegan said those types of infrastructure investments are necessary as Jacksonville continues to grow.
“These are not luxuries. They are the bones of the city. If they are weak, everything else costs more. If they are strong, everything else becomes possible,” the mayor said.
The proposed budget now heads to the Jacksonville City Council, where members will spend the next several weeks reviewing the plan and making changes before a final vote later this year.