May 29, 2024

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA), together with the Balfour Beatty Vision 2 Reality (V2R) team, including Beep, Inc., today announces their groundbreaking launch of the Autonomous Innovation Center (AIC) at LaVilla, a vibrant hub centered around an advanced command-and-control center that will store, service, monitor and maintain the city’s electric, autonomous mobility system.

The AIC is an integral part of the upcoming Bay Street Innovation Corridor (BSIC), Phase I of the Ultimate Urban Circulator (U²C) program—a comprehensive initiative to modernize and expand transportation options in the Downtown Jacksonville area and introduce autonomous vehicles (AVs) into JTA’s transportation system. Establishing an innovative mobility network to connect a rapidly developing downtown with neighborhoods on both sides of the St. Johns River is a critical cornerstone to revitalizing the area.

“The groundbreaking of the AIC is a culmination of hard work to provide the City of Jacksonville with enhanced connectivity through autonomous mobility at-scale,” said JTA CEO Nat Ford. “Throughout this project, JTA has leveraged its partners’ experience and expertise, and this groundbreaking is a visible symbol of our collective, forward-thinking progress. Today, we are one step closer in realizing our shared goal of providing a transportation network that is sustainable, adaptable and places Jacksonville as a city at the forefront of AV mobility.”

As lead of the V2R team, Balfour Beatty will build the two-story AIC on an existing parking lot with a secure perimeter. The facility’s top floor will feature the command-and-control center. The first floor includes maintenance bays for vehicle service and covered AV parking with charging stations. Balfour Beatty’s full V2R team includes Superior Construction Company Southeast, Beep, WGI, Inc., Urban SDK, Miller Electric, and Grayline to deliver the AIC project.

“Balfour Beatty has assembled a team of experts and partners with specialized capabilities to support JTA’s U²C program components,” said Dave Campbell, Balfour Beatty operations director in Florida. “With our expertise in design-build projects, Balfour Beatty will lead the V2R team in successfully delivering the state-of-the-art AIC which is the gateway to making this transformative transportation solution a reality. We look forward to working with our industry partners, our client and the community in providing a modernized, innovative and sustainable transit system in LaVilla.”

Leading shared autonomous mobility solutions provider, Beep, is providing insights around the command-and-control center and design as it relates to managing autonomous vehicle systems to ensure the JTA and its community are planning for key features across safety, sustainability and efficiency.

“The introduction of the AIC is a major milestone for this industry-leading program and a reflection of how the JTA, Beep, and entire U²C team are revolutionizing the integration and management of autonomous mobility networks in our communities,” said Beep CEO Joe Moye. “Beep’s initial autonomous vehicles on the BSIC will be supervised and monitored through the AIC’s command-and-control operation, serving as a blueprint for providing a safe and reliable transportation solution for Jacksonville residents and visitors. In addition, the command center is designed for scale, enabling the orchestration of future mobility networks with over 100 vehicles to connect key areas of the city, such as Brooklyn, Springfield, San Marco, and Riverside. We join the community in celebrating the future of transportation right here in Jacksonville.”

Built for the community, the AIC also includes an open terrace that allows for guided tours and educational opportunities that showcase the program in-action with an optimal viewing area of the AVs arriving and departing the facility. Additionally, in partnership with LaVilla Heritage Trail & Gateways, an area outside of the secure perimeter will be provided along Bay Street for food trucks.

To learn more about the JTA’s innovative U²C program, visit u2c.jtafla.com.