Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Jackson Gets $1 Million for Oneline Project

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following press release. 




Monday, the City of Jackson announced that it has been awarded $1million from the Federal Transit Administration to plan for the development of the ONELINE project, a 5-mile multi-modal corridor that aims to connect neighborhood nodes, institutions, and economic centers in central Jackson.

The funding received by the City of Jackson is part of a total $16.6 million awarded to 20 organizations around the country by the FTA to support comprehensive planning projects that improve access to public transportation. The funds are made available through the FTA’s Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning, which assists communities that are developing new or expanding mass transit systems. 

The City of Jackson’s  ONELINE project will directly impact a 20 square mile area of the city stretching from Jackson State University to Downtown to Fondren. This core area contains the highest concentration of employment and institutions in the state. Some of the major institutions include Jackson State University, Millsaps College, Belhaven University, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Baptist Medical Center, along with the City, County, and State Government Offices. The ONELINE project has the potential to create new waves of investment in reshaping the development of the corridor and take advantage of demand for walkable-transit oriented urban spaces. The introduction of a bus rapid transit system (BRT) along the corridor will catalyze development and increase employment opportunities for the residents of Jackson. 

Over the past year the Department of Planning and Development has been working on the ONELINE project with a steering committee made up of major institutions along the corridor which include University of Mississippi Medical Center, Millsaps College, Jackson ADA Council, Jackson State University, Fondren Renaissance, Belhaven University, and Downtown Jackson Partners. 

Planning and Development Director Mukesh Kumar said, “We plan to move our city toward the model of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). ONELINE is the major step forward in that direction. With the backbone of robust public transit, we expect to respond to the mobility needs of all citizens regardless of their physical, economic, and age status.” 

For more information on the FTA transit oriented development grant please visit their website
https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/news/federal-transit-administration-announces-166- million-improve-transit-access-selected 





38 comments:

Anonymous said...

I moved here for work about 2 years ago. I think this is a step in the right direction. But, the first phase doesn't really address my primary concern: safety. Yes, it'll be nice to have buses, pathways, etc, for travel... but I'm not going to set one foot on any of that because I simply do not feel safe in this city. The city could - in theory - be walkable now if it was safe.

When I first moved here, I was a little ignorant, and went for a walk around the neighborhood that quickly turned into a run for my life into a Waffle House when some strung-out guy decided to chase me. It was a horrible experience.

I've lived in some real seedy cities in NY, NJ, and TN... I've never felt less safe than I do in Jackson. Things are getting better -- but there's still a LOT of work that needs to be done.

Anonymous said...

Bikeshare Kiosks? ROFLMAO The bikes are GONE on DAY ONE. ROFLMAO

Anonymous said...

Well, good luck with that. There's no point in developing an area where no one wants to go because of crime, litter, and apathy, and this grant money is not going to change that.

Anonymous said...

Can someone, anyone, please share what Lumumba has actually accomplished during his 1 1/2 years in office?

Anonymous said...

Wow. Planning for development. Finally, someone realizes what the Jackson leadership really knows how to do. They can plan, they can study, they can attend seminars, and leadership conferences, and eat chicken wings. And now they have some money to do it. Roll Jackson.

Anonymous said...

Build the wall!

Anonymous said...

One way to avoid the catastrophic level of pothole-mania that is the radical city.

Anonymous said...

Without long term maintenance of City infrastructure, the plan crumbles.

Anonymous said...

It's like Harvey Johnson all over again. A bunch of plans with pretty pictures that are completely divorced from the reality of what will and won't work in this town.

Anonymous said...

Will MAC Consultants bid on the project?

Anonymous said...

Lipstick on a pig

Anonymous said...

Aside from just being pessimistic in general, I don't even enjoy the safe parts of downtown Jackson. It's super depressing and isolated feeling. I prefer the Renaissance any day.

Anonymous said...

What a load of horse shit!! That will be a waste of $1M, unless they can make the area safe, which we all know won't happen. I know it's a federal govt. program, that that $1M sure would fill a lot of potholes. Has anybody recently traveled on State Street in front of the Cabot Lodge next to Millsaps? Holy shit!! Other than I-55, State Street is the major north-south corridor through the middle of the city, and parts of it are almost impassable. And don't even think about driving down Riverside Drive between State Street and the interstate!! Safety and infrastructure are the two biggest needs in Jackson, and until those items are adequately addressed, all these govt. programs are a waste of time and money.

Anonymous said...

The streets though, my guy...

Anonymous said...

If I lived in the proposed area east of I55 I would be getting support together to make I55 the eastern boundary of this "service". I wouldn't want it in my area at all.

Anonymous said...

10:12 And don't forget some of those little spicy meatballs in barbecue sauce. You can't have a planning session without those!

Anonymous said...

Seems like the City is good at getting millions for planning grants. How about finding millions to fix these GD streets? How do you expect to make the bus system work with ginormous potholes all over the place?

Anonymous said...

So basically this will create a corridor for people in other parts of the city to export their crime to Belhaven and Fondren?

Anonymous said...

How does 5 linear miles turn into 20 sq miles?

Anonymous said...

11:12 - Yes. But now with express service!

Anonymous said...

@ 9:45- made a baby

Anonymous said...

I like it. A 'steering committee' is an excellent idea. They always worked well, as I recall. Especially when you had a bunch of teenaged girls packed into a Volkswagen Beetle.

Anonymous said...

Seems like a great idea. You funnel all the muggers, robbers, and carjackers into a centralized area to make it easier for the understaffed police force to catch them. Like fish in a barrel.

I'm Your Guy! said...

Aktar! Aktar! ME for Project Manager! ME! Pick ME! Your dad promised me a Project Manager position before he died. I promise you that. ME! Pick ME!

Diesel Fumes said...

"Planning and Development Director Mukesh Kumar said, “... ONELINE is the major step forward...With the backbone of robust public transit..."

Things would be much more robust if they'd take the MHP headquarters off the bus route. Then maybe working people could get served in less than six hours.

Cynical Sam said...

@11:27 AM - That's easy when you use progressive/radical "fuzzy math."

Federal grants = bribing the taxpayers with their own money.

Federal grants = all contributing to the multi-trillion dollar deficit.

Federal grants = all funded by printing more money that we don't have.

This project reminds me of Kalifornia's now-former Gov. Moonbeam's "bullet train." It will provide rapid transit for the illegal gangbangers to move their meth/heroin up and down the Sacramento/San Joaquin Valleys.

A. Shooter said...

Smart Pole Version 2 better have a basketball goal on it.

Anonymous said...

Sounds good as long as security is provided.

Anonymous said...

Fireworks shows usually last around 30 to 40 minutes. Then you pack up go home.

Anonymous said...

"I've lived in some real seedy cities in NY, NJ, and TN... I've never felt less safe than I do in Jackson. Things are getting better -- but there's still a LOT of work that needs to be done."

I lived in Jackson for 20+ years, but I have lived in NYC myself and if you feel less safe in Jackson with 150,000 residents, compared to a city with more than 10 million, then you must have lived in Buffalo, NY and not the NYC! LOL!!!!

The problem Jackson and a majority of southern cities, they are just not pedestrian friendly like northern cities. Places like Chicago, NYC, Cleveland, Detroit, when they built and expanded the areas they installed sidewalks and waiting areas for public transportation. Jackson did not do any of that as the city grew.

At least this is evidence that this administration is trying to catch up with the rest of the country in regards to city planning.

Anonymous said...

Dear Mayor and Dr. Kumar,
Forget ONELINE, “radical city”and “parklets”!
Your word is “INFRASTRUCTURE” – basic, plain, simple, INFRASTRUCTURE, as in pipes and potholes.
Dr. Kumar is sick of hearing about potholes??? Well, we are SICK of driving THROUGH potholes. We can no longer drive around them! We certainly can't walk through them!
The department is more like a college classroom than a Planning and Development Department. We need adults who understand residents and businesses and recruitment and economic development and reality. New businesses will not want to locate here with our water, sewer and roads in the current condition!

Additionally, Mr. Mayor, empower your police department to do whatever it takes to fight day to day crime! Get the assistance of the S.O. and the National Guard if you have to. Control your judges and their ridiculous releases and repeat offenders.
Your city is out of control. Be the leader that you have the capability to be.

Anonymous said...



Socrates is going to have a Happy New Year after all.

Imagine the change orders he will be able to generate on a project like this !!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Maybe Mayor ToneDeaf and his sidekick Kumar should consider a scenic photo stop next to the new raw sewage surface piping feature on Northside at Kimwood?

Anonymous said...

Planning and Development Director Mukesh Kumar @ 3:22 p.m.

"Pedestrian Friendly"...Now there's a tag line without a cartoon.

Anonymous said...

The area outlined in that plan is very safe and all these posts by people saying its totally unsafe are just people that moved into the plethora of aging apartments in Ridgeland and Rankin county in the last 5 years who want to feel good about their move by denigrating Jackson. There are parts of Ridgeland and NW Rankin where I would feel less safe at night than riding my bike along that corridor in this news piece.

Anonymous said...

8:42 Ride your bike through Jackson at night. RIP

Anonymous said...

Um, "Oneline?" I'd bet a kilo of cash it took a heck of a lot more than one line to come up with this. If there is a better way for Jackson to spend a million dollars than a bus line between Jackson State and the Fondren, I defy anyone to identify it. Why, shoot, I bet 4 people a month want express service from one to the other and at least 1 of those might want to make the return trip.

Anonymous said...

I've never seen a city bus with more than 4-5 passengers on it... ever.



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