Florida Construction News staff writer
The City of Jacksonville has been awarded $5.5 million from the Governor’s Florida job growth grant fund to construct a rail spur for the mega site at the Cecil Commerce Center, a 600-acre industrial park that will support the manufacturing and logistics industries.
The rail spur will connect the main rail line with the industrial park to support new business development in the region.
“This new rail track will make an inaccessible area of the industrial park accessible for businesses in important sectors like manufacturing and attract new businesses to Jacksonville from across the country,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement. “This award is an example of the smart investments we’re making in Florida’s communities to strengthen local economies and expand job opportunities.”
Last year $6 million from the grant funded construction of nearly two miles of roadway and extend utilities to provide access to underdeveloped property on the east side of Cecil Airport and Spaceport. This project was designed to attract new aerospace and commercial space companies to the area.
The Florida Job Growth Grant Fund is an economic development program designed to promote public infrastructure and workforce training across the state. Proposals are reviewed by DEO and Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI), and are chosen by Governor DeSantis to meet the demands for workforce training or infrastructure needs in communities around the state.
“Investing in projects like this rail spur to build upon Florida’s strong transportation network helps to ensure resiliency, supports supply chain operations, and enhances economic growth,” said Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared W. Perdue, P.E. “This is yet another example under Governor DeSantis’ leadership of working with partners to develop projects that offer major benefits to the local community, the region, and the state as a whole.”
DEO and EFI are currently accepting proposals until all funding has been awarded. For more information, visit www.FloridaJobs.org/JobGrowth.
