Adding water taxis to transportation options

Roy Jaeger, vice president of the Saint Augustine Maritime Heritage Foundation, suggests that waterways around the city can help ease traffic gridlock, according to an interview published by the St Augustine Report today.

In the article, Jaeger said the city should analyze the feasibility of a two-tier water taxi service.

“Our waterways are a greatly underutilized resource,” Jaeger told former mayor George Gardner. “We have an opportunity to avert the gridlock by incorporating the use of dredged and channeled waterways with federal channel markers as an integral element of the city’s roadway network.”

Jaeger defined the first tier of service to be high-speed water transportation connecting remote public parking areas with the City Marina.

The second tier of service envisioned by Jaeger would include comfortable water taxis running at scheduled times with landings at venues all around the city.

“The development of a water taxi system and greater utilization of our harbor and waterways for recreational purposes is a very important element of the Saint Augustine Maritime Heritage Foundation’s effort to ensure the enduring legacy of our city and harbor,” Jaeger said.