Curbing at a Riverplace Boulevard crosswalk median is damaged, as are nearby bricks. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
Published on February 5, 2026 at 11:55 am
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Q: Tiles on the Southbank Riverwalk and along Riverplace Boulevard are cracked and uneven. Palm trees need pruning. Jacksonville Today reader Joan M. has noticed this lack of upkeep and more.
The area is “like a beautiful silver tray that is badly tarnished,” she says
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“The Hart Bridge lights were 100% out for months; now only 75% of the bridge is lit,” Joan says. “The bulkhead behind the Chart House is eroding; pruning of foliage is done and the cuttings are just left behind. Also included is curbing that was damaged and remains damaged at the crosswalk in from The Peninsula and The Strand.”
“Would the city be responsible for such a hazard?”
A: The city’s Public Works Department notes that some of the areas Joan mentions are private, for example bulkhead areas behind the Chart House restaurant and adjacent to the Southbank hotel.
“For this reason, the city’s Riverwalk structure in these locations is constructed waterward and supported independently from the bulkhead,” the city says. “As such, the private property owners are responsible for maintenance of the bulkhead, as well as any adjacent sidewalks and landscaping in those areas, including vegetation management.”
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READ MORE: #AskJAXTDY | When will the Northbank Riverwalk reopen?
As for Riverplace Boulevard’s sidewalks and crosswalks, the city is responsible for those along the Boulevard, including the curbing near The Peninsula and The Strand.
The Public Works Department says it will “investigate the reported damage and determine what repairs may be necessary.”
Lighting on the Hart Bridge is maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation. But as far as the aesthetic lighting on the bridge truss, the city maintains those lights under an agreement with FDOT.
Funding is being sought to address needed repairs, Public Works officials say.
