by Kent Jennings Brockwell
Staff Writer
The cast and crew of the film “Lonely Hearts” was back on their Forsyth Street movie set this week, which meant pedestrians, drivers and JTA passengers ran into a few Downtown traffic snags Thursday and will experience more today and next week.
Trolley riders coming from the park-and-ride lot near Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena probably noticed the biggest difference regarding traffic changes. Due to noise interference with the movie, JTA’s Sunflower line trolley was diverted from Bay and Forsyth streets to Duval Street, which is three or four blocks north of the normal route.
JTA bus passengers who normally use the Bay Street bus lines also had some extra walking to do. All buses on Bay Street were detoured six blocks away to Ashley Street.
Both the trolley and the bus lines should be back on the regular routes today but they will return to a detoured route April 13 and 14 when shooting continues on Forsyth Street. Today, the movie will be shooting near Park and Osceola streets where only one bus line will be disrupted.
Wendy Morrow, spokesperson for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, said there have been few complaints even though trolley and bus riders have had to walk a few more blocks than usual.
“Customer service received just a few complaints this morning,” Morrow said. “We realize that people will have to walk walk a little farther and we are looking into what we can do to make that a little better.”
Other traffic snags involved short term road closures throughout the day on Forsyth Street between Ocean and Newnan streets.
Todd Roobin, chief of the Jacksonville Film and Television office, said the “hold and release” traffic stops occurred only when the movie production company was rolling sound and film.
“Once they start rolling sound and film, the JSO officers will hold traffic for one or two minutes. Once the filming is complete, they will release the traffic,” Roobin said.
Though the movie production has caused a few traffic detours for the past week or so, Roobin said he has received no complaints about the traffic or the large number of people that have been milling around the set waiting for a glimpse of their favorite movie star.
“It has been absolutely fantastic,” he said. “I didn’t hear one complaint from the production company. The stars have been very cordial and took the time to wave and say hello to the fans out there.”
Traffic snags aside, Roobin said this new film has been another great opportunity for Jacksonville to be seen in the national spotlight. Besides the fact that the movie is being filmed here, Jacksonville will also gain some national exposure through the entertainment television shows like Entertainment Tonight and Extra that have come to town throughout the filming.
Roobin also said the film will have a $4 million direct economic impact on the city.