For hundreds of commuters who each morning travel westbound on the Hart Bridge, if there was any doubt Wednesday when they left home that Downtown is hosting a street festival, that doubt was dispelled by the time they arrived.
With several streets closed for the second annual One Spark crowdfunding festival and exhibitors and spectators arriving early for the first day of the five-day event, traffic was backed up along Adams Street from Main Street to the bridge. Most other entrances to Downtown also were experiencing slower than usual traffic flow.
“We’re humbled by the outpouring of support from the community,” said One Spark Executive Director Joe Sampson about an hour after the traffic snarl had subsided. “We’re tweaking the traffic pattern.”
Sampson said festival-goers should consider parking free of charge at the lot near the Prime Osborn Convention Center and riding the Skyway to Central or Hemming Plaza stations.
The Skyway will operate with extended hours during One Spark: today until 2 a.m., 6 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-3 a.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.
The other free peripheral parking opportunity is at Lot P at EverBank Field, where the Jacksonville Transportation Authority is providing a free shuttle service from 10:30 a.m.-midnight today-Saturday and 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.
Sampson said updated parking information is available at onesparkparking.com.
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