Jacksonville Dock Project

The city of Jacksonville, Florida, is working to connect its many waterfront communities with several new docks along the St. Johns River. The new Post Street dock located on the west side of the river will provide day use for four vessels and a water taxi, allowing direct access to the Five Points neighborhood from the water.

As Jacksonville is prone to heavy storm surges and hurricane winds, the project required a docking system with the ability to sustain severe weather and wave action. The previous decade proved catastrophic as several marinas on the St. Johns River sustained irreparable damage from Hurricanes Irma and Matthew.

Significant design considerations included the ability of the docking system to withstand hurricane wind and wave action as well as avoid contact with nearby underground utility lines. Apart from the seasonal weather, the daily conditions at the site include southerly waves and strong currents. Design standards set by the city, required the docking system to withstand 120 mph winds and 10’ storm surges for two hours.

SF Marina developed a formidable dock design and manufactured the components at their facility in Norfolk, Virginia. Jacksonville-based Hal Jones Contractor, a division of Vecellio & Grogan, Inc. then installed the docks. The dock array by SF Marina consists of a two-part 95’ L x 10’ W SF1230 HD pontoon and three SF1224 32’ L x 8’ W fingers. The SF 1200 series concrete pontoons feature a wave dampening design coupled with their substantial mass which allows them to endure heavy commercial use and wave action. Hal Jones Contractor installed 20” diameter piles as deep as 40 feet into the river bottom to secure the pontoons. Designed to absorb torsional tension and heavy loading, SF Marina’s connector system brings all the components together. A 42-foot aluminum bridge and 36-foot hinged gangway connects the docks to the shoreline.

The docks are large enough to accommodate six vessels up to 50 feet in length. The city plans to allot four spaces for free day use by boaters while the remaining dockage will serve the water taxi.