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Jacksonville, FL

Started by Alex, November 28, 2017, 08:19:39 AM

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Alex

From what it looks like, this plan would remove the freeway link for U.S. 1 Alternate between the Hart Bridge and Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway. Currently that connection is just one lane per direction.

Mayor in Washington 'to advocate for Jacksonville's needs'

QuoteMayor Lenny Curry is spending part of this week in Washington D.C., to lobby federal officials. That likely includes a proposal to tear down ramps to the Hart Bridge Expressway.

Curry's office said his trip to D.C. is "to advocate for Jacksonville's needs."

According to the schedule, Curry left Monday and will stay through Wednesday to meet with lawmakers and Trump administration officials, specifically those who have oversight of federal transportation spending.

Curry is seeking a $25 million Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to offset the estimated $50 million road project.

City Council members approved $1.5 million for surveying, geotechnical investigations and preparation of a design criteria package on Oct. 24 after a Florida Department of Transportation study found that removing the ramps would improve freight traffic to Talleyrand Avenue.


Alex

Visible progress being made with new express lanes along the West beltway

QuoteThe new express lanes along the West beltway are set to open in early 2018, but drivers from the Buckman Bridge to I-95 are seeing signs of progress. Some of the new express lanes are paved, but not yet ready to go. Overhead toll structures are up as well. One frequent driver of the West Beltway says he's noticed less construction vehicles as well.

Alex

Diverging diamond road configuration comes to First Coast

QuoteThe first diverging diamond interchange on the First Coast is being built at I-95 exit 373, where the interstate connects with and crosses over A1A/State Road 200.

From above the stretch of A1A/200 looks like a braid of rope because instead of each direction of traffic traveling parallel and to the right of opposing traffic as usual, the sides actually swap while traveling underneath the Interstate.

"Scary!," said a woman named Karen to First Coast News just a few footsteps away from the construction, while looking at FDOT animated video depicting various viewpoints of what the finished product will be, expected in summer 2020.

Holy cats! Eight DDI's for SR 23?

QuoteThe project in Yulee carries a price tag of $40 million. FDOT said more diverging diamonds - specifically eight along State Route 23 - are planned, with construction to begin in 2019.

Max Rockatansky

So if I got this right the city wants to push traffic from US 1A onto a surface grade while approaching the Hart Bridge?  How is that supposed to improve traffic at Talleyrand Avenue?  Wouldn't a full set of ramps at Duval Street be a better approach than what is being proposed?  US 1A may be an awful freeway design but gutting part of it for a surface alignment won't help any.

Speaking of the Hart Bridge/US 1A ramp connection what the hell is this supposed to be?....a half ass attempt at a northbound ramp?

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.3260818,-81.6336948,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s06smMqACdRCIOICvrEB6Kw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Henry

So how much longer until FL 9B becomes I-795?
Go Cubs Go! Go Cubs Go! Hey Chicago, what do you say? The Cubs are gonna win today!

1995hoo

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 28, 2017, 09:39:48 AM
So if I got this right the city wants to push traffic from US 1A onto a surface grade while approaching the Hart Bridge?  How is that supposed to improve traffic at Talleyrand Avenue?  Wouldn't a full set of ramps at Duval Street be a better approach than what is being proposed?  US 1A may be an awful freeway design but gutting part of it for a surface alignment won't help any.

Speaking of the Hart Bridge/US 1A ramp connection what the hell is this supposed to be?....a half ass attempt at a northbound ramp?

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.3260818,-81.6336948,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s06smMqACdRCIOICvrEB6Kw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Look at the older Street View images. It appears to have a gate, so it's probably meant to be a part-time ramp. I wonder whether it might be intended to be used for stadium events to help expedite traffic leaving the area (even if it might not actually be used in that manner)? That "Tailgaters Parking" operation did a pretty booming business the last time I went to a game there.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

rickmastfan67

Quote from: Henry on November 28, 2017, 10:30:16 AM
So how much longer until FL 9B becomes I-795?

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=2867.0

Quote from: Alex on November 28, 2017, 08:19:39 AM
From what it looks like, this plan would remove the freeway link for U.S. 1 Alternate between the Hart Bridge and Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway. Currently that connection is just one lane per direction.

Mayor in Washington 'to advocate for Jacksonville's needs'

They must be high if they want to get rid of those ramps.  That is, unless they want to re-configure it to connect directly to Gator Bowl Blvd.  Might be a 'tad' tolerable that way, but those ramps need to be there.  There is no other 'reasonable' connection to replace it if they are going to completely destroy it.  Cesery/University Blvd (FL-109) is NOT a reasonable alternative there for the traffic.

21stCenturyRoad

Whoever's proposing the plan of removing the connector from MLK Pkwy to the Hart Bridge is seriously out of their mind. This connection along with US 1 ALT can serve as a bypass of Downtown Jacksonville if I-95 or the Fuller Warren gets backed up. It also provides a shortcut from points north on I-95 towards Beach Blvd via FL 228 after the Bridge.
The truth is the truth even if no one believes it, and a lie is a lie even if everyone believes it.

Avalanchez71

Why did they remove US 1A off of SR 115 to begin with?

rickmastfan67

Quote from: Avalanchez71 on November 30, 2017, 05:34:45 PM
Why did they remove US 1A off of SR 115 to begin with?

It never was.  I think you're confusing it with US-90 Alternate.

NE2

pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

Avalanchez71

Why did they remove US 1A off of SR 115?

rickmastfan67

Quote from: NE2 on December 01, 2017, 04:30:07 PM
US 1A was on 115...

News to me to be honest (not counting the 'unsigned' segment).  I honestly had thought that the 'Arlington Expressway' segment had only been US-90 Alternate in the past.

jwolfer

#13
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on December 01, 2017, 05:13:16 PM
Why did they remove US 1A off of SR 115?
US 1 alternate has used Emerson St to Phillips highway since at least the 1980s. I have seen older maps that have Us 1A using Arlington Expressway and Southside Blvd.

I think Southside Blvd should just continue as SR113, like the Southside Connector.

SR 117 can go away. Make Norwood Ave 115 since it's the same street as Lem Turner Rd, name change at I 95.

As it is now 115 is discontinuous

Z981

Alex

#14
US 1 Alternate shifted away from the Arlington Expressway once the Haines St/20th Expressways opened. These are MLK Pkwy now.
1955 map showing the former alignment:

florida

Quote from: jwolfer on December 02, 2017, 09:09:22 AM

SR 117 can go away. Make Norwood Ave 115 since it's the same street as Lem Turner Rd, name change at I 95.

As it is now 115 is discontinuous

Z981


Not exactly....SR 115 has a silent concurrency with I-95 between Lem Turner and 20th St Expressway. Internally with FDOT, it is one, wholly connected route.
So many roads...so little time.

jwolfer

Quote from: florida on December 16, 2017, 11:34:16 PM
Quote from: jwolfer on December 02, 2017, 09:09:22 AM

SR 117 can go away. Make Norwood Ave 115 since it's the same street as Lem Turner Rd, name change at I 95.

As it is now 115 is discontinuous

Z981


Not exactly....SR 115 has a silent concurrency with I-95 between Lem Turner and 20th St Expressway. Internally with FDOT, it is one, wholly connected route.
I actually read that after I posted the previous message.. it bothers me how SR 115 and SR 228 loose signage in downtown Jacksonville

Z981


Alex

#17
The Hart Bridge Expressway elevated roadway west from U.S. 1 ALT and the Hart Bridge closed last month. A 18 month long project demolishes the viaduct between A.P. Randolph Street and Gator Bowl Boulevard and replaces it with an at-grade boulevard. The flyovers spanning Hogans Creek into Downtown will remain.

Detours for Hart Bridge Expressway ramps demolition begin April 4

QuoteThe $25.4 million demolition of the overhead Hart Bridge Expressway ramps near TIAA Bank Field will begin next week, a city spokesperson said April 2.

Traffic detours will begin April 4 for Hart Bridge commuters in and out of Downtown.

The roughly 18 months of traffic disruption is meant to support Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan's estimated $2.5 billion redevelopment of the Shipyards properties and Lot J near the stadium and Metropolitan Park.

The project calls for removing part of the Hart Bridge ramp at Liberty Street between Gator Bowl and A. Philip Randolph boulevards, bringing a portion of the expressway to street level and aligning the new roadway.

Construction of a signalized intersection at Gator Bowl Boulevard is part of the project.

Map showing the part to be removed


Plutonic Panda

That sucks. I've used this bridge many times. Downgrading it seems backwards. Is there development planned here to connect the river?

froggie

^ Yes, development related to the Jaguars stadium, referenced in the article Alex posted.

FDOT traffic data shows an AADT of less than 15K.  Even with combined with the existing ~4200 along Gator Bowl Blvd, that's well within the adequacy range for a 4-lane at-grade boulevard, with plenty of room for any growth from the development.

ChiMilNet

I see this thread has been inactive for a while, but I figured I'd bring it to the front, as I recently moved into the area. A few observations I have are as follows:


  • It seems that there is a project to widen to ten lanes I-10 b/w I-295 and the Eastern Terminus at I-95. I am a little surprised there isn't also a project to widen to at least six lanes to Baldwin.
  • To piggyback off the I-10 project, I am a little surprised there isn't anything in the works to potentially widen I-95 b/w Downtown and Butler Blvd. It seems to get a decent amount of traffic, and I am willing to bet that will only increase in the coming years as St. John's County seems to be growing like crazy. I have noticed that I-95 appears to have an unused overpass at the Butler Blvd interchange, almost as if there might be plans to widen someday.
  • Any plans to label SR 9B as an interstate? I thought I had heard this was built as such, and certainly it meets the standards.
  • I am suprised there are no plans to widen I-295 on the East leg b/w I-95 and Butler Blvd. Having been on it a few times, it seems to be rather congested.

Overall, the traffic does seem to move fairly smoothly around here, and clearly, Florida has much better roads than Illinois. I look forward to contributing more to the SE Forums.

edwaleni

Quote from: ChiMilNet on June 23, 2023, 10:47:54 PM
I see this thread has been inactive for a while, but I figured I'd bring it to the front, as I recently moved into the area. A few observations I have are as follows:


  • It seems that there is a project to widen to ten lanes I-10 b/w I-295 and the Eastern Terminus at I-95. I am a little surprised there isn't also a project to widen to at least six lanes to Baldwin.
  • To piggyback off the I-10 project, I am a little surprised there isn't anything in the works to potentially widen I-95 b/w Downtown and Butler Blvd. It seems to get a decent amount of traffic, and I am willing to bet that will only increase in the coming years as St. John's County seems to be growing like crazy. I have noticed that I-95 appears to have an unused overpass at the Butler Blvd interchange, almost as if there might be plans to widen someday.
  • Any plans to label SR 9B as an interstate? I thought I had heard this was built as such, and certainly it meets the standards.
  • I am suprised there are no plans to widen I-295 on the East leg b/w I-95 and Butler Blvd. Having been on it a few times, it seems to be rather congested.

Overall, the traffic does seem to move fairly smoothly around here, and clearly, Florida has much better roads than Illinois. I look forward to contributing more to the SE Forums.

Welcome to Jacksonville!

QuoteIt seems that there is a project to widen to ten lanes I-10 b/w I-295 and the Eastern Terminus at I-95. I am a little surprised there isn't also a project to widen to at least six lanes to Baldwin

The Baldwin interchange is going through an major update right now, but I am not aware of any plans between the First Coast Tollway and Baldwin for any further expansions.

QuoteTo piggyback off the I-10 project, I am a little surprised there isn't anything in the works to potentially widen I-95 b/w Downtown and Butler Blvd. It seems to get a decent amount of traffic, and I am willing to bet that will only increase in the coming years as St. John's County seems to be growing like crazy. I have noticed that I-95 appears to have an unused overpass at the Butler Blvd interchange, almost as if there might be plans to widen someday.

I-95 was recently reconstructed from the St John's River south as far as Emerson Ave as part of a exit and enter improvement project and replace a dated bridge (locally called the "overland bridge"). The biggest flaw in that zone is the University Boulevard exit/overpass. It is a blind hill coming north and I have seen many rear enders here.

QuoteAny plans to label SR 9B as an interstate? I thought I had heard this was built as such, and certainly it meets the standards.[

Yes. It was approved to use I-795. Not sure what the hang up is.

QuoteI am suprised there are no plans to widen I-295 on the East leg b/w I-95 and Butler Blvd. Having been on it a few times, it seems to be rather congested

Many locals questioned why it didn't get 3 lanes back in the 2003-2006 construction window when it was first built. Congestion is acute between I-295 north to about Altantic Blvd. especially during rush hours. Lower I-295 got its extra lanes via the SunPass program. There was a plan to SunPass between the Dames Point Bridge up to Main Street (US-17) but several shipping firms complained since they have so much trucking going through there, the plan was shifted to another location.

Just so you are aware, FDOT, JTA and the TPO are all trying to raise the cost of driving by car in and out of Jacksonville. Either by cost of time, cost of fuel or cost of toll.  Why?

To make BRT and Commuter Rail more viable, the government entities have to raise the cost of driving to make transit look competitive and viable. So delaying widening activities or road reconstructions is to their benefit.

The new First Coast Beltway will be tolled from the Cecil Commerce Center down to its future terminus at I-95. There is a thread on AARoads that talks about that highway and the large bridge they are taking public input on.

There have been and currently one is active about extending several transit services in the area.

- Repurpose-extension of the JTA Skyway
- "transit-as-a-service" where autonomous vehicles are summoned via app and take you to your destination
- Yulee to St Augustine heavy rail. A traditional commuter rail system that would go as far north as the CSX tracks in Yulee and use the FEC tracks as far as St Augustine with downtown as the core

One issue is that while Jacksonville does the heavy lifting on the planning, there is no regional body outside of planning that has any authority to raise funds or tax on behalf of any transit. Until then its all planning.

Jacksonville was recently ignored on the recent announcements for the Brightline rail service expansion. The city was cited for "poor transit aggregation, inconsistent service types, and lack of political will" to make a regularly scheduled train service viable. Until then, Brightline will pursue the Orlando-Tampa service.

Jaxrunner

The interchange between I 10 and US 301 is huge. It looks like could hold 4 travel lanes going each way. I suppose the long range plan is to add capacity along the I 10 corridor. I agree that I 10 should be 6 laned to US 301. There is a lot of truck traffic through the area.

The area between Butler Blvd and the overland bridge is bad. The merge northbound is a mess from JTB. The road needs 10 lanes and the outdated interchanges need replacement.

ChiMilNet

Thank you all for the extra context on these items! I-295 North of Butler Blvd clearly is the area most in need of improvement, and as the area continues to grow, the traffic will also. As far as public transit, I can just say right now, even in Chicago it's been a challenge getting commuters to use the system after COVID. People tend to like the privacy and convenience of their car. Sadly, public transit can be more time consuming and costly to use. In Chicago, NYC, DC, etc, it's very much worth it and actually saves a lot of time, due to the chronic congestion and inadequate capacity on the Expressways in those locations. However, I would agree that Jacksonville is clearly a market better suited for highway improvements for commuters. Also, I can imagine 295 gets some bypass traffic for those heading South for vacations from spots in the Northeast.

VTGoose

Quote from: edwaleni on June 24, 2023, 04:56:19 PM

The Baldwin interchange is going through a major update right now, but I am not aware of any plans between the First Coast Tollway and Baldwin for any further expansions.

The Baldwin interchange and the north side I-95/I-295 interchange have been going through a major update for going on 7 years now. The construction had already started when our son and girlfriend (now wife and mother of our grandson) moved to Apollo Beach in 2017 and neither appear close to being completed any time soon.

"Get in the fast lane, grandma!  The bingo game is ready to roll!"



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