Rick Scott promises to fix Blanding

[spuwho]

Per jacksonville.com

Rick Scott pledges money to widen Blanding in Clay County during Jacksonville visit

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-08-18/story/rick-scott-pledges-money-widen-blanding-clay-county-during-jacksonville



Gov. Rick Scott announced plans to widen part of Blanding Boulevard in Clay County during a campaign visit to Jacksonville Monday, saying roadwork would build the state's economy.

"We're going to make sure this is the No. 1 place for infrastructure. When we do that, what happens? We get more jobs. That's what we're going to focus on," Scott told reporters during a visit to the JAX Chamber offices downtown.

Scott touted $15.5 million worth of work that's being accelerated to widen Blanding between Brannan Field Road and Old Jennings Road.

The stretch being widened to six lanes is relatively short, just 1.3 miles, but Florida Department of Transportation spokesman Ron Tuttle said it dovetails with work connected to the First Coast Expressway, formerly called the Brannan Field-Chaffee Expressway.

Because work on the expressway was already authorized, "we wanted to make sure we had a six-lane section of ... [Blanding] in place before it opened, since the traffic from the expressway will flow onto Blanding," Tuttle said by email.

Blanding in that area is now four lanes, and Tuttle said construction of the additional lanes could start next summer. The work had been part of a larger project, which will widen the road from Old Jennings to Clay County Road 220 beginning in 2018.

Campaign material from Scott's visit used the slogan "Let's Keep Florida Moving" to summarize the day's message, which included a repeat of the announcement last week that $179.5 million would be spent widening Interstate 295 between Butler Boulevard and Florida 9B.

Scott advocated investments in roads, ports and airports during a talk where he was flanked by supporters including Sen. Aaron Bean, R-Fernandina Beach, Jacksonville Landing owner Toney Sleiman and Jacksonville Transportation Authority Chairman Donna Harper, who thanked Scott for his support of Jacksonville's extension of a local-option gas tax that will fund local road and transit projects.

[Rob68]

How about a moritorium on new construction on that corridor?...seems like the area was allowed to get too big for its britches. Whos changing codes? 

[coredumped]

Adding lanes isn't and hasn't been the solution.

[IrvAdams]

I read somewhere that widening roads often leads to even more slowdowns than before the widening. It becomes a magnet for even more automobile trips rather than considering alternatives.

[avonjax]

anything but rail

[tufsu1]

I read somewhere that widening roads often leads to even more slowdowns than before the widening. It becomes a magnet for even more automobile trips rather than considering alternatives.

additional roadway capacity is usually filled by additional traffic within 5 years....of course that's often because the road widening occurs after the new development was already approved.

[thelakelander]

I spent most of Saturday in Middleburg at my son's little league football jamboree.  I thought this thing was supposed to alleviate all of the area's congestion and mobility needs!

[spuwho]

I spent most of Saturday in Middleburg at my son's little league football jamboree.  I thought this thing was supposed to alleviate all of the area's congestion and mobility needs!

They have been pushing alot of dirt and cutting alot of trees. I also noticed that they have been redirecting traffic to each side of the new road as they work each part.

With this (Branan-Chaffee), 9B, the Fuller Warren updates, the Overland Bridge project and the redo of 95 from Emerson to 295 coming thereafter, PLUS updates from the renewed gas sales tax, I would say greater Jax has a full supply of road construction ahead of it for the next 5-7 years.

Next time I hear someone complaining that there aren't enough "road jobs" in Duval County, I will tell them to take a hike. (or a bus)

[tufsu1]

there are no plans for rework of 95 south of Emerson in the next decade...with the exception of the JTB flyover.

That said, Gov. Scott has also announced moving up widening of I-295 (9B to JTB) to add managed lanes...for the small sum of over $150 million...wouldn't have needed this if 9B wasn't built...what a boondoggle

[spuwho]

there are no plans for rework of 95 south of Emerson in the next decade...with the exception of the JTB flyover.

That said, Gov. Scott has also announced moving up widening of I-295 (9B to JTB) to add managed lanes...for the small sum of over $150 million...wouldn't have needed this if 9B wasn't built...what a boondoggle

Blaylock said FDOT was planning the Emerson to 295 reconstruction and needed to know how JTB was going to be funded so they could coordinate.  I am assuming this would happen after the Overland was done. 7 years, 10 years, either way, it still means perpetual road construction for a significant period of time.

[thelakelander]

Road construction will never go away. It feeds too many families in the economic structure we've set up for ourselves since WWII.

[southsider1015]

I love hearing Jacksonville residents complain about traffic. It truely shows their ignorance about how the rest of they metropolitan areas in the region lives.  See Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, and Miami.

You might not like him, but Rick Scott is helping this city out.  Can we say the same about Christ?

[mtraininjax]

Neither Crist or Scott could find their rear-ends with both hands, totally clueless pieces of jello, will do ANYTHING and SAY ANYTHING to get elected. Neither have backbone or character to lead our great state. Worst election of the year!

[Know Growth]

A "much needed" 'alternative' to Blanding Blvd. was pronounced many decades ago.

Low Energy

We get the landscape,roadways we deserve. Scott but the latest Merry-Go-Round.
For me,Clay Commission member Wayne Spivey,Reinhold Corporation,Clay Planning Directors Susan Fraser and the Prosser Hallock guy  lead a cast of telling characters,but thay extends back beyond any reach here.