More Highways for Florida

[tufsu1]

Here's an update on the Tampa-Jacksonville corridor study FDOT is doing

http://tbo.com/news/business/critics-say-states-plans-along-corridors-endanger-environment-20150607/

[spuwho]

Incremental upgrades to 301 is the most cost effective approach. Uses existing ROW as much as possible and doesnt promote outright sprawl.

[dp8541]

Incremental upgrades to 301 is the most cost effective approach. Uses existing ROW as much as possible and doesnt promote outright sprawl.

I agree.  I drive this route from Jax to Tampa at least once a month and aside from a little congestion in Stark, 10 to 301 to 75 is a fairly direct shot between the two cities.

Maybe a Stark bypass and less direct access to 301 as the article indicates.

[Charles Hunter]

Incremental upgrades to 301 is the most cost effective approach. Uses existing ROW as much as possible and doesnt promote outright sprawl.

I agree.  I drive this route from Jax to Tampa at least once a month and aside from a little congestion in Stark, 10 to 301 to 75 is a fairly direct shot between the two cities.

Maybe a Stark bypass and less direct access to 301 as the article indicates.

You speak, and DOT listens: http://www.d2wpph.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Bradford.pdf
See the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th projects on the first page "SR 223/ALT US 301 TRUCK ROUTE" - a bypass around Starke, to be built starting in Fiscal Year 2016.  A little more than $100 million in construction cost

[Ocklawaha]

Incremental upgrades to 301 is the most cost effective approach. Uses existing ROW as much as possible and doesnt promote outright sprawl.

I agree.  I drive this route from Jax to Tampa at least once a month and aside from a little congestion in Stark, 10 to 301 to 75 is a fairly direct shot between the two cities.

Maybe a Stark bypass and less direct access to 301 as the article indicates.

You speak, and DOT listens: http://www.d2wpph.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Bradford.pdf
See the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th projects on the first page "SR 223/ALT US 301 TRUCK ROUTE" - a bypass around Starke, to be built starting in Fiscal Year 2016.  A little more than $100 million in construction cost

Great idea, kill another vibrant small downtown with a highway bypass...  Sell the locals on all of the new BK'S and Mickey D's they're going to get. I'm so excited I could just puke.

BTW, ever notice that little railroad crossing on 301 on the southside of Starke? Every few years the State of Florida updates it's 'RAIL PLAN,' an official document packed with all sorts of interesting ideas and facts. I've read these on and off since at least 1970 +/- . What ever state plan you read you will see future passenger rail, freight volumes, branchlines, and a section dedicated to line segments where, 'Abandonment application anticipated without state intervention.' What makes Florida's such a waste of paper is year after year these lines are identified then erased from the following years document! GONE! I've see it shrivel from 5,700 miles to 2,786 miles and shrinking... Other states have bought and rehabilitated thousands of miles of track, then leased the operation of these lines to shortline carriers such as First Coast or the St. Marys Railroad.  Some states have added dozens of conventional passenger trains while others have given birth to whole new corridors 'Carolina', 'Pacific Northwest' etc.. So the track at that crossing leads to Alachua, and from Alachua to Gainesville and to Trenton and Dunnellon. In fact it once led from Alachua to Gainesville to Dunellon to Inverness to Brooksville to Tampa. Then the all knowing state let not one but three routes connecting Dunnellon with Tampa be pulled from the earth, a gaping hole between Brooksville and Dunnellon exactly on the route of the Suncoast or Tampa-Jacksonville Highway. Florida will do nothing more then blot out a few more miles while it moves to pave the way for a digital truck convoy through the heart of the state. If the lost segments could be replaced the railroad wouldn't need to be widened... EVER! Chirp... 

[tufsu1]

Incremental upgrades to 301 is the most cost effective approach. Uses existing ROW as much as possible and doesnt promote outright sprawl.

problem is that doesn't fit the agenda of those controlling the strings

[Ocklawaha]

Incremental upgrades to 301 is the most cost effective approach. Uses existing ROW as much as possible and doesnt promote outright sprawl.

I agree.  I drive this route from Jax to Tampa at least once a month and aside from a little congestion in Stark, 10 to 301 to 75 is a fairly direct shot between the two cities.

Maybe a Stark bypass and less direct access to 301 as the article indicates.

You speak, and DOT listens: http://www.d2wpph.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Bradford.pdf
See the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th projects on the first page "SR 223/ALT US 301 TRUCK ROUTE" - a bypass around Starke, to be built starting in Fiscal Year 2016.  A little more than $100 million in construction cost

Great idea, kill another vibrant small downtown with a highway bypass...  Sell the locals on all of the new BK'S and Mickey D's they're going to get. I'm so excited I could just puke.

BTW, ever notice that little railroad crossing on 301 on the southside of Starke? Every few years the State of Florida updates it's 'RAIL PLAN,' an official document packed with all sorts of interesting ideas and facts. I've read these on and off since at least 1970 +/- . What ever state plan you read you will see future passenger rail, freight volumes, branchlines, and a section dedicated to line segments where, 'Abandonment application anticipated without state intervention.' What makes Florida's such a waste of paper is year after year these lines are identified then erased from the following years document! GONE! I've see it shrivel from 5,700 miles to 2,786 miles and shrinking... Other states have bought and rehabilitated thousands of miles of track, then leased the operation of these lines to shortline carriers such as First Coast or the St. Marys Railroad.  Some states have added dozens of conventional passenger trains while others have given birth to whole new corridors 'Carolina', 'Pacific Northwest' etc.. So the track at that crossing leads to Alachua, and from Alachua to Gainesville and to Trenton and Dunnellon. In fact it once led from Alachua to Gainesville to Dunellon to Inverness to Brooksville to Tampa. Then the all knowing state let not one but three routes connecting Dunnellon with Tampa be pulled from the earth, a gaping hole between Brooksville and Dunnellon exactly on the route of the Suncoast or Tampa-Jacksonville Highway. Florida will do nothing more then blot out a few more miles while it moves to pave the way for a digital truck convoy through the heart of the state. If the lost segments could be replaced the railroad wouldn't need to be widened... EVER! Chirp...

[thelakelander]

Great idea, kill another vibrant small downtown with a highway bypass...  Sell the locals on all of the new BK'S and Mickey D's they're going to get. I'm so excited I could just puke.

Just passed through Starke about an hour ago on my way back from Ocala. I agree that once that bypass opens, most of those businesses along 301 are toast.

[Know Growth]

Drove to Tarpon Springs Sunday. Decided to "skip" 301 - chose one of about three alternatives.
On the way back today,exited I-75 via one of a couple of alternatives at the Gainesville area,eased on up 301.

So glad,just North of Lawtey (Highland in fact), glanced over in solemn appreciation to a locked gate- entry to my private recreation lease,one of many members within the sprawling private land complex part and parcel to the Osceola National Forest to Raiford/Jennings Forest/Camp Blanding to Ocala National Forest Conservation Corridor. ("O2O"). 

O2O has emerged as key element in future highway planing.

(Starke Bypass avoids Corridor lands)

Governor Martinez era Jax/Tampa promotions,efforts were helpful.

301 post Bypass could make for a dandy Starke Downtown Nirvana.

Over the years,the roar of 301 traffic has become much more noticeable at my camp well west...........

[tufsu1]

Great idea, kill another vibrant small downtown with a highway bypass...  Sell the locals on all of the new BK'S and Mickey D's they're going to get. I'm so excited I could just puke.

Just passed through Starke about an hour ago on my way back from Ocala. I agree that once that bypass opens, most of those businesses along 301 are toast.

maybe not....not too many people travelling through Starke stop at any of the places....I do maybe once every 10 times I go through....they are mainly serving the local market.

that said, it will depend on what land uses are permitted adjacent to the bypass.....Thomasville, GA has a truck bypass with little business along it...much of the strip retail exists in the two places where the bypass joins back with US 319.

[coredumped]

I'm pretty sure starke will be fine. Some hotels and restaurants might suffer, but generally it will be OK. It's about the size of Live Oak (~6k people) which is more than enough to support the shops they have in town. I think Bradford Co. has all it's festivals there too, which draws people from Jax and surrounding areas.

[dp8541]

Great idea, kill another vibrant small downtown with a highway bypass...  Sell the locals on all of the new BK'S and Mickey D's they're going to get. I'm so excited I could just puke.

Just passed through Starke about an hour ago on my way back from Ocala. I agree that once that bypass opens, most of those businesses along 301 are toast.

maybe not....not too many people travelling through Starke stop at any of the places....I do maybe once every 10 times I go through....they are mainly serving the local market.

that said, it will depend on what land uses are permitted adjacent to the bypass.....Thomasville, GA has a truck bypass with little business along it...much of the strip retail exists in the two places where the bypass joins back with US 319.

This...When I drive through Stark the only places I stop are for quick food and gas.  Exiting off of a bypass is not going to stop me from grabbing food/gas in Stark. 

The through traffic is not what is supporting the majority of the businesses in the town either directly off of 301 or in the small downtown area.

[Ocklawaha]

Great idea, kill another vibrant small downtown with a highway bypass...  Sell the locals on all of the new BK'S and Mickey D's they're going to get. I'm so excited I could just puke.

Just passed through Starke about an hour ago on my way back from Ocala. I agree that once that bypass opens, most of those businesses along 301 are toast.

maybe not....not too many people travelling through Starke stop at any of the places....I do maybe once every 10 times I go through....they are mainly serving the local market.

that said, it will depend on what land uses are permitted adjacent to the bypass.....Thomasville, GA has a truck bypass with little business along it...much of the strip retail exists in the two places where the bypass joins back with US 319.

Sending the bypass west along the lakes (including the local 'beach' park) and uprooting 16 and or 100 through downtown (up and over the railroad) should just about do it. Routing the traffic off of 301, then taking the local traffic off of the two principal downtown streets is a death sentence. One only needs to travel the sights of old Route 66, America's 'Mother Road,' to see what the Interstate and bypass  projects did to dozens of similar sized towns.

[tufsu1]

^ Starke is pretty much the only bottleneck along 301 from Ocala up to I-10.  I'm willing to accept a bypass there is it delays the "need" for a new highway that replaces 301.

[thelakelander]

Great idea, kill another vibrant small downtown with a highway bypass...  Sell the locals on all of the new BK'S and Mickey D's they're going to get. I'm so excited I could just puke.

Just passed through Starke about an hour ago on my way back from Ocala. I agree that once that bypass opens, most of those businesses along 301 are toast.

maybe not....not too many people travelling through Starke stop at any of the places....I do maybe once every 10 times I go through....they are mainly serving the local market.

that said, it will depend on what land uses are permitted adjacent to the bypass.....Thomasville, GA has a truck bypass with little business along it...much of the strip retail exists in the two places where the bypass joins back with US 319.

This...When I drive through Stark the only places I stop are for quick food and gas.  Exiting off of a bypass is not going to stop me from grabbing food/gas in Stark. 

The through traffic is not what is supporting the majority of the businesses in the town either directly off of 301 or in the small downtown area.

Quick food and gas....that's what exists on 301 in Starke.  Build a bypass to open up virgin land to commercial development....and that new development will replace what's on 301 because the market isn't big enough to support both. Good examples of bypasses reshaping commercial land development patterns in small cities include Plant City, Bartow, Auburndale, FL and Dothan, AL.  Heck, locally, I-95 serving as a bypass to Main Street essentially took out its vibrancy between the Southbank and Panama Park.