Tax hikes and toll roads coming? Road plans yielding to tight budget

[thelakelander]

Many construction projects could be cut or delayed indefinitely. County officials are considering tax hikes and toll roads.

By LARRY HANNAN, The Times-Union

Massive transportation cuts could be coming to the state in 2009, the top official with the Florida Department of Transportation in Northeast Florida is warning.

The possibility of budget cuts is leading county officials on the First Coast to seriously consider other ways to pay for transportation projects, including tax hikes and toll roads.

FDOT District 2 Secretary Charles Baldwin and others believe the state will deal with a projected $4 billion budget deficit in 2009 primarily by cutting planned transportation projects.

PLANNED PROJECTS
The plans, tentative starting date and cost of projects now in the Florida Department of Transportation's five-year work plan include:

Heckscher Drive:

Widening to four lanes from Drummond Point to August Drive, 2009, $28 million

Interstate 10:

Widening to six lanes from I-295 to Branan Field-Chaffee Road, 2009, $78 million

Beach Boulevard:

Widening from Hodges Boulevard to San Pablo Road, 2011, $29 million

I-95 bridges:

Replace bridges at Southampton Road and Hendricks Avenue, 2012, $87 million

Marietta interchange:

Relocate interchange on Interstate 10, 2012, $61 million

Florida 9B:

Build from U.S. 1 to Florida 9A, 2013, $170 million Source: Florida Department of Transportation

full article: http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/101308/met_343342294.shtml

[tufsu1]

I say just drop 9B...its a completely unnecessary project

And next on the list to be cut should be the outer beltway....including the northern portion that may be studied soon.

[thelakelander]

I'd second that notion.  Outside of land investors and developers along their proposed path, most would probably agree.  $170 million for half of 9B?  That's insane.

[Charles Hunter]

I say just drop 9B...its a completely unnecessary project

And next on the list to be cut should be the outer beltway....including the northern portion that may be studied soon.

I thought the outer beltway was going to be a toll road, and not cost DOT (or whoever) anything (except for the part of Branan Chaffee already built) - tolls would cover all the costs - otherwise it won't be built.  Did I miss something?  Now, from a sprawl perspective ... you are probably right about the outer beltway.

[thelakelander]

Who pays for the roads that may have to be widened or extended to connect with the Outer Beltway?

[Driven1]

it looks like our local transportation planning spending is even worse than the national budget where 80% goes to road construction/maintenance and 20% to mass transit.

[tufsu1]

I say just drop 9B...its a completely unnecessary project

And next on the list to be cut should be the outer beltway....including the northern portion that may be studied soon.

I thought the outer beltway was going to be a toll road, and not cost DOT (or whoever) anything (except for the part of Branan Chaffee already built) - tolls would cover all the costs - otherwise it won't be built.  Did I miss something?  Now, from a sprawl perspective ... you are probably right about the outer beltway.

tolls pay for the construction and maintenance....but FDOT has already spent millions studying the concept on the southside....and there is a renewed push for study of the northern leg....that would be taxpayer $

[thelakelander]

What would be the logical reason for the construction of the northern leg?  I-295, between I-10 and I-95 is the least traveled interstate segment in Jacksonville.  Outside of opening cheap land to sprawl development, I can't think of one reason the road is needed.

[reednavy]

I-10 needs to be wdened to 6 lanes from 295 to U.S. 301 about 5 years ago! And I wasn't even ehre before 2006 !, I'm just sayin.

I still want to know the dumbass that approved the Marietta "interchanges"!

Lastly, thank God I won't be here for the redoing of the Hendricks Ave I-95 bridge, that is going to be nasty. Plus, I like hearing the click-clack sound.

[Charles Hunter]

Who pays for the roads that may have to be widened or extended to connect with the Outer Beltway?

Good point.

What would be the logical reason for the construction of the northern leg?  I-295, between I-10 and I-95 is the least traveled interstate segment in Jacksonville.  Outside of opening cheap land to sprawl development, I can't think of one reason the road is needed.

We have a winnah!