Senate Considering $10B for Highway Removal

[marcuscnelson]

It's funny, I've been so shocked at the rampant highway building that already exists around here, and is still continuing, and yet it's still strange to hear that they wanted to build even more.

And then they wondered why Downtown was doing so poorly.

[jaxlongtimer]

It appears quite a few proposed for Jax were canceled as well. At one time the Matthews was proposed to go straight down State & Union to connect to I-95. The Hart Bridge Expressway abruptly ends at Beach Boulevard because the rest of it was canceled due to community opposition. Same goes for a bridge that would have connected JTB with 103rd Street. Riverside stopped one as well. Communities with political influence were able to get these projects stopped while the disenfranchised were paved over unfortunately.

There was once also talk of extending the end of University Blvd. W. across the river once as I recall, likely before JTB was conceived.  Looking at a map, that would have seemed to be more likely than extending JTB based on the neighborhoods that would be impacted and the length of the river crossing.  Short of crossing the river, JTB was at least proposed to extend to San Jose Blvd. but residents shot that down too.  It is kind of amazing that there ended up being no river crossings between the Fuller Warren and the Buckman Bridges.  That's a lot of miles in a now-developed area to not be able to cross.  But, glad it turned out that way as it maintains more neighborhoods.  Imagine the Buckman traffic whizzing through the Lakewood area.

[marcuscnelson]

I just remembered that they're still planning to expand I-95. Something like 13 lanes from the county line to Downtown. Is there any way to press the brakes on that, or is the momentum too much at this point to try?

[Charles Hunter]

I think the ship has sailed over the horizon.
The Transportation Improvement Program of the North Florida TPO http://northfloridatpo.com/planning/tip includes these projects

Construction (sometimes as "Design-Build" where the Design and Construction are under a single contract, instead of separate contracts) is funded from International Golf Parkway to the Overland Bridge (Atlantic Boulevard), with the earliest project starting in Fiscal Year 2021/22 (July 2021 thru June 2022) the piece between JTB and Atlantic Boulevard. Some projects also include funds to acquire Right-of-Way, which I have not included here.

Starting in St. Johns County:
International Golf Parkway to SR 23 (First Coast Expressway) $109M in FY22/23
First Coast Expressway to Duval County Line (SR 9B) $177M in FY24/25

Into Duval
County Line (SR 9B) to I-295 $131M in FY23/24
I-295 to Baymeadows $109M in FY24/25
Baymeadows to JTB $39M in FY25/26
JTB to Atlantic Blvd. $365M in FY21/22

Total Construction and Design-Build over the six years $930 Million

I don't know what the number of lanes will be, but the new lanes will not be tolled Express Lanes, they will be free general use lanes. The state policy (that is, the Governor) changed regarding toll and free lanes. But, without the buffers, and other reasons, the "footprint" should not be as wide with all free lanes. As I recall, all the right-of-way needed is for stormwater retention ponds.

[thelakelander]

Wow, time flies! I didn't realize that I-95 project between JTB and Atlantic was coming up so fast.

[tufsu1]

^ amazing considering how far some major projects are being pushed out in other parts of the state

[marcuscnelson]

A billion dollars. I can't believe it.

Imagine all the things you could spend a billion dollars on. The sheer level of transit connectivity you could build with a billion dollars. And we're going to spend it on more lanes on the interstate. And no one is going to blink an eye. Just... incredible.

[thelakelander]

Working on some stuff related to showing Color of Law examples in Jax. Our limited access highways are a great example. Somehow SJTC and random apartment complexes on I-295 are getting noise walls but we still don't have them in the most densely populated areas of the city that were sliced by I-95 and MLK Parkway 60 years ago. Anyone know why?

[Charles Hunter]

[Damn. Long post lost to errant keystroke. Will recreate and be back in a bit.]
Reader's Digest version - Federal rules didn't require sound walls back when I-95 and MLK were built. Now FDOT must consider them any time they build new, or expand existing, highways with adjacent residential land uses.

[thelakelander]

Figured that was likely it! That makes it a perfect Color of Law example. While the policies have changed, the most disenfranchised neighborhoods still get the short end of the stick since no funds are dedicated to retroactively fix the systemic discriminatory problems that led to a change in the federal rules in the first place. As such, the newer areas where White flight continues to shift still benefit at the expense of the areas that need help the most.

[Charles Hunter]

Back when I-95 and the MLK Parkway were built (the 1960s) Federal law did not require consideration of the noise (or many other) impacts on the adjacent landscape.  When the I-295 East Beltway and JTB were built, it was mostly through undeveloped land. I don't remember when the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) began to require sound walls, but even if the requirement were in place, there were no (or very few) residences to be impacted.  Now, to use FHWA funding, FDOT (or any other agency using Federal funds) must consider the noise impacts on nearby residential areas when constructing new, or expanding existing, highways.

From the FHWA website about Noise Barriers

What are Noise Barriers?
Noise barriers are solid obstructions built between the highway and the homes along a highway. They do not completely block all noise they only reduce overall noise levels. Effective noise barriers typically reduce noise levels by 5 to 10 decibels (dB), cutting the loudness of traffic noise by as much as one half. For example, a barrier which achieves a 10-dB reduction can reduce the sound level of a typical tractor trailer pass-by to that of an automobile.

Barriers can be formed from earth mounds or "berms" along the road, from high, vertical walls, or from a combination of earth berms and walls. Earth berms have a very natural appearance and are usually attractive. They also reduce noise by approximately 3 dB more than vertical walls of the same height. However, earth berms can require a lot of land to construct, especially if they are very tall. Walls require less space, but they are usually limited to eight meters (25 feet) in height for structural and aesthetic reasons.

When Are Noise Barriers Required?
Noise barriers are not always required at locations where an absolute threshold is met. There is no "number standard" which requires the construction of a noise barrier. Federal requirements for noise barriers may be found in Title 23 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Part 772, "Procedures for Abatement of Highway Traffic Noise and Construction Noise."

The Federal Highway Administration noise regulations apply only to projects where a State transportation department has requested Federal funding for participation in the improvements. The State transportation department must determine if there will be traffic noise impacts, when a project is proposed for (1) the construction of a highway on new location or (2) the reconstruction of an existing highway to either significantly change the horizontal or vertical alignment or increase the number of through-traffic lanes. If the State transportation department identifies potential impacts, it must implement abatement measures, possibly including the construction of noise barriers, where reasonable and feasible.

Federal law and Federal Highway Administration regulations do not require State transportation departments to build noise barriers along existing highways where no other highway improvements are planned. They may voluntarily do so, but they are solely responsible for making this decision.

Openings in noise barriers for driveway connections or intersecting streets destroy their effectiveness. In some areas, homes are scattered too far apart to permit noise barriers to be built at a reasonable cost. Noise barriers are normally most effective in reducing noise for areas that are within approximately 61meters (200 feet) of a highway (usually the first row of homes).
Source: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/noise_barriers/design_construction/keepdown.cfm

That link discusses other aspects of Noise Barriers, such as public acceptance.

So, because FDOT is widening I-295 and part of JTB for the Express Lanes project, and because there are residences now adjacent to both highways, and studies showed there would be an increase in noise that could be mitigated by sound walls, they are included as part of the highway expansion project.  I have not been by the site recently, but I doubt there are sound walls adjacent to the purely commercial parts of Town Center, as they are intended to protect residents. Sound walls can be built for commercial areas, but the thresholds for impact are higher.

When (if) FDOT ever expands I-95 or MLK, they will have to study whether the new lanes will increase the noise to the adjacent residents and if sound walls will mitigate that new noise. Note the last paragraph of the piece quoted above. Due to the frequent ramps along MLK (if it were expanded), a sound wall may not be effective due to all the "holes" it would have.  Of course, any hypothetical reconstruction could reduce the number of these on/off ramps.  Another factor that reduces the effectiveness and increases the cost of sound walls is when the highway is elevated.

In your last picture, I don't see where a wall could be built, due to how close both the local street and the lanes of MLK are to the fence (right-of-way) line.

[Charles Hunter]

To your point about retrofitting older facilities, you are right that it is seldom done, and that there are no funds dedicated specifically to such projects.  Sound walls are expensive, and their funding comes from the same pot of money used to build new, or expand existing, highways. 

Apparently, the last time the average cost of sound walls was calculated was around 2010, as that's the year most Google hits cite. At the time, the average cost of a typical 25 foot high sound wall was $32 per square foot.  Applying inflation (not construction inflation), that is about $38.60 per square foot.  Thus, each linear foot of sound wall is $960; so a sound wall 1,000 feet long would cost nearly one million dollars.

To expand on my point above about residential vs. commercial - as part of the same Express Lane project, FDOT agreed to build the sound walls first along I-295 between Gate Parkway and Baymeadows Road, to protect the residents there from construction noise. There was quite a bit of pressure from parents at the two Twin Lakes schools because "schools" are not covered under the same noise thresholds as residences, and FDOT wasn't going to (and didn't) continue the sound wall the quarter-mile or so to shield both schools.

[Peter Griffin]

Apparently, the last time the average cost of sound walls was calculated was around 2010, as that's the year most Google hits cite. At the time, the average cost of a typical 25 foot high sound wall was $32 per square foot.  Applying inflation (not construction inflation), that is about $38.60 per square foot.  Thus, each linear foot of sound wall is $960; so a sound wall 1,000 feet long would cost nearly one million dollars.

Current 12-month moving average for 14' noise walls (tallest standard noise wall in FDOT standards) is $480/LF, and that's only for the cost of the wall. Factor in labor, contingency, engineering, and adjacent reconstruction in order to meet new construction criteria, you've likely got a price similar to what you listed if not higher.

[thelakelander]

^The last picture just generally shows a negative quality of life issue for a residential community. People's backyards are literally the service drive with a billboard towering over their house and nothing to keep kids from wondering into the the path of fast moving auto traffic.

Excluding the three railroad overpasses, I think MLK would be a prime candidate for replacement of a limited access facility with more of an at-grade /complete streets oriented boulevard remake. With the service drives, it takes up a lot more space than necessary, while lacking sufficient bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and crossing opportunities.

To your point about retrofitting older facilities, you are right that it is seldom done, and that there are no funds dedicated specifically to such projects.  Sound walls are expensive, and their funding comes from the same pot of money used to build new, or expand existing, highways. 

Apparently, the last time the average cost of sound walls was calculated was around 2010, as that's the year most Google hits cite. At the time, the average cost of a typical 25 foot high sound wall was $32 per square foot.  Applying inflation (not construction inflation), that is about $38.60 per square foot.  Thus, each linear foot of sound wall is $960; so a sound wall 1,000 feet long would cost nearly one million dollars.

To expand on my point above about residential vs. commercial - as part of the same Express Lane project, FDOT agreed to build the sound walls first along I-295 between Gate Parkway and Baymeadows Road, to protect the residents there from construction noise. There was quite a bit of pressure from parents at the two Twin Lakes schools because "schools" are not covered under the same noise thresholds as residences, and FDOT wasn't going to (and didn't) continue the sound wall the quarter-mile or so to shield both schools.

Basically the reason a expressway got built through Moncrief and not Venetia. The never ending story of the power of political influence and the haves and have nots. Overall, a big systemic discriminatory problem that isn't resolved by simply changing policy. It's the acknowledgement that the damage has already been done and actually making it a priority to fix the problems in the areas that need it the most, no matter the cost...even if it means some other projects in newer areas can't be built. I guess that's what the $10 billion for highway removal would finally be attempting to do. Finally putting our money where our mouths are at from the federal level. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

As for SJTC, it is pretty crazy seeing a wall being built in front of Seasons 52, True Food Kitchen, The Capital Grille and the new Restoration Hardware store.  I know they have an apartment complex or two on either side of the town center but definitely a first for me.

[Charles Hunter]

I agree with you completely that we need to address problems caused by past discriminatory practices, even if it means "new" stuff is postponed or canceled.  About back-converting MLK, the railroad overpasses are an important consideration.  What is the truck traffic like along the section of MLK between I-95 and "the curve"?  FDOT spent a lot of money just a few years ago to rebuild that curve to make it easier for big rigs going to/from the Talleyrand Port; presumably because there is a lot of truck traffic.