Plan to widen I-95 through LaVilla proposed

[thelakelander]

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is in the process of developing plans to reconstruct Interstate 95 between Interstate 10 and the MLK Parkway Jr. Parkway. Potentially impacting and serving as an improved gateway to Downtown, LaVilla, the Rail Yard District, Durkeeville and Springfield, FDOT desires community feedback on the latest concepts. Take a look at the plan and let us know what you think.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/plan-to-widen-i-95-through-lavilla-proposed/

[WarDamJagFan]

The year was 2058, and road construction at the I-95 I-10 intersection was still well underway.

[Jagsdrew]

Definitely much needed as there are a lot of safety concerns.
Would love to see how they can make this more pedestrian friendly to create connectivity between two neighborhoods.

Also, really would like for the FDOT to take a strong look at making this corridor have a bit more aesthetic design.

We have an opportunity to showcase the beauty of downtown from this vantage point. The amount of effort put into DT Orlando I-4 project from the FDOT should be replicated in other major metro areas not just there because of tourism. 
Take a look at the viaduct and see if we can't add some lighting fixtures and highlight that bridge just like we do with every other bridge in DT.

[ralpho37]

I 100% agree with that. It's frustrating to drive through Orlando, Tampa and Miami and see beautiful landscaping and artistic sound walls imprinted with palm trees and seagulls, and then drive through Jax and see that they didn't even bother to finish painting the Atlantic Blvd flyover bridges...

[thelakelander]

^Orlando, Tampa and Miami are different FDOT Districts. Jax is FDOT District 2. They all go by the same rules, so perhaps some local lobbying is needed to up the ante in Northeast Florida.

[Charles Hunter]

^Orlando, Tampa and Miami are different FDOT Districts. Jax is FDOT District 2. They all go by the same rules, so perhaps some local lobbying is needed to up the ante in Northeast Florida.

FDOT District 2 seems to treat the "minimum design standards" as a stretch goal to achieve if it isn't too much trouble. Never as something to exceed.

[thelakelander]

So in other words, don't expect what FDOT is doing for Miami's Overtown under the I-395 project for LaVilla? Instead, the gulf between the haves and the have nots of Florida continues to expand:









http://www.i395-miami.com/project-rendering/

[jaxlongtimer]

^Orlando, Tampa and Miami are different FDOT Districts. Jax is FDOT District 2. They all go by the same rules, so perhaps some local lobbying is needed to up the ante in Northeast Florida.

FDOT District 2 seems to treat the "minimum design standards" as a stretch goal to achieve if it isn't too much trouble. Never as something to exceed.

I put much of the blame on the local City leadership.  You don't get if you don't ask and I don't see our City leaders asking for anything other than what feeds developers pockets.  By example, I suspect that, instead of upgrades, we got a $2 billion allocation to the Outer Beltway that developers led the charge for.  Or 9B to primarily benefit the Gate and Davis holdings.  In contrast, it was citizens who pushed for the bike/pedestrian connection over the river, not City leaders.

When is the last time you saw a public display of a Jax mayor or City Council rep egging on FDOT for something substantial other than more lanes, interchanges or expansions that lead to more urban sprawl (ironically, doing more to invigorate the surrounding counties that Duval).  One exception:  Tearing down the Hart Bridge ramps for some $30+ million for only Shad Khan.

I am sure FDOT professionals would love to showcase some projects here but with no political prodding, a mismanaged downtown and a prevailing head-in-the-sand point of view, why bother.

[thelakelander]

Since this highway ruined the neighborhoods it was forced through in 1960, locals should definitely push for something that better benefits LaVilla, New Town, Durkeeville, Sugar Hill, etc. Other than possibly getting noise walls finally, it doesn't seem that they are getting anything else. Looking closely, I don't even see marked crosswalks at the interchanges north of the railroad overpass. All those corridors are at least a C4 context classification. In D5 (Orlando), D4 (Ft. Lauderdale), D6 (Miami), D7 (Tampa) they'd have those crosswalks  ;-)

[bl8jaxnative]

No one should have to push for crosswalks and noise walls.





and in case that was too simple and straight forward, read it again.  No saything they should've push for them.  It just shouldn't be an issue in the first place.

[tufsu1]

^Orlando, Tampa and Miami are different FDOT Districts. Jax is FDOT District 2. They all go by the same rules, so perhaps some local lobbying is needed to up the ante in Northeast Florida.

The D2 Secretary was quoted one time saying "we don't do pretty"

[tufsu1]

I put much of the blame on the local City leadership.  You don't get if you don't ask

Correct - Tampa, Orlando, and Miami forced FDOT to make the aesthetic improvements. It also mattered that these projects needed to go through the federal NEPA process.

Jacksonville entered that foray with the Fuller Warren Bridge project, by requesting the bike path, better lighting, some aesthetic treatments, and noise walls. These "concessions" were necessary to gain general support in the Riverside community.