Update on Outer Beltway

[urbanlibertarian]

From TU:

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-02-19/story/northeast_florida_residents_getting_update_on_first_coast_outer_beltway

If everything goes according to plan, the First Coast Outer Beltway from Interstate 10 in Duval County to Interstate 95 in St. Johns County could be built and open to the public sometime in 2015.

That’s the best-case scenario that assumes a private contractor will want to build it, gets it done on time and the project doesn’t get bogged down in permitting issues.

Considering the state wants a private contractor to spend at least $1.8 billion of its own money to build and maintain the toll road and that the St. Johns Water Management District has several concerns about the project, delays seem likely.

In the next two weeks, people will get a chance to look at the Outer Beltway plans when the Florida Department of Transportation holds four public meetings in Clay, Duval and St. Johns counties to discuss the project and seek public comment.

Cecil Commerce Parkway, Branan Field Road and Baxley Road will be part of the Beltway when it’s finished. But Project Manager Brandi Vittur said there are multiple alternatives for how the roadway could be built. All will be shown and discussed during the public meetings.

The Transportation Department says the road could end at I-95 between County Road 210 and International Golf Parkway. But it is also considering ending it at the future Florida 9B, which is farther north on I-95.

The state has planned to build a new, 65-foot bridge near the existing Shands Bridge south of Green Cove Springs because the existing bridge is too low. But it hasn’t ruled out building the beltway’s bridge north of Green Cove Springs.

Because of concerns about damaging the Bayard Point Conservation area, the Transportation Department has come up with several ways the road could run west of the St. Johns River. The plan is being examined by staff from the St. Johns Water Management District, which must grant a permit to the project before it proceeds, spokeswoman Teresa Monson said.

Clay Commissioner Doug Conkey said he expects the road to be built south of Green Cove Springs and connect to I-95 between County Road 210 and International Golf Parkway. The Clay and St. Johns county commissions have both said they prefer that be the option.

Getting the beltway built is essential to creating economic development in Clay County, and it will also help ease congestion on other roads like Blanding Boulevard, Conkey said.

After the public meetings, the Transportation Department will study whether it’s feasible for a private contractor to build the Outer Beltway and make a profit by operating it as a toll road over the next 40 to 50 years. The state doesn’t have the money to build the road and wants to hire a private firm to build and maintain it while charging a yet-to-be-determined toll to recoup its investment.

If it’s determined money can be made in the deal, the Transportation Department will go forward. The study should be complete by this summer, Project Manager Jim Knight said.

Officials also will likely face questions on why the road needs to be tolled. At several previous meeting Clay residents criticized the plan to toll the road.

Middleburg resident Joseph Demers said he would probably attend one of the meetings.

“We definitely need this road but I don’t want to have to pay a toll to go to the grocery store,” he said, while adding that he hoped to learn more about how the tolling would work.



larry.hannan@jacksonville.com,

[urbanlibertarian]

Also from TU:

The public meeting times are:

Monday, Feb. 22

World Golf Village Renaissance Resort

500 S. Legacy Trail

St. Augustine

Doors open: 3 p.m.

Presentation: 4:30 p.m. with a repeat at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 25

St. Johns Community College

Thrasher Horne Conference Center

283 College Drive

Orange Park

Doors open: 3 p.m.

Presentation: 4:30 p.m. with a repeat at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, March 2

Clay County Fairgrounds

2496 W. Florida 16

Green Cove Springs

Doors open: 3 p.m.

Presentation: 4:30 p.m. with a repeat at 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 4

Cecil Conference Center

12541 Lake Newman St.

Jacksonville

Doors open: 4:30 p.m.

Presentation: 6:30 p.m.

Florida Department of Transportation

[thelakelander]

Interesting.  So the opportunity exists to outright kill this project or at least get the river crossing moved north.

[CS Foltz]

No funding..........no building! Private contractor would be stupid to operate under those conditions IMHO!

[Charles Hunter]

If the contractor/investor folks think they can get a positive return on their investment, they will bid on it; if they read the economics the other way, they won't, and there will be no FCOB in the near future.

[Miss Fixit]

No funding..........no building! Private contractor would be stupid to operate under those conditions IMHO!

The private contractor would be collecting tolls in an amount that would repay its cost of construction plus provide a profit.  Several studies have been completed that suggest traffic on the new beltway would be sufficient to amortize the debt and yield a decent return on investment.

[jandar]

Interesting.  So the opportunity exists to outright kill this project or at least get the river crossing moved north.

This is very important.
I will try to attend the Thrasher Horne meeting. Im for the outer beltway with the caveat that the bridge be north of Green Cove Springs. Otherwise, the traffic from Middleburg, Fleming Island, and Orange Park will still just head north on Blanding and 17 and not use this new bridge.

The only thing the bridge does is open new areas to development and doesn't help current traffic/residents.

I've been in email contact with Doug Conkey over a few other things. I will try to pick his brain as to why they insist that south of Green Cove Springs is the better option.

[tufsu1]

Interesting.  So the opportunity exists to outright kill this project or at least get the river crossing moved north.

maybe....there are 2 separate PD&E studies...one is for the River Corssing (SR 21 - I-95) and the other is for the BFC corridor (I-10 to SR 21)....also remember that even if the Outer Beltway gets killed, the Shands Bridge will need to be replaced soon.

[thelakelander]

Except there is a huge difference in replacing the Shands Bridge vs spending over a billion to destroy miles and miles of undeveloped land in the name of hoping for economic development.  I hate to say it, but Clay will probably always be a bedroom community to Jacksonville.  A tollroad isn't going to change that.

[tufsu1]

agreed Lake...which is exactly why FDOT seprated the road into 2 different studies....from what I can tell, approval of the PD&E study would allow a portion (meaning bridge replacement) can be built without the rest of the beltway.

[Ocklawaha]

Perhaps the best crossing would be in the area of Hibernia to Switzerland, as this is the narrowest part of the river for many miles either way making the bridge with approaches about 3 miles long.

This routing would directly link Flemming Island, Middleburg, Magnolia Springs, Hibernia, with Switzerland and Bayard. It also features much of the approaching roadways are already 4 lanes wide for much of their distance. It would have the effect of giving the many resident's of rural St. Johns, between the Shand's bridge and Julington Creek, direct access to the larger shopping area's in Clay County.

FROM SR 21 South of Orange Park to I-95 in the Bayard area:
SR 21 to SR 220 B to SR 220 to Old Hard Road to Town Center BL to Flemming Plantation BL to (cross US 17) Hibernia Road to Old Church Road and "VIA THE UNCLE TOM BRIDGE"(*note) across the St. Johns River to Greenbriar RD to SR 210 Road to I-95

*note: The author of the famous book "Uncle Tom's Cabin" lived near the eastern end of the proposed bridge where she no doubt observed the Beluthahatchee and New Switzerland Plantations.


The Shand's bridge should be rebuilt to 4 lanes with emergency lanes, and BOTH bridges should be designed with a large WALKING - BIKE - Fishing lane all the way across. The highway at the Shand's should be left exactly where it is today with the addition of the extra lanes, on in the area of the former NAS LEE FIELD, NS GREEN COVE SPRINGS, all that needs to be done is emergency lanes, shoulder and cosmetic work.


OCKLAWAHA