Downtown's New Gateway: The Big "I"
(http://www.metrojacksonville.com/photos/thumbs/lrg-5450-webgraphics2-lg.jpg)
A look at Jacksonville's Big I . The I-95 / I-10 interchange reconstruction project.
Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/838
Wow you mean there's still more room for making this a bigger clusterf*ck? :o
The Forest street entrance is great. This is a much needed infrastructure improvement. They seem to be doing a great job.
This is a much needed upgrade for an interchange between two major interstates. In addition it should aid access to downtown and riverside areas. I think I read somewhere that they are under budget and ahead of schedule...
Isn't Superior Construction the GC on this project? If so, its very understandable that they are under budget and ahead of schedule. The built the I295/I95/9A interchange well ahead of schedule and budget and are on track to do the same with the JTB/9A interchange as well.
The contruction company is Archer Western. It will be nice when this is complete. New and improved access to Downtown and Riverside will be nice.
Thanks FSUJax.
Quote from: JeffreyS on July 10, 2008, 08:47:44 AM
The Forest street entrance is great. This is a much needed infrastructure improvement. They seem to be doing a great job.
Be on the lookout for the Jacksonville Sasquatch on Forest Street!
http://www.jacksonvilleconfidential.com/2008/03/jacksonville-sasquatch-sighting.html
hahahaha. She is the same bum who haunts the intersection of Bay and Jefferson and the I-95 exit at Park Street many nights. I really like her approach too. It consists of silently approaching vehicles and slowly and maniacally waving her arms. She is like the zombie beggar. Of course, it doesnt work on me but amazingly a lot of people give her cash.
The pan handler has been around forever - she usually preys on elderly drivers - I used to feel sorry for her until I saw here for the second or third time shopping & buying nice stuff at regency square.
NO WAY! more detail please, what was she buying?
Minor techie correction...
When the Expressway was built up through the 1970's the Interstate NEVER CROSSED the FEC railroad yard, it DID however cross the massive funnel of the JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL COMPANY RAILROAD and the lead tracks of the ATLANTIC AND EAST COAST TERMINAL RAILROAD. The Terminal was owned by the Florida East Coast, Atlantic Coast Line, Georgia Southern and Florida - Southern Railway, and the Seaboard Airline Railway.
The Atlantic and East Coast Terminal served the freight station and hooker district of Houston Street. It was tiny and the old bridge abutments can still be seen on the side of Bay street just East of the I95 embankments. It was of course owned by the Atlantic Coast Line and Florida East Coast.
This seems minor, I even call it minor, but in talking with industry or State/Federal officials it's always important to remind them, Amtrak, etc... that JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL was the largest passenger Terminal in the United States South of Washington DC, and at one time the busiest station in the world. Also our Railway express station where JTA now sits, was THE LARGEST express terminal in the WORLD. NEVER UNDER SELL our importance to a future Amtrak switching move, a train split in Jacksonville = 3 trains to us... One north, two South! VERY IMPORTANT.
It's never going to be the Prime Osbourne, or Transportation Center in my correspondence, it shall always remain JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL... and for good reason.
Ocklawaha
I love this project :D! Lots of other cities have enormous interchanges with multiple lanes. ATL has one, LA has one, now we will soon have one! Atlanta has about 14 to 16 lanes in their downtown connector (the 75/85). That "Big 'I'" project here may have at least a total of 14 lanes in some parts (it's just a guess). 8)
Here is a small rendering that might show enough detail to count lanes.
(http://www.thebigi.info/images/proposed_rendering_look.gif)
Quote from: Ocklawaha on July 10, 2008, 09:32:27 PM
Minor techie correction...
When the Expressway was built up through the 1970's the Interstate NEVER CROSSED the FEC railroad yard, it DID however cross the massive funnel of the JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL COMPANY RAILROAD and the lead tracks of the ATLANTIC AND EAST COAST TERMINAL RAILROAD. The Terminal was owned by the Florida East Coast, Atlantic Coast Line, Georgia Southern and Florida - Southern Railway, and the Seaboard Airline Railway.
Ocklawaha
Good catch Ock. I'll correct it here, but you may want to send an email to these guys:
http://www.thebigi.info/project_history.htm
QuoteQUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
Contact us about the I-10/I-95 Interchange project by sending an E-mail to: michael.goldman @ dot.state.fl.us or calling Mike Goldman at the FDOT Construction Public Information Office at: (904) 360-5457.
Wow; this is going to be more complex and much larger than anything I remember that this interchange was or now is.......I hope that they have appropriate signage where needed in order to not make it a cluster ****.
Heights Unknown
Quote from: jacksonvilleconfidential on July 10, 2008, 09:32:55 AM
Quote from: JeffreyS on July 10, 2008, 08:47:44 AM
The Forest street entrance is great. This is a much needed infrastructure improvement. They seem to be doing a great job.
Be on the lookout for the Jacksonville Sasquatch on Forest Street!
http://www.jacksonvilleconfidential.com/2008/03/jacksonville-sasquatch-sighting.html
Wow thats great...The lady has a code name?? I used to see her downtown and Brooklyn all the time. What's her real name?
Coolyfett her REAL name is Shirley Green. You should see her arrest record....
Just drove the newly opened flyover connecting I-95-N to I-10-W... Impressive and smooth. Will mess people up for awhile because the exit is to the right instead of the left... Enjoy!
Quote from: BridgeTroll on August 16, 2008, 11:36:35 AM
Just drove the newly opened flyover connecting I-95-N to I-10-W... Impressive and smooth. Will mess people up for awhile because the exit is to the right instead of the left... Enjoy!
Thanks for the heads up. I'm in town briefly and was just about to head out that way!
QuoteJacksonville Sasquatch on Forest Street
Is that intended as a racist slur? Lighten up people, I once lived in Fresno, and Sasquatch lived in the commune in Dunlap. He was a regular around there until Santa Claus's old lady left him, howling in the forest one night. Cheech Martin, used to come up and smoke some boo with him. All I know is Sasquatch had a lot of money, and none of the other freaks did... he had a fancy apartment in Portland too, but the only thing in it besides a bare - top of the line matress, gormet cooking supplies, and a fully stocked fridge, was 241 cats.
No litter box, Sasquatch had long since burned the senses out of his nose, and figured why waste the money on cat litter.
(Old Hippie lore Number 420)OCKLAWAHA
Quote from: ProjectMaximus on August 17, 2008, 07:01:55 PM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on August 16, 2008, 11:36:35 AM
Just drove the newly opened flyover connecting I-95-N to I-10-W... Impressive and smooth. Will mess people up for awhile because the exit is to the right instead of the left... Enjoy!
Thanks for the heads up. I'm in town briefly and was just about to head out that way!
They should give me a helicopter and a radio... Jacksonville "traffic" reports are the worst...
I get to drive over the new ramp tonight! I am very excited. However, I would rather be a passenger. It will be tough to enjoy the view at 70 miles an hour.
The ramp is great, nice view of downtown looking back over your shoulder. However, it will be confusing for a while. When the lanes for I-10 veer off it's about 200' before the I-95N sign comes up. I feel travelers going I-95N will probably end up taking the I-10W ramp if they aren't paying close attention.
The Big "I" is starting to take shape with that new flyover from 95 north the I-10 west and the old flyover is coming down peace by peace :D. It's great to see more and more things happening every week on that merger. How 'bout some new updated photos of the project?
Quote from: BridgeTroll on August 16, 2008, 11:36:35 AM
Just drove the newly opened flyover connecting I-95-N to I-10-W... Impressive and smooth. Will mess people up for awhile because the exit is to the right instead of the left... Enjoy!
Some of us are already getting use to it. I once told my pastor of my church about that new flyover. It was about 75 ft. above the ground and you can see almost everything.
Yes great views from up there. I have already been caugth going the wrong way, its a little confusing after all these years. :-[
Quote from: Captain Zissou on August 18, 2008, 10:31:14 AM
I get to drive over the new ramp tonight! I am very excited. However, I would rather be a passenger. It will be tough to enjoy the view at 70 miles an hour.
Yikes, the SL is 35 on the ramp, i hope you didnt die going 70.
Quote from: heights unknown on July 12, 2008, 12:22:30 AM
Wow; this is going to be more complex and much larger than anything I remember that this interchange was or now is.......I hope that they have appropriate signage where needed in order to not make it a cluster ****.
Heights Unknown
in the same vein:
native. live in Riverside.
obvious problems with the signage.
given that 2 of the only 3 north-south routes between Clay and Duval are relevant to DT [obviously west of the river] US17/RooseveltBv and SR21/BlandingBv [the 3rd-FCOB unfinished, not near the core] both carry enough vehicles to warrant signage in advance in each direction of aproach.
IF FSCJ belongs on an interstate sign - so does BLANDING BLVD.
Similarly, driving north 95 from JTButler, UniversityBV, Emerson area, if you are nonlocal, seeking DT, Federal Courthouse etc you are given {almost hidden, last minute} 1/4 mi notice of Forsyth, Monroe exits - which remain a mystery until after you pass the Stockton&10west split and flyover @ PS4 with no connection to or mention of Forest or that Myrtle puts you in the same area.
the road deck permits expressway speeds.
the signage is crippled with problems of positioning coupled with evident lack of thought given to nonlocal motorists destinations.
traveling i95Northbound, after O'Steen Volvo, before reaching the Acosta split, overhead panels stretching the width of the entire span should give down arrows marking which lane places you corectly and again, the signage at the Nemours/Wolfson ppl bridge - though some folks may deem such repetition the epitome of redundancy:
from L-R _ non locals need better direction. it isnot easy to give directions to folks who do not have a NAV system.
// 95N DOWNTOWN BYPASS JIA+MLK+Shands+Veterans center+8thSt Springfield//
// Federal Buildings+JaxRailTerminal+Forsyth+Myrtle+Monroe+Union+Shands+8thSt //
// westside+I10+St.Vincents+Stockton+US17RooseveltBv, BlandingBv, OP+Cecil //
// ParkSt+5points+RailTerminal+Northbank Riverwalk+Riverside //
// SouthbankRiverwalk+Baptist+SanMarco //
// Acosta and Main St bridges+Sports complex+Springfield.
Alot to read? yes. perhaps. but the upper speed limit within this project is 45mph.
possible vehicular movements alone neccessitate caution in the form of maintaining following distances and simply realizing that tailgating does not save time.