Anybody know what's going on with Baymeadows Road between Philips Hwy and I-95? Is this a road resurfacing project?
(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/608139991_boEA3-M.jpg)
yes...just a resurfacing
although there are plans in the works to widen the road from I-95 east to Southside....apparently, the City has started approaching property owners about donating ROW
Are they installing a center left turn lane or rebuilding the median?
Not quite sure...I know there is some landscaping work as part of the resurfacing, so they may be rebuilding the median.
The City recently completed a subarea traffic study for the Baymeadows area, which includes recommendations for access management (limiting driveways and median openings) as well as some new roadway connections and widening of Baymeadows to 6 lanes.
I remember learning to drive on Baymeadows when it was mostly a two lane drive through the woods. Nary a car in sight. Aaaah... the good ol' days.
Here are details on the Baymeadows Area Transportation Study Alternatives http://www.baymeadowsproject.com/html_pages/documents.html (http://www.baymeadowsproject.com/html_pages/documents.html)
The final Public Meeting is Thursday, Aug. 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at FCCJ Deerwood. Please come if you live, work, shop or commute in this area!
The repaving project was worked out among the Better Baymeadows group, FDOT and COJ a couple of years ago. I have the old plans somewhere but I'm guessing they've evolved over time and with budget constraints.
Quote from: mvp on August 02, 2009, 09:03:14 PM
Here are details on the Baymeadows Area Transportation Study Alternatives http://www.baymeadowsproject.com/html_pages/documents.html (http://www.baymeadowsproject.com/html_pages/documents.html)
Mvp, I just looked over the web site you linked to. These all look like great "alternatives" for improving area traffic flow. Are they planning to do only one of these, all of them, or something in-between? What is the timetable for construction?
The Baymeadows Road rebuild looks like the future prototype for many major Jax roads. I have seen these changes, such as driveway closures, median extensions with turn lanes eliminated, and forced u-turns at traffic lights common on cogested roads in major cities elsewhere. I assume as our roads do the same, this will become more common here. Residents and commercial interests everywhere should study this alternative carefully because it's likely coming to a road near you soon or later.If they did the Baymeadows rebuild, it appears they would have to get property owners to link their parking lots together in places non-existent now or they won't have any access to Baymeadows. Who implements this and pays for it? How is it legally enforced? Do property owners make ROW agreements with each other under state or city supervision?
I like the alternatives. Especially, the Sunbeam extension, the new east-west road, Salisbury Extension and the Southside interchange expansion. I believe they should all be done over time to help diffuse and spread out traffic flow.
I also believe that zoning changes should go along with these alternatives. Number one of the zoning list would be to require reduced front building setbacks along these corridors, thus forcing surface parking to the rear.
Although this area of town is suburban, Baymeadows can become walkable over time by making sure properties properly interact with the sidewalks.
The Salisbury extension will be no different than the Western Way traffic now, it is an expressway along there with people reaching 60-70 mph. People use it as a cut-through now from 95 to SS.
The start of the 3-lane road on Salisbury should be down further where there is no development, not in front of the church.
I'm one of those people who use Western Way as an alternative to Baymeadows and Southside. Its a blessing to have parallel roads to travel on instead of being forced into major congested corridors to get from point A to point B. Grids work. The way I see it, the more cut-throughs, the better. Because the more people using them, the less congested Baymeadows, Southside, Philips and I-95 will be.
If you enjoy cut-throughs, get ready for round-a-bouts. People cannot drive on them like expressways and cops can't sit along them all day and write tickets either. Solution, simple round-a-bouts, to slow down drivers.
I looked at those, too, and the Sunbeam extension looks good. But doesn't it go across the wetlands that stopped Freedom Commerce Center? Getting permits for that road might be tricky.
Thanks for the link mvp.
Quote from: mtraininjax on August 03, 2009, 01:40:07 AM
If you enjoy cut-throughs, get ready for round-a-bouts. People cannot drive on them like expressways and cops can't sit along them all day and write tickets either. Solution, simple round-a-bouts, to slow down drivers.
Round-a-bouts, speed bumps, etc. don't bother me. Not moving in gridlock because there are no alternative routes does.
From what I understand the Baymeadows widening, Salisbury extension, and Southside interchange ramps will be carried forward....the rest will likely drop out for one reason or another.
BTW....these three projects show up on the Envision 2035 list of Needs Plan projects....I believe MVP posted a link to that information on another thread.
Hahaha, I heard about the Western Way cut through from a friend so I tried to blindly use it one day. I ended up lost in an office park and discovered a Mercedes and Siemens office and a giant lake. Eventually I found my way, but it proved to be no short cut.
Every proposal discribed looks great. I'd even go so far as to combine the Cypress Plaza alternative with the Baymeadows Way alternative on the west side of I95 and a single highway crossing.
I really hope that the city does not allow the development of the wetlands that the proposed extension would cut though.
Why aren't these under construction yet!?
^ Jason, after seeing the proposed alternatives, I was thinking the same thing. The Salisbury extension and the new East/West road pass through what are currently undeveloped forest.
I was wondering if anyone was concerned that creating access to these undeveloped areas would add to the sprawl of the Southside?
That undeveloped area is pretty swampy and key to the drainage of that area. Developing it would be extremely stupid, IMO.
Quote from: Jason on August 03, 2009, 10:01:31 AM
Why aren't these under construction yet!?
umm....could it be lack of funding?
Or, even if the money was there, you'd still have to complete environmental studies, design, permitting, and ROW acquisition....so at best, we're likely talking 5-10 years down the road.
We all just want another river crossing. Come on, admit it.
I'm all for the Sunbeam extension as well.
tufsu, My comment was simply a shout for commencement. I understand that we're just in the planning stages.
"Let's get it done, yesterday!"
Quote from: reednavy on August 03, 2009, 11:43:54 AM
We all just want another river crossing. Come on, admit it.
University Blvd. to Timuquana/103rd. That idea has faded away and is unlikely to reappear for several generations, if ever.
The perfect storm would have been to extend JTB to San Jose, as originally planned, and continue it over the River. That plane will never fly either.
Maybe one day they'll find a way to tunnel deep enough or in a manner that doesn't disturb the existing development. IMO, a tunnel would be ideal if ever possible/cost effective.
Edit: After looking at the map, that would take one LONG tunnel to connect the roads.
I just don't think you could get permits to extend Sunbeam across the wetlands between Philips Hwy. and I-95. After all, the Freedom Commerce Center developers could not. And how is the Salisbury extension through "undeveloped forest"? From the linked plans, it looks like it would be right up against I-95 on one side. Looks like some interesting ideas ... now, does anyone have any money for them?
Quote from: Charles Hunter on August 03, 2009, 09:06:33 PM
I just don't think you could get permits to extend Sunbeam across the wetlands between Philips Hwy. and I-95. After all, the Freedom Commerce Center developers could not.
I recall that Freedom Commerce wanted to actually convert uplands elsewhere to swamp so they could fill in the swamp within their center and develop it. Their aim was to build buildings and parking lots. An elevated road over a swamp may not have the same impact.
Probably wouldn't matter because if they want to build a road in North Florida, they do it, environment be damned. You should see what the Nocatee Parkway and the new Palm Valley bridge did to a really special and beautiful area at one time. And, they are hell bent on building the Outer Beltway (see MJ thread at http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,4269.0.html ) which may traverse the extensive wetlands of Black Creek.
Point to stjr!
Don't forget to mention the bridge between UNF Dr/Town Center Pkwy and Beach Blvd is over wetlands.
QuoteThat undeveloped area is pretty swampy and key to the drainage of that area. Developing it would be extremely stupid, IMO.
Let's create another Deercreek and just cover all the termites in the decaying wood, so that they will have new growth in timber in the new houses....yep, that's our Builders' thinking. The area south of the church is the downsteam area for the Pottsburg Creek, or the creek that you cross on JTB between Belfort and Southside.
Road improvements in Baymeadows moving forwardfull article: http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-08-19/story/road_improvements_in_baymeadows_moving_forward
QuoteArcadis is recommending the city widen Baymeadows Road to six lanes from Philips Highway to Southside Boulevard. Salisbury Road would also be extended south to connect with Baymeadows, and northbound ramps to Interstate 95 would be built near the end point of Southside Boulevard.
There are already ramps to I-95 southbound from Southside, but to go north drivers need to head west on Baymeadows or South to Philips Highway.
Arcadis is also recommending that an east-west road be built that begins at Southside Boulevard and ends at either Cypress Plaza or Baymeadows Way. This appears to be the most problematic part of the plan.
The headline about the projects "moving forward" is a little misleading, when you read the article (so what else is new at the TU?) - the proposals are going to be presented to the public. It doesn't look like anybody has any money to actually build any of these projects - even though they do make sense.
I have reservations about anything that FDOT has a finger in since haveing seen first hand some of their project. Old access to Deerwood used to be short drive, now its 5 miles out and back again. The only thing that it enhanced was the DR Horton community. Local area residents were short changed once again!