Nocatee: The New Southside

[Metro Jacksonville]

Nocatee: The New Southside



Nocatee, a community who's name means peaceful river, is well on its way to becoming the First Coast's new Southside.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/692

[Jason]

I passed through a couple weeks ago and was amazed at how much had been completed since I was last through there 6 months ago. 

[copperfiend]

Jason, I know you mentioned this with Fleming Island yesterday, but doesn't Nocatee also have rail potential?

[thelakelander]

The intersection of US 1 and Palm Valley Road/CR 210 would be the perfect location for a Park n Ride commuter rail station.  A location there would provide direct access to Nocatee residents.

[Jason]

Eventually a BRT or LRT spur could easily extend from there both east and west to better serve Nocatee and the rest of the exploding 210 corridor.

[Jason]

Nocatee essentially encompasses everything along the Palm Valley Rd corridor between the intracoastal and US1.  You can see the construction of the new Nocatee Parkway in the image.  Some of this development will fall in Duval but the majority will be in St. Johns.  The Duval County line is marked by cleared lines that meet at the "210" marker just below the "Florida   St. Johns" label.  This image is about two years or so old and by comparing this to the photos above you'll see how much has been done.

The old Palm Valley road corridor would be a great route for some sort of transit spur into Nocatee.

[stephenc]

What a great idea to build a expressway before the area was fully developed.  If I understand it correctly that is the same plan for Oakleaf. That's going to be a task since the area is already developed and has major conjestion.

[Charleston native]

Wow, after looking at the pictures, I continue to see that you guys in the state of Florida know how to build roads and communities. Up here in SC, many expressways and roads are built half-ass, without a lot of attention to detail. Nocatee is looking beautiful...I may want to check that area out if I ever get a job down there.

[Lunican]

It's funny they had the nerve to name a road 'Preservation Trail'.

[zoo]

I must be a true urbanite. Looking at that awful "stucco yucko" architecture (single- and multi-family) -- who cares if it's got a fancy entry gate -- makes me want to gag.

[thelakelander]

Its definately not my cup of tea.  But one man's trash is another man's treasure.

[Steve]

Looking at the image above, who picked the route of the expressway?

[Ocklawaha]

Have they done ANYTHING different?

Does the town center have a streetcar like the unique ones in California?

Does the sidewalk system and trails, cross the road at cross-walks, or use over and underpasses such as they have in Maryland?

Are the wildlife preserves connected by wildlife corridors, that pass UNDER the roads?

For all the talk of paddle trips on the creeks, is there a single canoe center, landing and park planned?

Will the lakes connect with a chain of man-made creeks or canals?

Is there a place for Fly-in Residents to have a landing field with pull ups or hangers behind the homes?

For all of their transportation and freeway planning, was a single right-of-way set aside or graded for Rail or BRT transit?

Is there a single bus stop, shelter, station and pull-out?

Just wondering...

Ocklawaha

[thelakelander]

Have they done ANYTHING different?

Does the town center have a streetcar like the unique ones in California?

No. No streetcar system is planned.  In fact, the town center will probably be closer to Oakleaf Town Center's layout than Celebration's (Disney's attempt at New Urbanism).

Does the sidewalk system and trails, cross the road at cross-walks, or use over and underpasses such as they have in Maryland?

Yes, the sidewalk system has crosswalks at major intersections.

Are the wildlife preserves connected by wildlife corridors, that pass UNDER the roads?

No.

For all the talk of paddle trips on the creeks, is there a single canoe center, landing and park planned?

There's a park planned, but canoeing won't be one of the amenities.

Will the lakes connect with a chain of man-made creeks or canals?

No.

Is there a place for Fly-in Residents to have a landing field with pull ups or hangers behind the homes?

No.

For all of their transportation and freeway planning, was a single right-of-way set aside or graded for Rail or BRT transit?

No.

Is there a single bus stop, shelter, station and pull-out?

No.

[Charleston native]

Regardless of the characteristics that you guys don't like, it sure beats many projects that are built up here in SC, particularly with infrastructure. In some areas in SC, you would think you're in a Third World country.