Bus-only traffic lanes coming to downtown Jacksonville

[urbanjacksonville]

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-12-18/story/bus_only_traffic_lanes_coming_to_downtown_jacksonville

Bus-only lanes similar to those now on Blanding Boulevard between Morse Avenue and 103rd Street will soon be coming to downtown Jacksonville.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority is moving forward with plans to install bus-only lanes on downtown roads for $12 million. The project is the first phase of a long-term plan that is designed to create bus-only lanes throughout Jacksonville.

JTA expects to advertise for a design contractor in January, hire a contractor a few months later and get the lanes open around the summer of 2011, said Neil Nance, JTA design project manager.

Bus-only lanes will be installed on portions of Jefferson, Broad, Forsyth and Bay streets on the northside of the Acosta Bridge and on parts of Prudential Drive, Riverplace Boulevard and Kings Avenue on the southside.

The idea is to make it easier for buses to travel around the congested downtown area.

[Captain Zissou]

Ridiculous.

[tufsu1]

This is for the the BRT....and only includes the north-south route on the edge of downtown.  I think this can actually be a good project.

[samiam]

Why are they pushing BRT on us. Doesn't JTA research Rail verses bus. Rail = development Bus = blight. Could it be that Gate has something to do with this. Do they own land that the BRT is going to be built on or is it that Gate supplies the fuel for the city's buses

[copperfiend]

"congested downtown area"?

[thelakelander]

This is for the the BRT....and only includes the north-south route on the edge of downtown.  I think this can actually be a good project.

Do you know if this project will include adding bike lanes to these streets or has Jax not embraced the concept of multi-modal connectivity?

[thelakelander]

This will be a good opportunity to rebuild and improve the walkability and visual attractiveness of these streets.

"congested downtown area"?

I believe this will eliminate all the buses making the crazy time consuming loops in the heart of downtown.  The only real negative of the BRT phase is that it will render the skyway useless on the Southbank, since it parallels it 100%.  Looking back, we successfully kept JTA from screwing up the central CBD but we did not prevail in stopping them from duplicating the skyway and forcing it to compete for limited transit riders.

[Lunican]

Speaking of bike lanes, with the work they just did on Bay St. you would think they could have added them. A lot of people ride to the stadium and the bike taxis are forced to ride on the sidewalk.

[tufsu1]

This is for the the BRT....and only includes the north-south route on the edge of downtown.  I think this can actually be a good project.

Do you know if this project will include adding bike lanes to these streets or has Jax not embraced the concept of multi-modal connectivity?

good question...probably not....as I understand it, these lanes would only have "diamonds" during pek hours.

and right now we're working on a project in another city where bikes and buses will share a dedicated lane....and agency engineers have expressed concerns.

[thelakelander]

Considering the amount of cyclist that use San Jose and the presence of bike lanes on Hendricks, adding them as apart of the BRT remake of streets through downtown, this would be a great opportunity to actually create a "connected" bike network that crosses the river, connecting the Southside to neighborhoods north of DT.  Unfortunately, sometime in my heart tells me this won't happen.

[Dapperdan]

Speaking of bike lanes, with the work they just did on Bay St. you would think they could have added them. A lot of people ride to the stadium and the bike taxis are forced to ride on the sidewalk.

How has the reworking of Bay St been before and after the football games? Did it help at all?

[thelakelander]

Doesn't look like its did much other than bringing visual blight to Bay Street.

[Lunican]

The cops still block the streets, set up cones, and fiddle with the lights at every intersection, so no money saved there.

[thelakelander]

I answered my own question.  It does not appear that bike lanes will be a part of this project or the transportation center. 



If its not too late, they should be strongly considered.

[urbanlibertarian]

Since Sulzbacher is now handing out bike to homeless, maybe we can get federal money for bike lanes as a homeless safety issue.