JTA Seeks $100 Million for JTB Interchange After Just Spending $14 Million

[thelakelander]

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-05-17/story/road-improvements-planned-butler-i-95-jacksonville

[Charles Hunter]

If I remember correctly, stjr, there were tolls all the way to the Beach - 50 cents. The St. Johns Bluff ramps were 10 cents - or maybe a quarter?  They all went away with the referendum in the late 1980s.

[CS Foltz]

Kids............I have to say it.............JTA could not plan ahead to find their butt in the shower! This is representative of the forward thinking and planning, not only of this administration, but of the various agency's to boot...........JEA wanting more money for rates, but when fuel cost sank did the customer get some relief? NO! Now we have JTA, such experts in concrete sprawl, spending $14 Million Dollars and now are asking for $100 Million more......anyone seen any bid requests or is this automatically going to Gate Concrete Division? I spit in JTA's milk since they appear to be nonthinking incompetent buffoons! They appear to be able to do nothing well or plan or think ahead..........their vision "more concrete"..Idiots!

[tufsu1]

Kids............I have to say it.............JTA could not plan ahead to find their butt in the shower!

Dude...this IS planning....what JTA is doing right now is the Federally required environmental study....here in FL we call them PD&E studies.

That said folks....the funding for this is at least 5 years away (and more likely 10+)....so there were very valid reasons for doing the interim improvements....in fact, these plans are already downsized from the mega-improvement that was studied early on...which cost closer to $150-$200 million.

There are many projects that go through the PD&E process that don't get constructed for 20 years or more....for example, the Mathews bridge PD&E started back in 2004...wanna guess when that gets funded?

[thelakelander]

Curve ball time.  You have retail, residential and offices uses all around that interchange, yet no pedestrian or bike connections to get people across I-95.  JTA is also looking at establishing a commuter rail line down the FEC and JTB would be a natural corridor for a connecting transit service to access Southpoint from the nearest rail station.  With the feds now favoring "complete streets" policies, is it too late to accommodate transit, bike and ped facilities into the overall plan?

[fsujax]

Lake, I know there has been discussion between JTA and the Consultant on utilizing the current park and ride lot at JTB and US 1 as a major commuter rail stop with feeder services into the Southpoint and Deerwood area. I also know that FEC/Rail America is aware of this station location, since it backs right into their rail yard.

[tufsu1]

nope...its never too late...those are the types of comments that can be made at the meeting (or also on the website I'm sure)....and maybe FHWA would note that during their review (although I doubt it).

Plus, even if not included in the PD&E, they could be put in during design

[tufsu1]

Lake, I know there has been discussion between JTA and the Consultant on utilizing the current park and ride lot at JTB and US 1 as a major commuter rail stop with feeder services into the Southpoint and Deerwood area. I also know that FEC/Rail America is aware of this station location, since it backs right into their rail yard.

yes...originally they were studying an interchange for the Butler/US 1 intersection...that was killed due to cost, but imagine how bad that would have been for creating TOD there.

[thelakelander]

great to hear.

[Ocklawaha]

I'm all for installing a flat $10.00 toll for autos and $25.00 for Semi's and Buses at the Duval - Nassau County Line.
Exemptions for all Jacksonville MSA County residents + Military Personnel + Charlton - Camden and Maybe Glynn County Georgia residents.

Let the Yankee's, Snowbird's and other travelers pay for EVERYTHING! Give us our "fair share" of the Disney Gate!



OCKLAWAHA

[mtraininjax]

Lake - Great, stir the pot, besides the image, there was dialogue from the TU, said that this is something JTA is proposing, they do not have the money for it. Geez, they have not even finished the widening of the I-95 corridor between Belfort and Bowden.

This is a ways off, unless Obama finds a way to print more new money for the JTA.

[CS Foltz]

Ock.............good idea! You go far enough on I95 north and all of a sudden it becomes a toll road out of the clear bule sky! I still have not figured that one out and how they were able to do it! Only way I know of is to use bond money to continue a road......makes me wonder how usefull eminent domain might be!

[tufsu1]

Ock.............good idea! You go far enough on I95 north and all of a sudden it becomes a toll road out of the clear bule sky! I still have not figured that one out and how they were able to do it! Only way I know of is to use bond money to continue a road......makes me wonder how usefull eminent domain might be!

huh?

[Captain Zissou]

The design for the interchange looks to be a vast improvement over what's there now, without overbuilding it.  I hate the Southside and this area in particular, but the Sprawlasaurus that has engulfed Beach Blvd and Atlantic has made JTB the best option for traveling to the beach.  I agree that complete streets and a commuter rail stop are essential here. 

I think a rail spur down JTB all the way to the beach would be a best case scenario.  DT to Ponte Vedra and vice versa would be a crazy busy route if it made stops at:

• Mayo Clinic
  Kernan
  SJTC
  Southside Blvd
  Philips highway @ JTB
  Emerson
  San Marco

[exnewsman]

The design for the interchange looks to be a vast improvement over what's there now, without overbuilding it.  I hate the Southside and this area in particular, but the Sprawlasaurus that has engulfed Beach Blvd and Atlantic has made JTB the best option for traveling to the beach.  I agree that complete streets and a commuter rail stop are essential here.  

I think a rail spur down JTB all the way to the beach would be a best case scenario.  DT to Ponte Vedra and vice versa would be a crazy busy route if it made stops at:

• Mayo Clinic
  Kernan
  SJTC
  Southside Blvd
  Philips highway @ JTB
  Emerson
  San Marco

Captain - the thought of rail to the beaches sounds like a good one except there's not enough room in the median for it and right of way would be off the chart. Don't think we're going to see rail down JTB anytime soon.