5 Reasons Why The Outer Beltway May Be A Bad Investment

[Mattius92]

Acquire the ROW but don't build it until it is clearly needed. It will be needed someday, just not today. So own the land now with the idea it will happen 20-30 years from now.

Good Idea

However the outer beltway is not needed and will only cost us a staggering $1.8 billion and only promote urban sprawl. What Jacksonville needs is to work on its EXISTING infrastructure. That means widening current roads, improving interchanges and CREATING COMMUTER RAIL! We have the track and the know how, it just needs to be a reality. What city just passed us in population??? San Francisco, you know what that city represents. Smart urban development and little sprawl. Just because we are the largest city, area wise, doesn't mean we need to USE IT ALL. Redevelop Springfield and Downtown and surrounding areas, and stop increasing our need for OIL, MR PEYTON, aka our lovely Oil Man. Its time for smart leadership and smart planning.

[Timkin]

And that was the premise of my statement earlier.. We do not need it now.. maybe 20 years from now,,but not now.

[stjr]

Clay/Blanding are in fact HEAVILY zoned and HEAVILY regulated. There is nothing anti-regulation about sprawl.

Anyway, I know that's not on topic, but I always feel compelled to fight the "sprawl = no regulation" myth whenever it shows up.

I agree, anti-regulation isn't the only cause of sprawl.  There is plenty under the guise of "regulation".  But, if Blanding was "regulated" to any real degree, it couldn't possibly be any worse than it is.  I sure don't see any evidence of serious regulation.  Based on appearances, anything has gone or goes.

I do think this lesser regulation increases the probability of sprawl.  "Sprawl" implies "uncontrolled" growth.  "Regulation" is the embodiment of "control".  How do you stop sprawl without regulation?  I am suggesting Clay doesn't have the prerequisite amount of regulation to check sprawl.  I am further suggesting this condition is derived from an "anti-regulation" attitude that may not eliminate regulation, but reduces it to an inadequate and/or ineffective level.

[Mattius92]

Clay/Blanding are in fact HEAVILY zoned and HEAVILY regulated. There is nothing anti-regulation about sprawl.

Anyway, I know that's not on topic, but I always feel compelled to fight the "sprawl = no regulation" myth whenever it shows up.

Joe, Blanding Blvd IS heavily zoned and regulated but that still doesn't stop the fact that it wasn't planned very well. That whole section from I-295 till about south of Kingsley Ave is a major hell hole of businesses and lots of residential. The infrastructure there is failing... This is because nothing was done to really fix this. The biggest problem is the lack of planning with the I-295/Blanding interchange.

Now for outside of OP, the rest of Clay isn't very regulated or dense. If a developer wanted to build some massive development I am sure they wont face much problems. I love Clay as it is, I do not want it any bigger. Thats why I moved there in the first place.

[jandar]

Part of the problem with I295/Blanding to begin with is the lack of co-operation between Duval/Clay and FDOT.

FDOT/Duval allowed the the shopping center with Star Bucks to add an entrance from Blanding. There was never an entrance there when it was a Movie Theater. You used the light.
Granted, that entrance is not the only issue there, but it highlights the fact that this wasn't Clay County's idea.

Most people seem to forget that it is Duval until you are south of Argyle Blvd and are quick to blame Clay for the mess there.

[Mattius92]

Yeah, you can always tell when you go from one county to the other, because the one with the more money typically looks better. However FDOT, Clay and Duval really need to get together and fix that mess. Just fixing that section could greatly reduce the need for the outer beltway.

[north miami]

Can you imagine? Years ago,when the northwest corner of Blanding/I 295 was still pasture State of Florida Growth Management persons were opposed to future devlopment of the intersection due to air pollution concerns.

[Bewler]

It looks as if the only real use for this is so that people who live in the newly developed Middleburg and Green Cove areas can access 95 easier for when they want to head South. So really about the only time I could ever see this being moderately helpful is during bike week.

[jandar]

It looks as if the only real use for this is so that people who live in the newly developed Middleburg and Green Cove areas can access 95 easier for when they want to head South. So really about the only time I could ever see this being moderately helpful is during bike week.

I use Brannan Field/Chaffee now to I-10 when I want to go downtown or north of SJTC. I refuse to use 295 if I can avoid it.

[arb]

I believe the Outer Beltway is needed for Clay County the most. Having lived in Clay County, I know how much of a pain it is to drive from Brannan Field Rd, then to Argyle Forest Blvd, then to Blanding Blvd and sit in gridlock traffic. No roads can be built to the West, because it simply would not be practical having to drive back to the east to get to where I want go and there is nothing but forest past Cecil Field. The beltway is honestly the best thing we can do for this area at the time being. What is so concerning is the cost of this project, and then after millions are spent, no one uses the beltway, simply because they don't want to pay a toll. Overall the beltway is needed for easier access into Jacksonville, and to people who wish to go to St Johns county easier.

[tufsu1]

why not just upgrade Branan Field? especially now that I-10 will be 6 lanes

[thelakelander]

Don't forget Collins Road is also being upgraded and extended.  So you won't have to use Argyle Forest or Blanding to access I-295.

[jandar]

Or when Branan Field/Chaffe gets built 4 lanes with overpasses from Blanding to I-10, you won't have to use I-295 at all!

[thelakelander]

Can't you do that now?

[Ocklawaha]

We could just build the beltway, then the next beltway, then the next beltway, then the next beltway, then the next beltway, then...

You DO know that it is impossible to build oneself out of congestion?

Or we could offer Clay residents a smart choice with a one-two-three punch of commuter rail, BRT feeders, and light rail. This wouldn't solve the gridlock but it would give Clay and Southwest Duval residents the choice of the fighting the daily grind, or reading the morning news on the way to work.

OCKLAWAHA