Another Interstate Beltway?

[Beloki]

Executives from a think tank, a global investment firm, the Florida transportation department and the Jacksonville Port Authority discussed the possibility of public-private partnerships in funding infrastructure projects during a panel discussion April 8 hosted by The Business Journal.

The panelists were Shirley J. Ybarra of the Reason Foundation, Terence Black of Balfour Beatty Capital Inc., William F. Thorp of the Florida Department of Transportation and Ron Baker of the Jacksonville Port Authority.

Each agreed such partnerships are a possibility in funding projects being planned in Northeast Florida, such as a second interstate beltway and needed road improvements at the port

Full article: http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/04/14/focus2.html?b=1208145600^1618135

I wonder how and where???

[thelakelander]

This is probably the Outer Beltway.

[stephenc]

Hasnt there also been discussion of extending the outer beltway north towards callahan then back to I-95?

[Joe]

I think this was mentioned in another thread ... but all the "Florida Forever" conservation purchases make a full outer beltway totally absurd.

Thousands of acres of preserved land would be between the beltway and Jax - at least for a Northwest segment between I-10 and I95. However, the Southwest segment through Clay and St. Johns has already been planned, and is very likely to happen eventually

[Jason]

From what I've heard through the Clay County Utility Authority the plans are moving forward pretty hastily.  A toll road builder from Europe is supposedly going to build the road and it is proposed to start up in the next year or so.  They also said that they're revisiting the river crossing corridor

[reednavy]

They really need to. The only crossing between here and Palatka is a dangerous, narrow bridge from Green Cove Springs in Clay to Orangedale in St. Johns for S.R.16. Plus, a part of it was knocked out years ago and is just metal grating. It also is too low for barge tugs to pass on to the Seminole Electric Palatka Power Plant, which is coal btw, so you get the long coal trains along U.S.17. They need to build a new S.R.16 crossing, with a new crossing between that and I-295.

[Ocklawaha]

Shame that there isn't a tap route planned from about I-10 and US-17 Murray Hill-FCCJ Kent area out Blanding and Beyond to Starke/301 and I-75. I could see this as a joint LRT/Freeway that could largely follow the Ortega river. I also agree that the traffic demands in the SE, South, SW sides of the City are to a point where a freeway would serve as a reliever. The Port on the Northside is another growth area, but I'm not certain that there is all that much growth west and Southwest of JIA. ANYTHING going in across the Northside from Blount Island westward to I-95 or US-1 should be built with one hand in the Ports deep pocket and built with dual RAIL/HIGHWAY intentions. I don't see a consistant need for this in the far westside but certainly see it in North and South sectors.

Ocklawaha

[Jason]

It is a shame Ock.  I would love to see a new crossing to connect Timuquana and JTB.

They really need to. The only crossing between here and Palatka is a dangerous, narrow bridge from Green Cove Springs in Clay to Orangedale in St. Johns for S.R.16. Plus, a part of it was knocked out years ago and is just metal grating. It also is too low for barge tugs to pass on to the Seminole Electric Palatka Power Plant, which is coal btw, so you get the long coal trains along U.S.17. They need to build a new S.R.16 crossing, with a new crossing between that and I-295.

The current plan calls for a complete replacement of the Shands bridge in order to bring it up to DOT specs for an intrastate system.  This would allow the state, Clay and St. Johns to request a higher span to allow for easier passage.  Expect to see another "Buckman".

If the corridor is shifted to the north the bridge will likely be the same and was originally proposed for the "Po Po Point" area near Switzerland.  The environmentalists and locals got pretty vocal and seeming squashed the idea, thankfully.

IMO, this highway will surely push us further toward being like our friend to the north, Atlanta.  I'd love to see a development boundary set along the I295 West corridor all the way around to JTB on the south.  That would force the interior of the boundary to fill in and would promote denser growth closer to the core and save more of our farm and forest lands from sprawling development.

[Ocklawaha]

Jason, here is a map to chew on... Something I have long desired since you spoke of wilderness area's and limited development. Have you ever noticed the area bounded by green on this map? It was and is largely bypassed by development and remains to this day, mostly wild. We have the only opportunity in 50 states to create a new National Park, State Park and Forest System. Tied to a system of hotels, a Blue Ridge Parkway type of 2 lane wilderness road, and 10,000 trails, overlooks, nature centers, we HAVE a great spot for doing the NPS right here in our backyard. Check it out.

BTW, I used a 1913 topo map for the base drawing!

Ocklawaha

[Jason]

I've never noticed that.  But now that you mentioned it, there is definitely a limited amount of development in that area.  Tie that into the Everglades, Ocala National Forrest, and somehow into the Osceola National Forrest and Okefenoke Swamp and you have one helluva park system.  Lets do it!

[Jason]

Here is a great source that maps out all of the state parks...

http://www.floridastateparks.org/images/DistMapAll.cfm