Jacksonville's costliest road redo isn't over - it's coming

[CS Foltz]

Every time the City has come to a cross road............they appear to select the most costly and ill concieved avenue! Kay....don't know for sure about Mr Shad, but do know he did vote for the property tax increase as a YES! Based on that, whatever his position.........more than likely, it will be the wrong stance for the public!

[tufsu1]

If we had some leaders with a little fire they could be screaming to the Feds to immediately implement commuter rail as mitigation for the traffic this construction will cause.

Bill Killingsworth has presented exactly this proposal.

I think our MPO 'meh'ed it to death.

do you know this to be true.,..or do you just think it?

[mvp]

Im beginning to wonder exactly what our TPO actually does, to be honest.

Perhaps you could attend their public meetings or speak directly with their staff to learn more about them firsthand.

[north miami]

Im beginning to wonder exactly what our TPO actually does, to be honest.

Perhaps you could attend their public meetings or speak directly with their staff to learn more about them firsthand.

Indeed.
I saw a hint to what would eventually be what is known now as "Nocatee" many months before the proposal emerged to public knowledge thanks to review of obscure MPO (now TPO) future roadway maps.Much transparency and predictive capability avaialable and one can always pursue past the transparent to the depths of smoke and mirrors.Few citizens take advantage.

Rememebr too that in the event state growth mamangement oversight via Department of Community Affairs goes away in favor of 'we know it better' Regional efforts the likes of TPO will come forward front and center in that regard which is a good hint as to what 'they' the TPO "do".

I fondly recall former MPO head Calvin Burney-his erroneous statement/Florida Times Union that 30,000 cars a day would use Brannon Chaffee "as soon as it opens" was but  one quip in a long history of mostly baseless promotion of Brannon Chaffee as alternate to Blanding.Calvin was referencing published 30,000 ADT (average daily traffic count) in regards to future ADT,much ADT as result of the new corridor itself.......but no relation to the image one could expect at ribbon cutting.
Calvin would not retract the statement nor would the FTU make any effort at correction,although FTU Mike Clark did exhibit frustration towards the FTu with the message "good luck".Calvin soon left MPO.
This is what happens when "the public" is absent from the inner circle.

[duvaldude08]

I just heard that Tibits is going to be forced to move and some other 34 property owners have already received notices from FDOT. This really sucks. More concrete is NOT the answer. Take a lot Atl for example. They have lanes and lanes and lanes of concrete and overpasses...And their traffic is still a nightmare. This is NOT the answer.

[tufsu1]

Tidbits is not being forced to move...according to the article in the paper, they will choose to move if the project is actually done as proposed....and the other 34 property owners are being notified that their property may be impacted.

That said folks...go to the meeting tomorrow....I think you'll hear this is far from a done deal...and I highly doubt construction will be starting within 2 years.

[fieldafm]

When is the next MPO meeting or let's schedule a separate meeting with them about this project before we live to regret it.  Does anyone know where Art Shad is on this?

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,10206.30.html

Tomorrow.
If anybody would like to meet up beforehand, PM me.

[mvp]

Although they don't go to any bother to alert the public about their meetings, do they?

They do.  Their meetings are all listed on the TPO web home page
http://www.northfloridatpo.com/index.php?id=1.

They also run a monthly meeting ad in the TU with the meetings for the following month.

In general, the TPO Board meets at 10 a.m. on the second Thursday of every month in the TPO Board Room, 1022 Prudential Drive (except on holidays as Veterans Day this month and they don't meet in January and July).  The next Board Meeting is December 9.

The Citizens Advisory Committee meets the first Wednesday every month (except January and July) at 6 p.m. same location.

All the meetings are open to the public.  The agendas and minutes of the meetings are also available on their website. 

[spuwho]

Wait until you see what is coming after 2015!

Reconstruction of I-95 the rest of the way to the 295 interchange.

You think those repetitive rup-rups between University and South Philips Hwy are not so bothersome now....ha! Wait until 2015 when the work starts, they will have grown to boom-booms.

JTA would love to have the JTB/I-95 interchange fully funded by that time to sync the effort.

It would be interesting to see the ratio of the traffic measured on I-95 of local vs transit (passing through).

[mvp]

How do you think they should notify the public of their regularly scheduled meetings?

[brainstormer]

Wait until you see what is coming after 2015!

Reconstruction of I-95 the rest of the way to the 295 interchange.

You think those repetitive rup-rups between University and South Philips Hwy are not so bothersome now....ha! Wait until 2015 when the work starts, they will have grown to boom-booms.

Oh I know!  That center lane on I-95 is doing a real number to my tires and suspension.  I purposely drive fast just so I can stay in the far left lane which is new!   

[mvp]

Good ideas.  Posters might be a challenge, but the electronic postings should be easy enough.  I think they accept comments any time online via e-mail, but I believe they are updating their website to include comment submission in the same place with agendas.

[tufsu1]

For example, I post frequently here on the subject of transit, planning, and transportation and yet the TPO is an enigma to me.  It shouldnt be.

I'm sure the TPO and other agencies could do more to involve the public....but the public has to meet them at least part of the way.

the TPO provided significant public comment and involvement opportunities as part of the 2035 LRTP, including articles and posts on this site....workshops were held all over the metro arae in the evening...attendance was good at some meetings/forums, poor at olthers...at some point citizens need to step up and make their voices heard, regardless of the venue.

[Timkin]

Repairing it is one thing--making it bigger is WRONG!  That's how we lost Brooklyn.  That's what hurt Annie Lytle.  They do not need to expand 95.  I fervently believe that with 295 and 9A and B, they should downsize 95 through the City.  The money needs to go into mass transit. 

AGREED COMPLETELY

[thelakelander]

^I don't think you can blame this on consultants.  Imo, this rest with local leadership.

For example, I post frequently here on the subject of transit, planning, and transportation and yet the TPO is an enigma to me.  It shouldnt be.

I'm sure the TPO and other agencies could do more to involve the public....but the public has to meet them at least part of the way.

the TPO provided significant public comment and involvement opportunities as part of the 2035 LRTP, including articles and posts on this site....workshops were held all over the metro arae in the evening...attendance was good at some meetings/forums, poor at olthers...at some point citizens need to step up and make their voices heard, regardless of the venue.

Also, to be fair, the public did come out and suggest a rail based plan (Scenario D) as their top choice for the 2035 LRTP.  The municipalities didn't want to alter their comp plans, so that one was rejected.  The public also participated heavily in the city's visioning plan process a year ago.  I was a part of the Southeast Vision Plan committee and we specifically developed a vision plan that recommended commuter rail on the FEC to help revitalize the Philips Highway corridor.  Instead, we're being force feed BRT.  

I think public participation is as good as its going to get.  Imo, it's only going to get worse if the public feels their desires are being ignored over and over again.  At some point, we've got to listen to the public for a change to build up comradery and trust.