Light Rail Commuters in Clay versus the Outer Beltway??

[tufsu1]

Beltway promoters have been careful to highlight "development" and "economic" aspects rather than traffic alleviation and actual benefits to current citizens,and for good reason.
The traffic alleviation image is firmly established,and erroneous

Actually, taken alone the Outer Beltway WILL alleviate some traffic congestion on roads like Blanding Blvd.

But the long-term cumulative impact of building the road would likely be more development, which would offset any congestion savings.

[jandar]

Beltway promoters have been careful to highlight "development" and "economic" aspects rather than traffic alleviation and actual benefits to current citizens,and for good reason.
The traffic alleviation image is firmly established,and erroneous

Actually, taken alone the Outer Beltway WILL alleviate some traffic congestion on roads like Blanding Blvd.

But the long-term cumulative impact of building the road would likely be more development, which would offset any congestion savings.

Thats why I would love to see ROW for light/commuter rail with it.
It can help alleviate some traffic issues, and then allow the rail to be built out.

[tufsu1]

true...but lots of roads planned for that (JTB for one)...then the land gets used for future road widening!

[jandar]

Yeah, I remember hearing some of the grandiose plans to run the Skyway leg down JTB to a station at PVB.

[Mattius92]

Yeah, I remember hearing some of the grandiose plans to run the Skyway leg down JTB to a station at PVB.

That would actually give it more use, because Currently its a Skyway to nowhere. If it was expanded, light rail or a commuter rail added so it would connect to the Skyway (via Transfer) our mass transit infrastructure would be so much better.

[emptycagegirl]

Scott has really put his foot down when it comes to any mass transit improvements to the area. Don't foresee any of that happening while he is around.

[tufsu1]

actually folks in Clay County are quite interested in expanding the public transportation options in their county.

[thelakelander]

They need to be.  Even with a new toll road, their mobility options are still pretty limited, given the population.

[tufsu1]

yeah...and now the local Clay Tea Party is complaining....they want no taxes but also don't like tolls either....what do they like?

btw, I do somewhat agree with her assertion that folks will just use 295...but yet she still wants the road...so how would she propose to fund/build the road?

Sandy Scarborough with the Clay County chapter of the First Coast Tea Party said the voters thought they got rid of tolls in the '80s and will not be happy about a return.

"I don't understand why during an economic downtown they'd want to bring tolls back," Scarborough said. "Most people will just use Interstate 295 because it's a free road."

She supports the idea of building the beltway but wants lawmakers to find a way other than tolls to get it done.



Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-08-16/story/toll-road-may-be-coming-first-coast?cid=hp-afterlede#ixzz1VHsuAkwK

[Dapperdan]

I spoke to Doug Conkey one of the Clay County commissioners and Clay County really wants this toll road built. They feel it will funnel jobs to Cecil Commerce center since Orange Park and Middleburg residents will now have a direct chute, so to speak, from Blanding to Cecil with no traffic lights. He seems to feel it will open up more accessible jobs for Clay county rather than having everyone drive into Duval every morning clogging the roads up. Now this may be true, but I feel that the Duval jobs will still be there, and then jobs may come to Cecil, but instead of traffic being clogged one way, then it will be clogged two ways.
What I would love for them to announce today is that a Trolley Station will be built near the Walmart and new Hopsital, and a Trolley line laid in the median all the way to Cecil with a stop at Oakleaf with a lot there and a stop at 103 with a lot there. Wouldn't that be something??lol TO me, that would accomplish the same thing that Conkey was talking about.

[jandar]

Good idea Dapperdan, that is what should be done. Will it? probably not.

[thelakelander]

I guess, I'm not seeing how Orange Park residents are benefitting from this.  One would have to drive all the way to Middleburg to access it and shell out an extra $3 bucks.  Even with congestion, most would save time driving north on Blanding to I-295, Argyle or Collins.  The only way to provide better access for Orange Park residents would be create a network of east/west roads to connect to Oakleaf but that will require extra hundreds of millions that have not been mentioned as of yet.

I do agree that it will help attract new sprawl development to Clay.  However, I don't think it improves Cecil.  We've already funded our connectivity there. Expressway or not, it will be years before what we've paid for gets to a level of congestion calling for an upgrade to limited access status.  Nevertheless, I'm cool with the tolls and I hope they are pretty expensive.

[jandar]

My father in law will drive from Doctors Lake drive and head to Branan Field if he is going west on I-10. It allows him to miss the 295/Blanding nightmare. Same path if he visits his brother off of Normandy Blvd. And time wise, it shaves 5-10 mins easily with traffic and lights.

[copperfiend]

yeah...and now the local Clay Tea Party is complaining....they want no taxes but also don't like tolls either....what do they like?

They like Wal-Mart, the Texas Roadhouse and the singing group Alabama.

[Tacachale]

^I don't understand that. If they don't want tolls and they don't want government spending, why don't they come out against the Outer Beltway?