JTA fails to win grant for Butler & I95 interchange

[dougskiles]

All I can say is thank goodness!

Plans to fix the rush-hour traffic congestion at Butler Boulevard and Interstate 95 suffered a serious setback Friday when Jacksonville failed to win a $17.6 million federal grant.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority sought the grant through the ultra-competitive TIGER program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation. But when winners were announced, the Butler interchange wasn’t among the $500 million awarded to 47 transportation projects in 34 states.

“Clearly, it’s disappointing the money didn’t come through because the project needs to be done,” JTA spokesman John Finotti said.

When it will be done is now unknown.

JTA is using a $2.8 million federal grant to do partial design. The TIGER grant would have enabled JTA to finish design and buy right of way for the project.

The current work, and the money, will run through the end of 2013. Beyond that, there is no local, state or federal money source, period.

Estimated to cost $125 million, the project would widen Butler Boulevard at I-95 and build elevated flyover ramps so drivers can switch from I-95 to Butler Boulevard without coming to a stop for traffic lights.

Finotti said if the city were to extend the 6-cent local option gas tax, slated to expire in 2016, the JTA board could consider tapping into that revenue for the Butler Boulevard interchange.

Mayor Alvin Brown has said repeatedly he opposes extending the gas tax.

Two Florida projects won TIGER grants Friday. The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority will get $18 million for an $83 million project building a streetcar line in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Tampa won $10.9 million for a $15.6 million project to complete sections of the Tampa Riverwalk and construct the Selmon Greenway in downtown.

The Jacksonville Port Authority, which won a $10 million TIGER grant last year for a railroad yard to switch cargo containers between trains and ships, did not apply this year for a grant.

The TIGER grants â€" short for Transportation Investment Generating Economy Recovery â€" have doled out about $3.1 billion nationwide in the past four years. The congressional elimination of earmarks, which previously let federal lawmakers direct a portion of transportation dollars to local projects, has made the TIGER program the main pot of money for cities and states to gain project-specific grants.

JaxPort plans to seek a grant in the next round of TIGER funding, setting up the possibility the port and JTA would be competing with each other for the grant program.

In the meantime, traffic continues. Interstate 95 carries an average of 140,000 vehicles daily and Butler Boulevard handles 87,500 vehicles daily in the vicinity of the interchange. Building the flyover would help alleviate some of the bigger backups, particularly during rush hour.

“This is an extremely important project,” Finotti said, “because it’s one of the most congested areas in Jacksonville.”

David Bauerlein: (904) 359-4581

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/business/2012-06-22/story/jta-fails-win-grant-advance-interchange-butler-boulevard-and-interstate-95#ixzz1yc7xlLpF

[tufsu1]

Here's what JTA (or soembody) should do:

Build a southbound to eastbound flyover and then toll it....leave the existing signalized ramp there and change the timing so it favors through movements on JTB....and that's it (no additional widening or other ramps)

Then folks have a choice....sit at the light for free or fly over the traffic for a fee (say $0.50)

[thelakelander]

Now that Lexus lanes are a priority all over the state, I'm surprised FDOT hasn't come up with this yet.

[Jdog]

The only two Florida winners:

* Tampa Riverwalk and Greenway
* Fort Lauderdale Streetcar


So it would not have been unrealistic to put in a bid to help extend the riverwalk to the stadium?  Did we put in such a bid? 

[brainstormer]

First of all, the JTB-I95 interchange just isn't that congested.  Finotti is a bit dramatic in his comments.  I drive it every day and it adds maybe 2-3 minutes to my commute during peak times.  It isn't any more congested than the Fuller Warren Bridge, or Buckman Bridge or the I10-I95 interchange.  We've spent hundreds of millions of dollars over the past few years to expand all of those areas and they are still congested.

We as an auto-centric society are spoiled rotten.  We all think we should be able to get wherever we want to go in the shortest possible time.  Watch how many people run red lights the next time you are at a set of stoplights.  If they want to build Lexus Lanes and charge the people willing to pay just to save 2 minutes of their time, I'm all for it.  Same reason why I'm a big fan of red light cameras.  If your time is so precious that you want to endanger other people by running a red light, then you deserve to pay.

I think it's great that Fort Lauderdale got money for their streetcar.  The $18 million from the federal government will actually be spent to create economic activity in their city and promote growth.  JTA asked for $17.6 milllion for a JTB-I95 flyover that does nothing to increase economic growth in our city.  The choice seems obvious to me and the feds made the right one.  Stop your whining JTA.

[thelakelander]

The only two Florida winners:

* Tampa Riverwalk and Greenway
* Fort Lauderdale Streetcar


So it would not have been unrealistic to put in a bid to help extend the riverwalk to the stadium?  Did we put in such a bid? 

Doubt it. Those are sustainable and quality of life type projects. We're a few years behind our peers on recognizing the value of investing in our quality of life as an economic development tool.

[Tacachale]

Can't say I'm disappointed by this, despite having to use that interchange all the time.

[cline]

“This is an extremely important project,” Finotti said

That's a comical line to me.  Most of the projects awarded are multimodal in nature.  Sorry JTA, but a random interchange flyover doesn't exactly scream unique project.  The grants are very competitive and I don't think the USDOT sees a whole lot of value in some interchange project.  I'm sure they got piles of applications for those.

The two projects awarded in FL were a streetcar line and a riverwalk.  Maybe JTA should have spent there efforts on this application for the first leg of a streetcar line.  Something tells me that would have stood a better chance of an award.

It's funny to me that JTA is somehow shocked that they didn't get a dime.  How about thinking outside the box for once?

[simms3]

If there's ever to be another interchange built in Jax, it probably needs to go there, but can someone fill me in why JTA applied for TIGER money for that project?

It's my understanding, or lack thereof, that the TIGER programs were for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, and that while applications could include improvements to interchanges and highways, special consideration would be given to projects that benefit entire communities and reduce energy dependence and environmental problems.

I looked at the 2012 awards list, and nearly every urban project had something to do with "multimodal", "transit", "intermodal", "station", "managed lanes and express bus", etc etc.  The only "highway" project was money towards a viaduct replacement in Providence...an old viaduct on 95 that crosses a river and rail and carries twice as many cars as 95 carries through Jax (230,000 vehicles daily over a failing bridge).

How is JTA so incompetent to even think they would win money for such a project?  It fits most of the guidelines of TIGER, yes, but historically that is not what TIGER has awarded money for.  Duh hand hits forward moment.

[CityLife]

LOL JTA. It seems like just yesterday my wife finished doing some of the engineering for the 95-JTB interchange improvements... Oh yea that's right because it was only a year or two ago. And I believe it was at least partially with federal money.

Simms, it looks like you nailed it with the special consideration portion of the Tiger Grants, but you also have to wonder if they looked back and saw that federal money was just used on a project there and said, "really Jacksonville"? Really?

Being an overpass builder in Jax must be like being a Nazi Hunter in Inglorious Basterds..Business is a-boomin. Almost makes you wonder who's pulling the strings here...

[CityLife]

Here's what JTA (or soembody) should do:

Build a southbound to eastbound flyover and then toll it....leave the existing signalized ramp there and change the timing so it favors through movements on JTB....and that's it (no additional widening or other ramps)

Then folks have a choice....sit at the light for free or fly over the traffic for a fee (say $0.50)

I'm not positive, but I believe the biggest issue with the interchange currently is everything East of 95. Westbound JTB merging to 95 north and eastbound on JTB from 95 North are disasters.

The southbound to eastbound ramp isn't all that bad since they added the extra lane.

[dougskiles]

Can the City of Jacksonville apply for a grant to build a streetcar, independent of JTA?

[cline]

It's my understanding, or lack thereof, that the TIGER programs were for Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, and that while applications could include improvements to interchanges and highways, special consideration would be given to projects that benefit entire communities and reduce energy dependence and environmental problems.

That is correct.  I have worked on a few TIGER applications on the previous rounds and they put heavy emphasis on how well a project improves economic activity.  Benefit-cost analysis, job creation, etc.  Simply saying a project will relieve congestion is not a compelling enough argument.  Of course the process is also political so it helps to have advocates in high places.

Can the City of Jacksonville apply for a grant to build a streetcar, independent of JTA?

I believe any agency can apply.  Cities, counties, MPOs, DOTs.  If you look through the award notice it shows the submitting agency on each page.  The New York City Department of Small Business Services won as did a couple Indian Tribes.

[fsujax]

I can't belive they even submitted that project. How stupid. The feds are not funding those types of projects. Speechless. This is why a management change is needed at JTA. They could have easily submitted a grant for streetcar just based on the study they did a few years ago. The problem is there are no local funds set aside to assist in engineering and construction.

[CityLife]

Of course the process is also political so it helps to have advocates in high places.

Mentioned this in the Ft. Lauderdale streetcar thread, but Corrine Brown is on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. TIGER just so happens to be funded by Congress. So I'm pretty sure she has some pull in the process....

Gee JTA you think she might be more supportive of a streetcar in the urban core or an I-95/JTB interchange?