FDOT & JTA considering toll flyover at 95/JTB

[tufsu1]

I've been suggesting this to folks for a few years....if anything gets done at JTB/95, this is the way to go

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-08-01/story/florida-will-consider-tolling-flyover-connecting-interstate-95-butler

[dougskiles]

And what if the tolls don't cover the cost of construction - or even maintenance?  Will we hear from mayoral candidates proposing to shut it down because it doesn't pay for itself?

[If_I_Loved_you]

I've been suggesting this to folks for a few years....if anything gets done at JTB/95, this is the way to go

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2012-08-01/story/florida-will-consider-tolling-flyover-connecting-interstate-95-butler

This is what should have been built in the first place but the FDOT didn't really think ahead did they. And now since every Republican can't stand to raise taxes for improvements for the Roads and Bridges. We the working slaves are to be told if you use it We are going to Toll it!

[thelakelander]

And what if the tolls don't cover the cost of construction - or even maintenance?  Will we hear from mayoral candidates proposing to shut it down because it doesn't pay for itself?

No. Tolls for road construction rarely do cover the full cost of construction and long term maintenance.  Even the FDOT secretary has already admitted this.  However, since road construction and maintenance isn't a profitable business, FDOT loses less money per project if they can at least collect some "fare box revenue" from the users.  Hmm, this toll road stuff is starting to sound a lot like mass transit.

[fsquid]

why even do the flyover?

[tufsu1]

And what if the tolls don't cover the cost of construction - or even maintenance?  Will we hear from mayoral candidates proposing to shut it down because it doesn't pay for itself?

I highly doubt it will come close to covering the cost of construction...most of these manged lanes toll projects are just meant to pay for O & M

[fieldafm]

Larry is generous when he says 'considering'.  I believe the video of that interview should be up on Jacksonville.com within a few days. 

[If_I_Loved_you]

why even do the flyover?

So the traffic on JTB can flow better. And you don't get that huge back up on I 95 South.

[Lunican]

why even do the flyover?

So the traffic on JTB can flow better. And you don't get that huge back up on I 95 South.

How much is that really worth? The road is empty most of the day.

[tufsu1]

system-to-system interchanges (meaning it connects 2 expressways) are free-flow....obviously JTB was not always an expressway and that's why the one ramp is still signalized today...but note that southbound-to-eastbound is the only non-free-flow ramp left at the interchange.

as for traffic counts, here are numbers for 2011:

I-95 north of JTB - 139,000 vehicles per day
JTB east of I-95 - 91,000 vehicles per day
JTB west of I-95 - 38,500 vehicles per day
I-95 southbound ramp to JTB - 24,000 vehicles per day (most of them tunring left and heading east on JTB)

a general rule of thumb for traffic is that that the am and pm peak hours are each roughly 10% of daily volumes....and that in general capacity terms, a single free-flow travel lane can handle roughly 2,000 cars per hour

[Lunican]

Why do they want a $125 million flyover anyway? Why not a regular loop like the other two ramps?

[tufsu1]

Why do they want a $125 million flyover anyway? Why not a regular loop like the other two ramps?

what they want is a $50 million ramp...

from what I understand, cloverleafs are no longer viewed as ideal....they have merging issues and are too slow for trucks..so system-to-system ramps are now being built as flyovers everywhere (I'm sure the concrete industry loves it)....there's also no room for a loop here (it would interfere with eastbound JTB to south 95 ramp).

the other $75 million comes in additional expressway widening and converting the portion of JTB west of I-95 into a semi-expressway....those projects are wholly not needed...and while they won't see it outright, I think JTA knows that...which is why the project is now being phased.

[Lunican]

None of it is needed. If people don't want to sit in traffic they shouldn't drive so much.

[fsquid]

$125 million to shave 5 minutes off?

[Timkin]

$125 million to shave 5 minutes off?

To whom is this supposed to be a bargain ?