Northbank Riverwalk Extension Approved

[coredumped]

Pretty good news, now if they could just repair the southbank riverwalk...

The Jacksonville City Council has approved extending the Northbank Riverwalk under the Fuller-Warren Bridge from the Riverside Arts Market to Riverside Park in Five Points.

Plans for the extension have been on the books since the late 90's, but funding for the project was hard to come by.

Right now, the area is a fenced-in site with two dry retention ponds. The Artist Walk is expected to include sidewalks, green space, benches, lighting and two fountains.

Funding for the $5 million project comes from a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation and the city of Jacksonville.

Some City Council members voted against project, saying the more than $2 million in city funding was too expensive. But the majority on the Council say the project is long overdue and it needs to be done now or the funding from the Department of Transportation would have been lost.

http://news.wjct.org/post/northbank-riverwalk-extension-approved

[urbanlibertarian]

Pretty good news, now if they could just repair the southbank riverwalk...

The Jacksonville City Council has approved extending the Northbank Riverwalk under the Fuller-Warren Bridge from the Riverside Arts Market to Riverside Park in Five Points.

Plans for the extension have been on the books since the late 90's, but funding for the project was hard to come by.

Right now, the area is a fenced-in site with two dry retention ponds. The Artist Walk is expected to include sidewalks, green space, benches, lighting and two fountains.

Funding for the $5 million project comes from a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation and the city of Jacksonville.

Some City Council members voted against project, saying the more than $2 million in city funding was too expensive. But the majority on the Council say the project is long overdue and it needs to be done now or the funding from the Department of Transportation would have been lost.

http://news.wjct.org/post/northbank-riverwalk-extension-approved

Pretty good news from last year.  Work on the southbank riverwalk should be starting very soon.

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php?topic=16353.0

[tufsu1]

Southbank Riverwalk has been delayed until 4th quarter of this year...so unless that's 4th quarter of fiscal year, we'll be waiting until fall

[PeeJayEss]

Here is the concept:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-jul-artists-walk-at-northbank-riverfront-park

Not so much a continuation of the Riverwalk as a branch heading towards Riverside Park. Should be a nice addition. I can't tell if those plans include changes to the road marking at Riverside or Park, anyone know? Would be nice to have those marked as wide pedestrian-crossing areas. Effective marking might even eliminate the need for a traffic cop during RAM.

[cline]

Here is the concept:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-jul-artists-walk-at-northbank-riverfront-park

Not so much a continuation of the Riverwalk as a branch heading towards Riverside Park. Should be a nice addition. I can't tell if those plans include changes to the road marking at Riverside or Park, anyone know? Would be nice to have those marked as wide pedestrian-crossing areas. Effective marking might even eliminate the need for a traffic cop during RAM.

Yeah, its not really a "Riverwalk" extension considering is is not along the river.  That being said, looks like it will be cool. 

[WmNussbaum]

Two "dry" retention ponds??? Every time I've seen them - and that is often - they seem to be full of mosquito breeding, slimy water.

[cline]

Two "dry" retention ponds??? Every time I've seen them - and that is often - they seem to be full of mosquito breeding, slimy water.

They're retention ponds- what do you expect?

[Dog Walker]

As a bonus it will eliminate the awful, ugly retention ponds/cattle pens under the expressway there and will end at the RAP dog park.  It will also bring attention and traffic to Annie Lytle possibly resulting in saving the place.

Both RAM and the extension were designed "pro-bono" by Melody Bishop.  That's was a savings of tens of thousands of dollars right there for really outstanding work.

[cline]

As a bonus it will eliminate the awful, ugly retention ponds/cattle pens under the expressway there and will end at the RAP dog park.  It will also bring attention and traffic to Annie Lytle possibly resulting in saving the place.

Both RAM and the extension were designed "pro-bono" by Melody Bishop.  That's was a savings of tens of thousands of dollars right there for really outstanding work.

Do you know what the status is on the dog park?  Haven't heard anything recently.

[Jdog]

Nice, good, I like it...BUT, sorry to go negative...

I don't understand the mapping...will you see the river at all?

If it's off the river and the article says that this was on the drawing board since the 90's then I'd have to ask: Was it on the drawing board on the river originally and for most of its existence?

I recall a few years back we were going down the river but that was blocked by just a few people.  I distinctly remember reading the argument that walkers should be creative and get off the river at the Fuller Warren bridge if they want to walk to Memorial Park.

This just seems like a fait accompli that the river walk will never go to Memorial Park, which would have been a humongous asset to this city.  An incredible termination and extension into a place where people actually live.

Calling it a river walk extension seems to hide the fact there was a compromise -- a bad one at that -- that wasn't really a compromise at all.  Are perceptions re-oriented so easily?

[Jdog]

...but, to be fair, I'm on the road a lot so maybe I'm just way too jaded with my own views and don't know enough of the historical details...

[Tacachale]

^I was just talking to someone about this. No, this Riverside Park extension has been part of the plan at least since the late 90s. It's part of the "Riverwalk" system even though it's not on the river because it will connect to it. The city has actually been calling it the "Artist Walk extension". The Memorial Park extension is a separate plan, which has also been around for a long time.

[Dog Walker]

As a bonus it will eliminate the awful, ugly retention ponds/cattle pens under the expressway there and will end at the RAP dog park.  It will also bring attention and traffic to Annie Lytle possibly resulting in saving the place.

Both RAM and the extension were designed "pro-bono" by Melody Bishop.  That's was a savings of tens of thousands of dollars right there for really outstanding work.

Do you know what the status is on the dog park?  Haven't heard anything recently.

Raising funds and trying for grants to get the financing to build it.  Want to buy an engraved brick?  How about the Cline memorial poop bag dispenser?

The dogs and I are anxious that this gets going soon.