FDOT finds $120 million: Fuller Warren to be widened

[Dog Walker]

Just learned that FDOT did NOT talk to RAP about this project in their discussions about the Dog Park.

Not cool at all.

[Lunican]

The bridge sits empty all night long. It's a huge waste.

[joshuataylor]

So this one federal project has the potential to:

• Adversely affect the new Dog Park Project
• Adversely affect the Pedestrian Promenade between RAM and Riverside Park
• Level an office building
• Threaten a bank building and a Red Cross building
• Potentially alter/cancel RAM operating schedules
• Further threaten the future of the Anne Lyttle School, if not demolishing it entirely
• Bring increased construction and noise pollution to a residential neighborhood
• Continue construction-related traffic gridlock for an additional 10 years in hopes of a possible solution

And all with NO pedestrian scaled benefits for Jacksonville residents? Golly gee, where do we sign up?!

[tufsu1]

It most likely isn't a federal project (at least not yet)....this is purely a dream of some FDOT engineers in Tallahassee and Lake City

[Jumpinjack]

Downtown gridlock will be a wonder to behold. Musical too as impatient drivers weave around one-way streets and give a cheery toot of their horns. 

[I-10east]

So is this FDOTs way of backhandedly admitting that they totally flubbed the design of the I-10 to 95 south merger? Because it's not so much a capacity issue (you have like 6 lanes going north to 3 going south, all eventually merging on to one technical lane to get to 95 sb. whoever did the traffic study needed to be fired) as it is a poor design issue.

When you take the 'bottlenecking' process into account (staying on I-95) it's actually about the same going North as going South. I-95 North just after I-10 has hella off-ramps to get off at Riverside, Forsyth, Monroe, Union etc.   

[Jumpinjack]

Great summation, joshuataylor. You've perfectly described a road builder's dream project.

[GoldenEst82]

I go through this interchange several times a day. I think the 95S exit (far right) after stockton gets crazy backed up vs the far left lane exit; because the exits to the far left are merging to the actual direction of "north", and the far right is merging "south".
They win the award for "least intuitive interchange ever".

[Dog Walker]

You aren't the only one to wonder about the non-intuitive design.  Turn left to go North when coming from the East?  Turn right to go North when coming from the West?  Contrary to every other intersection you go through ten times each day.  Let's suggest flogging each morning for the FDOT engineers.  Of course they are all autistic and don't relate to intuitive.

Maybe it was some sort of psychological experiment but in cars we can't smell the cheese.

Maybe they over estimated the literacy of the population of the city. "What Do the Signs Say" forget the fox.

So smart it makes stupid.

[kbhanson3]

Would love for a traffic engineer or planner to weigh in, but my understanding of the spaghetti design is that it was deemed necessary (or at least the best solution that the low bidder could come up with) in order to keep traffic flowing at all times on I-95 and I-10 during the construction of the interchange.

[Kay]

That's a ridiculous reason for a design that will supposedly be there forever if that is indeed true.

[Bridges]

That's a lot of money to invest into a money losing bridge.

The bridge sits empty all night long. It's a huge waste.

Definitely going to need to see an ROI on this project before we even start talking about it. 

Besides, who wants to ride on a bridge anyways, they can get congested and sometimes they fall down.  Whats the replacement cost if the bridge falls down?  Needs to be factored in. 

[fieldafm]

Would love for a traffic engineer or planner to weigh in, but my understanding of the spaghetti design is that it was deemed necessary (or at least the best solution that the low bidder could come up with) in order to keep traffic flowing at all times on I-95 and I-10 during the construction of the interchange.

It's clear the design was primarily geared to ensure future expansion projects would be needed.  You have to plan long term if you want to keep feeding the beast.

Riverside should be really paying attention b/c FDOT is about to destroy homes, businesses, parks and The Riverside Arts Market.. all with little need to engage the public. 

This is perhaps the scariest thing to happen to Riverside since the original highway project that led to the formation of RAP. 

[tufsu1]

It's clear the design was primarily geared to ensure future expansion projects would be needed.  You have to plan long term if you want to keep feeding the beast.

exactly

[Kay]

Can you guys provide specifics on the design that supports your position please?