FDOT finds $120 million: Fuller Warren to be widened

[CityLife]

Being a road builder in Jax is like being a Nazi Hunter in Inglorious Basterds... as Brad Pitt said, "cousin business is a boomin".

But on a more serious note, I feel very sorry for the people who choose to live 30+ minutes from where they work. This isn't about the core of Jax, people. This is about making sure that Joe Fleming Island's 50 minute commute gets reduced to 45 minutes. We wouldn't want him to miss the start of Idol or Dancing with the Stars...That is what is at stake here. Not RAM, some dumb Dog Park, historic structures, or the attempt to create Florida's coolest urban neighborhood.

[cline]

What kind of commuter rail system could be built for $135M?  I'm guessing $135M would connect the Shoppes to Springfield by streetcar.

Cincinnati is currently building a 4 mile long streetcar route for $133MM (although the newly elected mayor wants to kill the project even though it has already been started).

[tufsu1]

What kind of commuter rail system could be built for $135M?  I'm guessing $135M would connect the Shoppes to Springfield by streetcar.

it has been assumed that a no-frills starter system connecting Riverside, Springfield, and the Stadium area through downtown could be done for around $125 million

[Tacachale]

Being a road builder in Jax is like being a Nazi Hunter in Inglorious Basterds... as Brad Pitt said, "cousin business is a boomin".

But on a more serious note, I feel very sorry for the people who choose to live 30+ minutes from where they work. This isn't about the core of Jax people. This is about making sure that Joe Fleming Island's 50 minute commute gets reduced to 45 minutes. We wouldn't want him to miss the start of Idol or Dancing with the Stars...That is what is at stake here. Not RAM, some dumb Dog Park, historic structures, or the attempt to create Florida's coolest urban neighborhood.

What's sad is that even Joe Fleming Island won't see the benefit until well after the project is done in 15 years. In fact, before then, a slightly backed up commute would be replaced with many years of highway construction.

[David]

Being a former urban core dweller living out in Mandarin, I'm pretty happy about this. It does suck that the construction is non stop and yes it's not ideal for the neighborhood, but these are major highways that run the middle of our city.

And yes, i'd like my commute to be alil shorter.  295/95 all the way into downtown is way more congested than it used to be. We've outgrown our interstate system in its current form. I'm surprised 95 has only been 3 lanes for this long now.

C'mon this makes our city look bigger. Atlanta has 7-8 lanes going each way. Super highways are cool. It means we've finally arrived!

[cline]

Being a former urban core dweller living out in Mandarin, I'm pretty happy about this. It does suck that the construction is non stop and yes it's not ideal for the neighborhood, but these are major highways that run the middle of our city.

And yes, i'd like my commute to be alil shorter.  295/95 all the way into downtown is way more congested than it used to be. We've outgrown our interstate system in its current form. I'm surprised 95 has only been 3 lanes for this long now.

C'mon this makes our city look bigger. Atlanta has 7-8 lanes going each way. Super highways are cool. It means we've finally arrived!

Further encroaching on one of the best neighborhoods in the City is not "cool" and signifies nothing but ineptitude and lack of vision.  I hoping that your post is meant to be sarcastic.

[Captain Zissou]

Yeah I'm assuming David is being sarcastic as well. We'll never build out our interstates fast enough to "meet demand". The best thing we can do is start looking at other ways to move eople throughout or city.  Joe Fleming Island driving his Ford excursion up 95/295 to his job on Hecksher Drive is a systemic problem that can't be dealt with by adding a lane here and there. Joe could hop a commuter train up 17 to downtown and then transfer to the airport line to the Hecksher station and then handle the last mile by walking or regional shuttle. Not much longer commute for him and he does nothing to impede the commute of others.

[cline]

We're also about to start building toll managed lanes so that Joe Fleming Island can more easily commute on I-295 if he chooses to pay a fee.  Speaking of managed lanes, I wonder if FDOT is considering eventually tolling some of the lanes on the bridge.

[David]

It's hard to see from the "urban core" mentality but there's the rest of the city that needs these roads too.

I am being sarcastic about it being cool, but this is just part of living in a growing city. It happens.

This is an auto-centric city and that's not going to change anytime soon. I'm sure there were similar complaints in Atlanta as the connector grew from 8 to 12, to 16 lanes.

And having lived on both sides of the Jacksonville divide, the "Riverside oh the burbs suck" side and the Burbs "oh the schools are terrible in town" side. I think living in town you forget there's other people in this city who don't have the option of walking, riding a bike or taking a trolley sometimes. They have to rely on their cars. The bridge needs more capacity for the future.

The Buckman bridge carries less traffic and it has 4 lanes. So why not the Fuller Warren?

[Dog Walker]

You cannot build your way out of congestion.  You build it and more people will drive on it.  It has been proven at the very spot where there is congestion now and has been ever since since the first bridge was built in the early 1950's.  It has always been a congestion point and always will be no matter how many lanes they build.  Close lanes and increase the congestion and people will find another route.  Put tolls back on and people will find another route.  Problem solved.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.  FDOT is obviously full of insane people.

[Dog Walker]

David, you chose to live across the river from where you work.  You pay the price for that decision having to put up with a bit of a slow down in your commute.  Don't make everyone else pay the price for you.

[Joe Fleming Island]

How do you guys know the type of vehicle I drive and how long my commute is?

[Bill Hoff]

David, you chose to live across the river from where you work.  You pay the price for that decision having to put up with a bit of a slow down in your commute.  Don't make everyone else pay the price for you.

Amen.

[David]

David, you chose to live across the river from where you work.  You pay the price for that decision having to put up with a bit of a slow down in your commute.  Don't make everyone else pay the price for you.

You're right, I personally contacted the FDOT and said "build more lanes!"

And if the schools didn't suck in Riverside I would live there, but alas they do. So I can't. Not rich enough to do private either.

The reaction to this project surprises me honestly. How much is it really going to change the neighborhood? An office building, a dog park. It's not the end of the world.

My parent's Englewood neighborhood was cut in half by I-95. This isn't so bad.

[Jumpinjack]

How do you guys know the type of vehicle I drive and how long my commute is?

Hey, Joe and welcome to the forum. Seems that you are the butt of many sarcastic remarks. I'm sure some of these smartasez are sorry that they had to pick on you. They don't know anyone else to blame. Personally, I think you are not to blame. Heck, you drive the highways that are provided for you. Most of us forum crawlers do the same but we like to pretend that we all use another form of transportation.