FDOT finds $120 million: Fuller Warren to be widened

[David]

Yes, I'm usually barreling through Atlanta late at night, very early in the morning or on the weekends. I know better than to attempt that drive up I-75/85 between 7am-8pm. 

Up there, If you're only doing 80 you get ran over. Atlanta drivers are very entertaining to watch.

[spuwho]

Yes, I'm usually barreling through Atlanta late at night, very early in the morning or on the weekends. I know better than to attempt that drive up I-75/85 between 7am-8pm. 

Up there, If you're only doing 80 you get ran over. Atlanta drivers are very entertaining to watch.

For me the most successful driving through Atlanta is to time it for 10:30AM on Sunday. People are either asleep or at church.  No traffic. I zoom right through downtown in no time.

[ricker]

Earlier today I very slowly drove, then parked, walked and photographed the areas of James St and Lenox in North Riverside which stand to be razed if the flyover intended to further eliminate last minute lane changes from SanMarco to Roosevelt becomes reality.  One singular historically valuable home may be lost if not moved.  Other properties appear noncontributing or have been severely altered beyond relevance to preservation.  I am not for decimation of human scale or the "quiet enjoyment" of one's property, however this is not the true definition of that terminology as concerns fee simple bundle of rights.  Several individuals stand to be what some may consider handsomely compensated for their relocation and inconvenience.  And again, as has been pointed out already in the comments above, very little unimproved land is being consumed by this expansion.

While I do loathe wonton waste of tax dollars in all forms, I do love abundant safety measures fully implemented.  I adore sidewalks, crosswalks, lower speed limits, road diets, pedestrian biased infrastructure and any encouragement to bike instead of drive, and I applaud efforts to accommodate the vehicular movements of local and non resident motorists, travelers, delivery drivers, et al accessing both sides of the river in this rarefied transcontinental junction.

I learned today that none of this recent release of information actually qualifies as news, which may come as no surprise to many readers and some posters here (as I am rarely the first to know anything).  Once I peeled my peepers and looked at the undersides of much of the structure of the elevated portions of I-10 it became apparent that many vertical members were designed to receive future horizontal supports for expanded road deck.  I was told that this Flyover has been repeatedly proposed since before the creation of the retention pond along I-10 immediately west of the Roosevelt/I-10 connector.

I have been making and taking calls to and from friends and contacts in and near Tally, and feel that if there is no stopping this widening of the Fuller Warren and the flyover to Roosevelt, we can at least and therefore must band together and prevail upon the DOT and see the inclusion of multi-use paths in each direction over the bridge at minimum and seek a permanent reduced speed zone surrounding the interchange to assist in the reduction of the constant noise in order to attempt to add to the many ways some of us strive to preserve and enhance the relative quality of life enjoyed by residents of Riverside and Murray Hill.
Please join in the collective voice.

Kay, passionately dedicated sweetheart bulldog that you are, please do not misunderstand my leanings in this matter.  For I too - from my home, two blocks from yours, hear the nonstop waterfall-like rush of the traffic noise from the most interior portion of my property at any hour day and night, but I also like the roar of the trains.  I understand that soundwalls do nothing to mitigate the noise generated by vehicles on flyovers, which is why I asked about the possibility of us adding a permanent maximum speed limit reduction in this zone east of Luna, along with the multi-use paths over the bridge, to our most reasonable list of must haves.

When we spoke on your porch last time I knocked, this is what I needed to ask of you.
You asked me to email you and I just simply could not cull enough details until a somewhat later date.
Well, now, this is later.
Can we work together?   

[ricker]

Field, Mike - please do not succumb to the repeated fear mongering.
You have enough going on for which many of us are all moved and quite thankful!

Could you share your contact who told you RAM would be out of commission!
THIS CANNOT HAPPEN! 

Because of the project limits and scheduled phases, likely the Dog Park site location is THANKFULLY also an inconvenient place for heavy equipment and supplies storage for this Project, (WHEW) and there exist at least two other sizeable parcels nearer to the proposed flyover which are already large lighted fenced lots with minimal overhead trees / lines.
Like James, Lenox, and the lot at the T intersection of Crystal.  I doubt RAM will close, at all.

How about storing and staging equipment at Annie Lytle once the school is fully sealed and mothballed?
This might allow for the fencing and outdoor lighting to be restored and the site monitored regularly..?
WIN-WIN??

As concerns the bridge widening, the underside of the eastern end will remain home to construction vehicles and equipment for some time as I was told.  I read a special converted previous warship with an unusually mounted crane retrofit would be a possibility for placement of some materials for the road deck.  Surely this could allow even a cantilevered system of walkways to be securely attached to the widened bridge so that our most basic human ability to amble could be safely and responsibly provided.

IF we cannot stop any of the flyover or widening from happening let's at least stay on top of pushing for protected, separated bike and ped lanes, and maintain our outreach to continually improve upon the WHY and HOW we and our neighbors choose Riverside, Downtown, by finding sites for the DOT to use during the project to keep Lackawanna and Forest Parks open regardless of scope.

And again, please email the DOT, the mayor, your council person, MHPA, RAP and your State Rep to raise awareness for the absolute NEED for bike and ped connections to be included if any of this is to be done at all ever (reference the numerous photo evidence and bridge locations displayed above - many examples - thanks to the distinguished Mr.Ennis Davis)   

We CAN do this!


I understand we now currently have Road Rangers if your vehicle stalls or you crash.
Some have AAA or factory+dealership supplied road side service.
Many drivers have a similar service through their insurance provider.

BUT.
What happens when your cell phone dies and you cannot call?
Or, what if you are the victim of a hit and run and you cannot find your phone?

If you simply need to walk off the bridge, a safe way to do so seems necessary.
More Lanes, more cars, possibly increased chance you may end up needing to actually walk off the bridge one day - it is the most highly traveled crossing.
If the State DoT is worried about pedestrians throwing items at cars or some such trivial garbage, there are ways to protect BOTH the motorists AND the users of the barricaded multi-use lane, CHAINLINK TUNNEL!

[jaxjags]

I have already emailed FDOT requesting the bridge bike/ped "lanes". I encourage other to do the same. It only takes a minute.

[Kay]

What if we don't want the highway expanded any more into our neighborhood?

[thelakelander]

What if the operational improvements can be made without the highway being expanded into the neighborhood?

[Kay]

What if we don't want the highway expanded any more into our neighborhood?

Then we are going to have to band together to make something different happen.

Working on a plan of action.

[Kay]

What if the operational improvements can be made without the highway being expanded into the neighborhood?

This may be a good compromise.

[Dog Walker]

They won't do that because it wouldn't spend all $136 million dollars.  Too cheap a solution and we would still have a couple of years of nighttime construction to endure.

[thelakelander]

How do you know the money couldn't be spent?  All that's been done to date is one conceptual sketch of how to resolve the operational problem. Speaking from experience in this particular industry, there are multiple ways to skin the cat and improve the community in the process (on FDOT's dime). Plans are in the works.

[Dog Walker]

I was being cynical and sarcastic, Lake.  Apologies.  FDOT has that effect on me.

The ad-hoc group that you are part of could out plan the FDOT clowns any day.  Probably way more years of experience there than in Lake City.  Look forward to the alternatives that are developed by your group. 

[Timkin]

Just the letters FDOT give me a headache

[SightseerLounge]

After all of this construction, nothing will be done about the death maneuvers that have to be performed after getting on the Fuller Warren from San Marco to get to I-95 North during Rush Hour! Its not worth life and limb to try to prove how tough I am as a driver, so I get off at Park!
I'll get on I-95 North at Forest! I've had to go I-10 West from Forest to get to Roosevelt! That single lane after the merge takes me right to Roosevelt Blvd!

If I am coming over the I-95N to I-10W flyover, and there is a wall of cars from I-95S, then I'll get off at McDuff! It is just not worth the trouble to try to muscle my way over to Roosevelt Blvd.

It takes a few more minutes, but I still get to where I am going!

Most people won't do that! Routines are hard to break, and the majority of people won't give up the "convenience" of going "straight" home!

A lot of those people don't give a Damn if it rips up the Arts Market, or they don't care if it kills a dog park! If the bridge widening will get them to wherever they are going a little faster,  ("Suburban" Hell) then they will be all for it happening!

[SightseerLounge]

The real problem is the way that the roads were built coming from Clay County! There are only two main ways from Clay to the Fuller Warren: Blanding and Roosevelt! When Blanding runs into Roosevelt, then all of that traffic goes into US 17! That mythical bridge from Timuquana to JTB would alleviate some of the pressure off of the Fuller Warren!

Of course, that would make new traffic problems, but everyone would benefit from another option! Politics don't work like that! Commuter rail would also give another option to commuters! How about some river ferries?

Look how long it took the FDOT took to start SunRail!

I could go into the "conspiracy" of oil, highway, and the automobile, but that has already been established!

A saying that I have been saying for a while is: "If it makes sense, they won't do it!"

Then, again, it does make sense! There is too much money involved in having an autocentric community with no balance! Someone is going too make money off of this construction! Insurance, car maintenance, registration, licensing, etc...this is just too much to give up!

FOLLOW THE MONEY! Who is profiting off of this project? This is America in general! It's going to be like the FDR in NYC: Always under construction!

I-4 in Orlando will be widened to Southern Cal standards! Blanding will be ten lanes wide! It's not the roads that I am annoyed with right now! The over building and lack of balance between modes is a cause for concern! The Fuller Warren bridge widening is an example of that!

Miami and Orlando have had to acknowledge that the big construction projects on their major thoroughfares have to have an alternative! Jacksonville could be ahead of the game!

Follow the money!