Bikes & Pedestrians On The Fuller Warren Bridge?

[mtraininjax]

The bike/ped connection needs to be the first idea out of the gate if we're even going to consider this project.

Agreed, but RAP and the hush-hush groups in town will most likely try and kill the project before we ever see if it has a bike/ped connection.

[Dog Walker]

There are a whole bunch of us in Riverside who are trying to kill this unnecessary and intrusive project.  Nothing hush-hush about it.  We're going to be yelling at every possible time and to anyone who can help us kill this thing.

FDOT has completely cooked up the reasons for this because they don't won't to lose money that was allocated for another project that has been cancelled.  They have gone completely outside of the normal planning process and had never even hinted at the need for it in any of the regular channels.  If there had been major problems with the new interchange and the new bridge they would have been talking about it long before now.

[tufsu1]

^ that said,many of these same people also understand that compromise may be necessary...and so yes, the bike path idea is being discussed.

[thelakelander]

Speaking of FDOT and road widening projects, the pork is being fed statewide.  I took US 27 from Central Florida to Miami earlier today.  In little Clewiston, FDOT D1 is wrapping up construction on a massive full blown interchange on US 27 at SR 80, in the middle of sugar cane fields.



Total overkill.....

I snapped some pics while driving from Miami to Lakeland earlier today. Total overkill....

[Jax Bike Coalition]

**reposting for posterity**

I just hope that they even consider pedestrian/bicycle infrastructure when they do follow through with this widening project. Especially since the old Fuller Warren would've made a PERFECT Pedestrian Bridge but now is a sunken man-made reef...It's the only way to shrink our vast city and to FINALLY connect San Marco with Riverside directly. I used to cycle over The Fuller daily while living in San Marco and it was truly a breeze of a commute, but nowadays with the widening project they have taken away most of the shoulder that I told myself was somewhat safe to travel over in three minutes instead of adding twenty extra minutes trekking over The Acosta...


Just figured that this point should be raised in regards to actually being useful to ALL types of transportation, not just for the automobiles...of course I am living in my hometown of Car Town USA just based upon distance(s) citizens must commute daily, but for those of use living within the urban core who will be impacted by this project most I think it's something to consider...At least it would help all sides since we all know it'll come to fruition and put pocket change ins someone's back pocket

[David]

FDOT looks pretty intent on shooting down any possible bike lanes or pedestrian walkways:

Bullet Points addressing the request for Bike Lanes to be
added to the Fuller Warren Bridge as part of the I-10/I-95
Operational Improvement Project
Florida Statute 316.091prohibits bikes on the roadway or along the shoulder, including bridges, on limited access facilities; interstate highways.
Exception:
Projects selected for Pilot Project.
Criteria for Pilot Project:
•   Must cross a water body
•   No other street or highway crossing available for 2 miles from the entrance of the Limited Access Facility
Pilot Project Implementation specified in statute
•   Three projects selected by October 1, 2012.
•   Must begin pilot project by March 1, 2013.
•   Must conduct pilot project for 2 years.
•   Must submit report of findings and recommendations by Sept. 1, 2015
Current Project:
•   Acosta Bridge entrance is within 1 mile on the north end of project
•   Acosta Bridge entrance is within 0.25 mile on the south end of project.

Conclusion:

The addition of bikes lanes cannot be considered for inclusion on this project as per Florida Statutes. It also cannot be considered for the pilot project as the requirements for selecting and implementing have already passed, nor would the Fuller Warren Bridge have qualified as a pilot project due to the close proximity of the Acosta Bridge.

The 2013 Florida Statutes
TitLe XXIII   Chapter 316   View Entire Chapter
MOTOR VEHICLES   STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL
316.091   Limited access facilities; interstate highways; use restricted.—
(1)   No person shaLL drive a vehicLe onto or from any limited access roadway except at such entrances and exits as are estabLished by public authority.
(2)   Except as provided herein, no person shall operate upon a limited access facility any bicycle, motor-driven cycle, animal-drawn vehicLe, or any other vehicle which by its design or condition is incompatibLe with the safe and expedient movement of traffic.
(3)   No person shall ride any animal upon any portion of a limited access faciLity.
(4)   No person shall operate a bicycLe or other human-powered vehicle on the roadway or aLong the shouLder of a

Limited access highway, incLuding bridges, unless   officia signs and a designated, marked bicycle lane are present at the

entrance of the section of highway indicating that such use is permitted pursuant to a pilot program of the Department
      
of Transportation.      

(5) The Department of Transportation and expressway authorities are authorized to designate use of shoulders of Limited access faciLities and interstate highways under their jurisdiction for such vehicuLar traffic determined to improve safety, reliability, and transportation system efficiency. Appropriate traffic signs or dynamic Lane control signals shall be erected aLong those portions of the facility affected to give notice to the pubLic of the action to be taken, clearly indicating when the shoulder is open to designated vehicular traffic. This section may not be deemed to authorize such designation in violation of any federal law or any covenant established in a resolution or trust indenture relating to the issuance of turnpike bonds, expressway authority bonds, or other bonds.
(6) The Department of Transportation shall establish a 2-year pilot program, in three separate urban areas, in which it shall erect signs and designate marked bicycLe Lanes indicating highway approaches and bridge segments of limited access highways as open to use by operators of bicycles and other human -powered vehicles, under the following conditions:
(a) The Limited access highway approaches and bridge segments chosen must cross a river, Lake, bay, inlet, or surface
water where no street or highway crossing the water body is availabLe for use within 2 miles of the entrance to the
limited access faciLity measured along the shortest pubLic right-of-way.
(b)   The Department of Transportation, with the concurrence of the Federal Highway Administration on the interstate faciLities, shall establish the three highway approaches and bridge segments for the pilot project by October 1, 2012. In selecting the highway approaches and bridge segments, the Department of Transportation shall consider, without limitation, a minimum size of popuLation in the urban area within 5 miles of the highway approach and bridge segment, the lack of bicycLe access by other means, cost, safety, and operationaL impacts.
(c)   The Department of Transportation shall begin the piLot program by erecting signs and designating marked bicycle Lanes indicating highway approaches and bridge segments of Limited access highways, as quaLified by the conditions described in this subsection, as open to use by operators of bicycles and other human-powered vehicles no later than March 1, 2013.
(d)   The Department of Transportation shall conduct the pilot program for a minimum of 2 years foLLowing the implementation date.
(e)   The Department of Transportation shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations from the pilot program to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by September 1, 2015. The report shall include, at a minimum, bicycle crash data occurring in the designated segments of the pilot program, usage by operators of bicycLes and other human-powered vehicLes, enforcement issues, operational impacts, and the cost of the pilot program.
(7) A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, punishabLe as a moving violation as provided in chapter 318.

[fieldafm]

With all due respect for bike lanes (if FDOT cared about bike lanes, they could spend the $100mm + on bike facilities on roadways they are responsible for in Duval County... you know, to 'keep the money in Jacksonville')... they shouldnt expand the f'ing roadway and destroy homes, business, parks and the Riverside Arts Market in the process in the first place.


This is one of the most egregious, wasteful and criminal acts in the history of taxpayer dollars by FDOT (the same people who refuse to fund the Mayport Ferry, instead they will use the money to build toll roads in the middle of Oakleaf/Westside AKA the middle of nowhere).

F@ck FDOT, and f@ck this project!!!

[thelakelander]

David, nobody should be asking for bike LANES. The proper terminology is a barrier separated PATH. They are two completely different things in reality and state statutes.

[thelakelander]

Field, from what I've heard, their latest plan expands the roadway within existing ROW by reducing shoulder and lane widths in certain areas. However, they will still need to add pilings into the river to widen the bridge there.

[tufsu1]

A physically separated multi-use path is what folks should be asking for. There is nothing in FDOT's standards that prohibit these and FDOT has built them on limited access highways throughout the state.

[Lunican]

The Acosta bridge has a sidewalk and a shoulder. No official bike lane.

[David]

David, nobody should be asking for bike LANES. The proper terminology is a barrier separated PATH. They are two completely different things in reality and state statutes.

Tell that to FDOT during next Monday's meeting. I'm just copying and pasting what was in their memo.

It's Feburary 10th 4:30-6:30 pm @ Riverside Park United Methodist church.

[Jumpinjack]

With all due respect for bike lanes (if FDOT cared about bike lanes, they could spend the $100mm + on bike facilities on roadways they are responsible for in Duval County... you know, to 'keep the money in Jacksonville')... they shouldnt expand the f'ing roadway and destroy homes, business, parks and the Riverside Arts Market in the process in the first place.
This is one of the most egregious, wasteful and criminal acts in the history of taxpayer dollars by FDOT (the same people who refuse to fund the Mayport Ferry, instead they will use the money to build toll roads in the middle of Oakleaf/Westside AKA the middle of nowhere).

F@ck FDOT, and f@ck this project!!!

Completely agree with the comment and sentiment here as this idiotic scheme will also affect my home which sits on the edge of this stupid project. This bloated highway project has not one justification in terms of planned traffic relief. The regional TPO, the Council, the residents never heard of it until BAM!  Are all you screaming taxpayer groups who complain about every wasted tax dollar really such hypocrites when it comes to highway scams?

[thelakelander]

Tell that to FDOT during next Monday's meeting. I'm just copying and pasting what was in their memo.

It's Feburary 10th 4:30-6:30 pm @ Riverside Park United Methodist church.

^It's already being explained in public, will be mentioned at FDOT's meeting on Monday and shared with media venues and key stakeholders throughout the city!

FDOT looks pretty intent on shooting down any possible bike lanes or pedestrian walkways:

Bullet Points addressing the request for Bike Lanes to be
added to the Fuller Warren Bridge as part of the I-10/I-95
Operational Improvement Project
Florida Statute 316.091prohibits bikes on the roadway or along the shoulder, including bridges, on limited access facilities; interstate highways.
Exception:
Projects selected for Pilot Project.
Criteria for Pilot Project:
•   Must cross a water body
•   No other street or highway crossing available for 2 miles from the entrance of the Limited Access Facility
Pilot Project Implementation specified in statute
•   Three projects selected by October 1, 2012.
•   Must begin pilot project by March 1, 2013.
•   Must conduct pilot project for 2 years.
•   Must submit report of findings and recommendations by Sept. 1, 2015
Current Project:
•   Acosta Bridge entrance is within 1 mile on the north end of project
•   Acosta Bridge entrance is within 0.25 mile on the south end of project.

Conclusion:

The addition of bikes lanes cannot be considered for inclusion on this project as per Florida Statutes. It also cannot be considered for the pilot project as the requirements for selecting and implementing have already passed, nor would the Fuller Warren Bridge have qualified as a pilot project due to the close proximity of the Acosta Bridge.

A few examples separated multi-use paths (not bike lanes) on limited access facilities throughout the state....

SR 60/Veterans Expressway near Tampa International Airport

Look at the jet. The path parallels the freeway's south side.


You can see it to the right of this elevated ramp.


Here is another shot. You can see the physically separated (in this shot, it's a fence) multi-use path on the right.


SR 589/Suncoast Parkway


You can see the separated multi-use path on the left. It actually uses the same bridge structure to cross wetlands and waterways. This situation is basically identical to what could be a part of the Fuller Warren project.


Here's a street level shot. Look on the right and you'll see two cyclist.

Interstate 195 in Miami

Here's a shot of one of the limited access highways in the pilot program the FDOT memo refers to. The pilot program allows bikers to ride on the actual Interstate's shoulders, similar to if they were bike LANES. No one is asking for that in Jacksonville at the moment from what I can tell.



As Ock has said many times in these discussion boards, don't let FDOT D2 insult your intelligence by peeing on your leg and telling you it's raining.

[Jumpinjack]

Here's how the Dutch do it: http://hovenring.com/