The First Coast Expressway Takes Shape

[Kerry]

I just don't understand why people continue to want to live with long commutes and the traffic that comes with them.  Is their personal/family time not worth anything to them?

[coredumped]

I just don't understand why people continue to want to live with long commutes and the traffic that comes with them.  Is their personal/family time not worth anything to them?

I agree, but I think it's a snowball effect. People don't want to live where the property values are low and there's blight, so they move out, which causes low property values and blight.

[spuwho]

I drove the FCE ROW today to see not only the current construction underway, but traversed through Asbury, Green Cove and where the proposed routes east of the river are projected to go.

FCE south of the Duval/Clay line is moving along very quickly but other than the span at New World, not as far along in Duval.

I also noticed that FDOT contractors have already started the 9B extension from Race Track to St Johns Parkway. Tree removal appears to be in progess and I saw other clearing equipment being staged.

[Know Growth]

 The roadway concept took shape decades ago. Driven by Booster Development aspirations.

Federal US Army Corps of Engineers Colonel Joe Miller called me the day of Brannon Chaffee grand opening,to apologize. He would later cycle to City Of Jacksonville Delaney Administration Public Works Director-for a short time. Mayor Delaney's hand is solidly placed on key Brannon Chaffee permitting process, an acknowledged key Beltway link,even though permitting parameters assumed 'stand alone' project.

The Clay mantra is- skip Duval and the 'commute'. Live and work in Clay.

See Brannon Chaffee Sector Plan,Lake Asbury Sector Plan for hint to project "Driver",future Growth.  Genesis Planning Group centrally involved either as County selected agent (BC)....or land owner representative (LA). Clay county Planner(s) cycling through the department an interesting story in itself. But who really cares? 

(There were two attempts at Lake Asbury Sector Plan- the first nearly ended up in effective citizen opposition to the Beltway,the entire process put in "time out" for a period)

I personally harbored many concerns, opposition arguments,along with certain "Justice" aspects relating to the erroneous, and fantastically successful promotions of a future Brannon/Chaffee (beltway) as an "Alternate" to Blanding Blvd..,congestion relief.

In the end,via the Florida Wildlife Federation I was able to muster realignment out of the Ravines Conservation Area.The roadway alignment is gerrymandered quite a bit from it's original graceful ark through Reinhold Corp. lands envisioned in the 1973 Clay Local Government Act future roadways map.

And I also warn some as to what the future landscape would be,even though their 'conservative' County Commission friends were telling them,"Don't worry about it,it's twenty years down the road."For some,the insight has proven priceless.

No doubt,when built,others will flock!

Down the road!!  Perhaps the most controversial Beltway sections can be named in honor of Mayor Delaney. The Beltway experience may have decidedly dashed John Delaney's future political aspirations.