Closer to Hart Bridge ramps coming down

[tufsu1]

^ plans have changed since those that are shown (from April 2019). From what I understand, there are no regular traffic signals - only two corssing signals that are pedestrian activated.

[Charles Hunter]

Besides the current location, where is the other ped crossing?
Seems that removing the signals on the east end will cause traffic and safety problems, especially on event days.

Tangent: Has the City figured out where they will move RV City?

[thelakelander]

Pedestrian activated signals on a high speed roadway are a death trap. Did they not just see what happened on SR A1A in Brevard County over the holidays?

The Sunday crosswalk crash has ignited social media criticism of the Florida Department of Transportation's new SR A1A mid-block crosswalks, where pedestrians push buttons to activate flashing yellow warning lights.

The girl was struck at 5:37 p.m. Sunday by a northbound vehicle near Ellwood Avenue, Satellite Beach police reported in a press release. Mark Nelson said his daughter pressed the button and activated the lights, waited for several cars to pass, then stepped into the crosswalk during a "long gap" before the next car. But the oncoming vehicle did not stop and struck her, he said

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/12/26/satellite-beach-girl-12-dies-christmas-after-a-1-a-crosswalk-crash/2748928001/

[bl8jaxnative]

Speed probably wasn't the issue.   According to FDOT & others data, that crosswalk is in the middle of a stretch of A1A that's set up like the usual STROAD and, worse, even though it's inbetween residential and the beach, goes for nearly 3 miles without a traffic light.   

That is, nothing is creating breaks in the traffic for pedestrians.   Throwing a ped crossing light at it helps but isn't the same. 

https://www.mapillary.com/app/?lat=28.143401369221166&lng=-80.60572908023886&z=13.42964162492902&menu=false&signs=true&detections=true

[MusicMan]

Farah and Farah gotta love it!

[Charles Hunter]

The ramps parallel to Bay Street / Gator Bowl Boulevard will close Saturday, and traffic will be detoured to the Talleyrand ramp and GB Blvd. to get from the Hart Bridge to downtown.

March 30, 2020
This serves as a notification for scheduled road closures of the Hart Bridge elevated Expressway Ramps. These changes are necessary to allow for the removal of the elevated Expressway ramps from A. Phillip Randolph Blvd eastward to the Hart Bridge connection; reconstruction of Gator Bowl Blvd from Hogan's Creek eastward to Talleyrand Ave and construction of the new connections to the remaining elevated Expressway Ramp with new bridge spans over A. Phillip Randolph Blvd and new bridge connection to the Hart Bridge Expressway.

This road closure will begin on April 4, 2020.

These changes are part of the project plan to allow for the demolition of 56 spans of the elevated ramps next to the river. The initial project phase is scheduled to allow for connecting Gator Bowl Blvd to the Hart Bridge.

Please follow the installed detour signage carefully for your safety.

Traffic control devices will be installed for the safety of vehicular and pedestrian traffic as well as safety of the construction crews in the area. Traffic Control Officers will be located at key intersections during peak hours and during lane closures to direct traffic.

The detour to Gator Bowl Blvd. will direct vehicles near the federal COVID-19 testing location at Lot J, but there is no risk to drivers and passengers traveling through.
https://www.coj.net/welcome/news/construction-detour-alert-for-hart-bridge-expressw

[jaxlongtimer]

Tearing these down is questionable on any basis but doing so with no absolute guarantee of Khan's planned developments playing out as he has proposed or a timetable for same is just another example of the City's poor business acumen.

Regardless, given all the urgent needs in our community, prioritizing this project above them amounts to mis-allocating some $50 million of the taxpayers' money.  Jacksonville has repeated the cycle of chasing pots of gold at the end of imaginary rainbows for decades and still hasn't learned its lesson.

[sandyshoes]

Drat.  I tried to paste the Lucky Charms leprechaun here but it didn't work. 

[heights unknown]

LOLOL...now that we're in a semi-depression, and a firm recession, I don't think anything planned or proposed will happen. I think they should just leave them up until further notice.

[Snaketoz]

They should leave them up until Kahn gets a building permit, and starts moving soil. Duh!

[heights unknown]

They should leave them up until Kahn gets a building permit, and starts moving soil. Duh!

LOLOL...that's their call; they've got the moula (money) and other resources to do what you said...DUH!

[sandyshoes]

Snaketoz, #24:  are u serious, Khan really does not have a building permit yet?  If so, how can COJ even think about tearing down ramps?

[Charles Hunter]

sandy - the deal for Lot J subsidy* has not even been sent to City Council yet

* the City and Khan call it "incentives" or "public-private partnership", but it is what it is, a quarter-billion dollar (at least) public subsidy of a private development

[Bativac]

Snaketoz, #24:  are u serious, Khan really does not have a building permit yet?  If so, how can COJ even think about tearing down ramps?

........You must be new to Jacksonville.

[thelakelander]

I wonder if coronavirus screws with the numbers Curry's budget numbers? With the JEA fallout and then COVID-19, the future budget has taken a couple of devastating uppercuts.