Main St. Bridge: Repurpose? Replace?

[Steve]

And that's why it's just safer to take the few extra minutes and just used the Acosta or better yet the new Fuller Warren path once completed.

On a bike, if the most convenient thing is the Main Street Bridge, even the Acosta is quite a few "extra minutes"...nevermind the Fuller Warren. There has to be a way to make this work, if they wanted to.

[jaxlongtimer]

And that's why it's just safer to take the few extra minutes and just used the Acosta or better yet the new Fuller Warren path once completed.

On a bike, if the most convenient thing is the Main Street Bridge, even the Acosta is quite a few "extra minutes"...nevermind the Fuller Warren. There has to be a way to make this work, if they wanted to.

Not to mention the grade on the Main Street bridge is a lot more tolerable than any other bridge given its lower roadway elevation.  !

It was fun to walk over the bridge when they closed it to traffic and made it pedestrian only (thousands were on it at peak times) during the Super Bowl.  I still think they should do that at least once a month tied to a Bay Street fair as was done then.  Could really help Downtown and would cost next to nothing to produce.  But again, sadly, our City has no imagination so I am I not surprised it doesn't happen.

[Charles Hunter]

JaxJerseylicious' comment reminds me that a metal plate covering the grating may not be much safer for bikes than the open grate - metal gets slick in the rain and in the morning dew or foggy conditions.  Probably should look at the material FDOT used to replace the open grate on the Mathews Bridge a few years ago.

[sandyshoes]

LOVE the idea of street fairs w/the MSB closed off to vehicles.  As far as the safety issue, besides people opting to obey speed limits (it does seem an option, to some - ) when that bridge was built no one manufactured behemoth family vehicles (dually trucks, Hummers) with all that extra width.  So it can be a little concerning to wonder if you're going to get swiped off the bridge into the river.  But, being Jacksonville, let's just tear that sucker down and plant a hydroponic sod bed in the river - it'll be The Mother of All Greenspace.   

[Charles Hunter]

From FDOT

Daytime Closures Planned on Main Street Bridge Next Week
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Motorists can expect daytime closures of the Main Street Bridge in downtown Jacksonville Monday, December 14 through Thursday, December 17. The closures will take place daily between the hours of 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. for routine maintenance. Drivers will be detoured to the Acosta Bridge; marine traffic will not be impacted by the closures.
The closure of the bridge is necessary for routine maintenance activities, which include replacing rivets under the machinery room, replacing camera cables, routine welding of the deck grating, replacing seals in operating drums, and miscellaneous spot painting.
The Florida Department of Transportation has a robust bridge maintenance program that protects taxpayer investments and ensures the structures receive preventative maintenance to extend the life of their investment.
The Main Street Bridge is a vertical lift bridge and is raised and lowered more than 1,400 times a year.
Stay informed about lane closures and roadwork in your area by following FDOT District 2 at @MyFDOT_NEFL on Twitter or at MyFDOTNEFL on Facebook.
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I could not find how much this project costs. Probably just built into their bridge maintenance budget.

[Ken_FSU]

From FDOT

Daytime Closures Planned on Main Street Bridge Next Week
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Motorists can expect daytime closures of the Main Street Bridge in downtown Jacksonville Monday, December 14 through Thursday, December 17. The closures will take place daily between the hours of 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. for routine maintenance. Drivers will be detoured to the Acosta Bridge; marine traffic will not be impacted by the closures.
The closure of the bridge is necessary for routine maintenance activities, which include replacing rivets under the machinery room, replacing camera cables, routine welding of the deck grating, replacing seals in operating drums, and miscellaneous spot painting.
The Florida Department of Transportation has a robust bridge maintenance program that protects taxpayer investments and ensures the structures receive preventative maintenance to extend the life of their investment.
The Main Street Bridge is a vertical lift bridge and is raised and lowered more than 1,400 times a year.
Stay informed about lane closures and roadwork in your area by following FDOT District 2 at @MyFDOT_NEFL on Twitter or at MyFDOTNEFL on Facebook.
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I could not find how much this project costs. Probably just built into their bridge maintenance budget.

Thanks for the heads up, Charles!

Took a different route in this morning because of this post.