Jacksonville P&C Discussion Thread

[bobliocatt]

Well the downtown bridge lights are officially up and running now. Here are some pics from today's paper.

Hart Bridge

Main Street Bridge

[Urban_Legend]

Those bridges look awesome! I was hoping to see some pics, and I think they look incredible!

[Fruit Cove]

welcome to miami.

[JaxInvestor]

welcome to miami.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

huh?

[Urban_Legend]

^I was about to say the same thing, lol.

BTW, I love this new region-specific stickies at the top of our forum! It'll help make things a little more organized.

[wolfdawg54]

^I was about to say the same thing, lol.

BTW, I love this new region-specific stickies at the top of our forum!  It'll help make things a little more organized.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. It looks great! Kudos to Lakelander and Sunshine or whoever accomplished this!

[Fruit Cove]

huh?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

meaning it looks as if it belongs in miami. i like the lighting a lot though.

[vicupstate]

Not sure which building this is, but the price was a about $100 a sq. ft.

Southern Eye Institute moving Downtown

The Southern Eye Institute of Jacksonville has bought a 5,700-square-foot office in the Legal Arts Building on North Ocean Street Downtown. The Institute paid $566,500 for the building.

The 25-year-old Institute will be moving out of its space in the Shands complex on Eighth Street after Shands declined to renew its lease, said Southern Eye Institute office manager Melissa Harris.

Harris said the Institute, which is led by Dr. Stuart Feldman, found out in March that its lease would not be renewed and was looking for something in the same general area.

"We've been practicing for 25 years and we've been in the same location for 25 years," Harris said. "We wanted to stay in the same zip code or close to it, and we also wanted a place that would attract new clients."

Harris said the Institute hopes to move into the new location next month after some minor renovations to what had been law offices.

[Urban_Legend]

Some news from the Daily Record:

[bobliocatt]

^I don't understand why its taking so long to enclose the Laura Street Trio. That should have been the first thing done when they took over. How difficult is it to place plywood up where windows used to be, to help show the decaying of these buildings, while new plans are developed?

[urban addict 20324]

That's quite a massive undertaking for Jacksonville, but like San Diego, it's a downtown it boom. Some of these skyscraper projects should be organized into a highrise neighborhood plan; that would really give Jacksonville's skyline a boost.

[merlin]

^I don't understand why its taking so long to enclose the Laura Street Trio.  That should have been the first thing done when they took over.  How difficult is it to place plywood up where windows used to be, to help show the decaying of these buildings, while new plans are developed?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I somewhat agree. however everything in there so rotten and decayed already, plus boarding it up only make the mold and mildew issue that much worse because then there wouldnt be the air movement through there. Also, unless the plywood is properly detailed and installed, the water would sheet down the face of the plywood and into the building still.

And for the marble bank. Fixing the skylight first is like putting a bandaid on a compound fracture. It really needs a new skylight and probably new roof. Not to mention the 4 feet of water in the basement.

[vandiver49]

Hi everyone. I'm new to JAX and new to this forum. Though not an expert in transit, I make it a hobby to study different cities problems and what would be the best solution. As many have already expressed, commuter rail seems as though it would be an easy system to impliment here.

My only question right now is are there place to replace the Mathew's Bridge...its a nightmare to travel

[bobliocatt]

Welcome to the forum. If you don't mind me asking, where did you relocate from? Luckily there are plans to replace and expand the Matthews Bridge. One option is to tear the entire thing down and build a new 8 lane bridge. The other option is to build a new bridge for westbound traffic, and renovate the existing bridge for eastbound traffic. Unfortunately, the bridge has to compete with another need bridge over the St. Johns river, in Clay County.

[wolfdawg54]

My opinion about it is that we should renovate the bridge because of its unique design, including ditching the steel grating. Then, we shoudl build a twin right next door to it. That would be cool. Oh and light it up too!

[bobliocatt]

I agree, I'd like to see the old Matthews Bridge remain also. I believe Jax's remaining truss bridges provide Jax with an urban waterfront setting that's pretty rare in the South. However, I think some form of steel grating will have to remain, because the old truss structure can't support the extra weight that a concrete deck would add.

[vandiver49]

Lakelander, I relocated from the Hampton Roads area (a dead giveaway as to what my job is)

And after doing some research, I found JTA plans for the new bridge;New Mathews Bridge I think the best plan (an coincidently the cheapest) would be to keep the old span, reserving it for light rail/buses and open a new 8 lane bridge next to it. (Bridges are notoriously expensive to tear down)

Also, I love the fact that JAX/Duval county cover the same area. It seems as though its easier to get a ton of construction projects implimented.

DWTN JAX location on the STJ is wonderful, I can't wait until it get a couple more skyscapers on both sides of the waterfront, its going to be an amazing view. (though it would be nice if they could remove the railroad crossing, I know they can't but is it really used that much)

Though I'm not familiar with the areas entire traffic woes the areas I think need definate improvement are:

- 1-95/I-10 interchange (it looked like that was being planned funding run out)

- Travel to the beaches (Atlantic, Beach and JTB aren't nearly enough to service that area)

- A more direct connection from the Hart and Mathews Bridges to I-95 (I got lost everytime when they dumped off in DWTN until I discovered the MLK freeway)

[wolfdawg54]

Well welcome to the forum Vandiver. First of all, that is a really neat site on the Matthews bridge. Also, there is another road to the beaches on the northern side that is supposed to reduce base traffic called Wonderwood. It is not completed all of the way yet but can be used. It is not too bad from the Matthews to 95 becuase all you have to do is go straight from the bridge and you will reach it in a couple of miles. The Hart would be difficult in my opinion because it dumps off on smaller, tree-lined streets that would be diffult to really widen, due to some historic churches, such as the St. John's Cathedral. You are definitely right about I-10 and 95 interchange though.

[bobliocatt]

Work on Big Interchange could be a big headache

By DAVID BAUERLEIN

The Times-Union

The Big I.

That's what the state Department of Transportation calls the upcoming, six-year construction of a "Big Interchange" at Interstates 95 and 10, immediately north of the Fuller Warren Bridge in Jacksonville.

Consisting of 17 interwoven bridges, the Big I will be the most expensive and time-consuming job the state's ever done in Jacksonville, DOT spokesman Mike Goldman said. Orange barrels and workers in hard hats will start showing up after the Super Bowl on Feb. 6.

Motorists might have another name for the massive effort.

The Big Irritant, or Big Indigestion.

"My first reaction is, 'Lord, help us,'" Ann Kovacs of the Westside said as she looked at a computer illustration showing what the interchange will look like when finished. Kovacs commutes daily through the interchange to her downtown job. "I know we need an improvement there, but I don't know if this is the answer. I just can't tell."

Nighttime drivers will feel the brunt of the construction. To minimize the impact during the day, when traffic is heaviest, the DOT will let the contractor close lanes and set up detours only from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Reopening all lanes by 5 a.m. will be critical to avoiding traffic headaches at the interchange, which is the busiest junction in Northeast Florida, Goldman said.

But even concentrating the most disruptive construction at night, motorists can expect some slowdowns the rest of the day because of traffic shifts and rubbernecking, Goldman said.

The interchange is one of two projects on I-95 that will get rolling after the final whistle blows for Super Bowl XXXIX. The state also will start widening I-95 from Lem Turner Road to Heckscher Drive, including a new six-lane Trout River Bridge. The DOT is waiting until after the Super Bowl so roadwork won't add confusion for the 100,000 visitors expected for the game and related events.

On Monday, the state will have an open house to answer questions about the interchange. The session will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the department's Jacksonville office, 2250 Irene St.

On Tuesday, an open house will cover the I-95 widening and new Trout River Bridge. The meeting will be in the social hall at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 1429 Broward Road.

The contract for widening I-95 will begin in either mid-February or early March, depending on how fast the DOT gets some needed permits, Goldman said.

The total cost for design, rights of way, construction and construction management is about $206 million. Archer Western Contractors submitted the low bid for construction and won a $149 million contract to build the interchange.

The six-year schedule for construction is based on Archer Western working six days a week. The interchange to be replaced was built in the 1950s by the Jacksonville Expressway Authority, which today is known as the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.

After it was built as part of a cross-city expressway, the federal government made the interchange part of the interstate highway system. Rising traffic over the years has swamped the interchange, earning it the nickname "Malfunction Junction" from drivers.

The interchange has its share of accidents, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Bill Leeper said.

"All of a sudden, when you realize you're in the wrong lane, that's when it causes problems," Leeper said.

Goldman said the new interchange will cut down on the amount of weaving and merging that occurs because the bigger interchange will have separate bridges and ramps for motorists who are making local trips. That will keep local traffic separate from drivers coming through Jacksonville on longer trips, such as truck drivers and tourists.

When the Big I is finished, it will provide a new entry point to downtown via Forest Street, which goes to Riverside Avenue.

Two locations for existing ramps at I-95 will close during the project.

In the spring, the state will close the on-ramp and off-ramp at northbound I-95 and McCoys Creek Boulevard, near Myrtle Avenue. About 2008, the off-ramp from southbound I-95 to Margaret Street will permanently close.

Also, the southbound I-95 exit to Stockton Street will close in late 2005 and remain closed for three to four years. While it's closed, the state will build a temporary exit ramp at Forest Street.

In comparison to the Big I, the construction of a new Trout River Bridge will be done in about three years, according to the state's timetable. Hal Jones Contractor won the $53.4 million construction contract, and the completion schedule is based on six-day work weeks.

In past meetings, residents living along I-95 have called for a noise barrier wall to muffle the sound of passing traffic. Goldman said the state has no plans to build such a wall as part of the widening work.

Lane closures for widening I-95 will only be allowed from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. weekdays, Goldman said. He said the state will restrict noisy pile driving for the bridge to weekdays. No pile driving will be allowed from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. or at any time on weekends and public holidays, he said.

The state won't have a total ban on nighttime pile driving for the new interchange, though. Goldman said in "very limited" circumstances, pile driving will occur at night when the state must close a lane of traffic so the work won't pose a danger to motorists. He said the DOT doesn't know how many nights such pile-driving would occur.

david.bauerleinjacksonville.com, (904) 359-4581

This story can be found on Jacksonville.com at http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stor..._17760682.shtml.

[wolfdawg54]

I did hear about this project. I some how forgot about it and saw it in the other thread after I posted. Thanks lakelander for showing it to me again.

[Spartan]

I was just skimming through the new projects list, and I think it has probably doubled since the last time I checked. I am impressed with Jacksonville's development. Though I am more familiar with the Beaches than I am with downtown, I still enjoy seeing pics of the skyline. These new towers will be great additions.

[Urban_Legend]

Construction starts tomorrow on 6 year interchange project

By DAVID BAUERLEIN

The Times-Union

Construction will start Tuesday on a $149 million project to build a new interchange for the junction of Interstate 95 and Interstate 10 in Jacksonville, just north of the Fuller Warren Bridge.

But drivers won't notice any significant changes until next Monday when the contractor is scheduled to permanently close the exit and entrance ramp at I-95 and McCoy's Creek Boulevard. That ramp is just south of the exit ramp from I-95 to Forsyth Street.

When construction requires lane closures on I-95 and I-10, the closures can only occur at night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The entire project is scheduled to be finished in 2011.

[FLORIDA SKYRISE ORDER]

Construction starts tomorrow on 6 year interchange project

By DAVID BAUERLEIN

The Times-Union

Construction will start Tuesday on a $149 million project to build a new interchange for the junction of Interstate 95 and Interstate 10 in Jacksonville, just north of the Fuller Warren Bridge.

But drivers won't notice any significant changes until next Monday when the contractor is scheduled to permanently close the exit and entrance ramp at I-95 and McCoy's Creek Boulevard. That ramp is just south of the exit ramp from I-95 to Forsyth Street.

When construction requires lane closures on I-95 and I-10, the closures can only occur at night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

The entire project is scheduled to be finished in 2011.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Boy, I bet that's going to be a cluster ****! 6 years of rearranging, adding, tearing down, beautifying, etc. If America lasts that long it'll be beautiful. Hope they get to finish it and people get to enjoy it.

FLORIDA SKYRISE

[Viper]

I used to live in that house right there at the corner of Gilmore and Goodwin.

That was back in 1990 and they were talking of buying all that property there for this new interchange.

[Urban_Legend]

It's a good thing you don't live there anymore!