Main Street Bridge Ramp Closure Meeting Tonight

[Metro Jacksonville]

Main Street Bridge Ramp Closure Meeting Tonight



A proposal to close the southbound ramp from Independent Drive to the Main Street Bridge is the focus of a public hearing this evening at the Hyatt Regency located at 225 East Coastline Drive.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2014-sep-main-street-bridge-ramp-closure-meeting-tonight

[peestandingup]

I've never liked that ramp for a number of reasons. The first is simply because its ugly & intrusive in what should be a pedestrian environment.

But the big one is because there's no clear continuation that the riverwalk breaks off there. So if you're on the path & wanted to cross the bridge to the other side, you have to either go through the landing (dumb if you're a runner or on a bike), or cut your way through one of openings later on then cross back to one of the ramps to get to the main street bridge. Not to mention KNOW that you have to do these things. How many out-of-towners are missing things that lie on the Southbank (like Friendship Fountain) because they're on the Northbank & unaware you can even cross somewhere on foot?

My vote goes to rip it down & replace it with something similar to what the Northbank has over the train tracks & lead it in to the main street bridge path.

[urbanlibertarian]

I believe the whole point of ripping it out is to replace it with a building.

[Tacachale]

As I said in another thread, removing this onramp would hurt walkability in the short term, but the onramp hampers creating a walkable environment in the long term. It creates half a block of dead space, primarily for the purpose of making it slightly easier for cars to get out of downtown.

Previous Landing plans have included pedestrian access there even with the onramp removed and replaced by a building. This is a good opportunity to find a solution that has the least negative effect on pedestrians, while still removing the unnecessary car ramp to make way for pedestrian-oriented development.

[pierre]

Excuse my igorance on the topic.

What is the specific reason that "removing the onramp will reduce walkability"?

[Tacachale]

It would remove pedestrian access to Independence Drive right in front of the Landing. Pedestrrians would have to up to Main and Bay (which adds another block or two to your walk), or take the other side of the bridge on Independence between Ocean and Newnan (also adding 2 blocks). However, if they added the pedestrian access to the Landing sooner rather than later, it would greatly diminish any issue.

[Kerry]

I agree with the other comments.  Tear it down and replace it with a pedestrian ramp.  Alas, if Jacksonville was really serious about walkability they would get rid of all the one-way streets.

[acme54321]

I agree with the other comments.  Tear it down and replace it with a pedestrian ramp.  Alas, if Jacksonville was really serious about walkability they would get rid of all the one-way streets.

Confused here....  What does the one way street system have to do with walkability?  Are you only allowed to walk in the direction of traffic?

[Bolles_Bull]

Has anyone seen there are some old pictures of Jacksonville Dowtown where it looks like the main street bridge terminates right at bay street instead of continuing on to Forsyth.  Am I right about that, can anyone find those old pictures.

I remember it looked way more pedestrian friendly than what we have now, and if Bay were made two way again it would be even better.

[acme54321]

I agree with the other comments.  Tear it down and replace it with a pedestrian ramp.  Alas, if Jacksonville was really serious about walkability they would get rid of all the one-way streets.

Confused here....  What does the one way street system have to do with walkability?  Are you only allowed to walk in the direction of traffic?

It causes people to drive around endlessly before they can actually walk.

That's drivability.

[acme54321]

Has anyone seen there are some old pictures of Jacksonville Dowtown where it looks like the main street bridge terminates right at bay street instead of continuing on to Forsyth.  Am I right about that, can anyone find those old pictures.

I remember it looked way more pedestrian friendly than what we have now, and if Bay were made two way again it would be even better.

It terminates at Bay now.  The difference is that it used to be two way and northbound didnt swing over to Ocean but went right up Main.

The biggest issue with the one way grid is that not every other street is reversed.  If say all N-S strees were two way and the E-E streets alternated directions it wouldn't be bad.  State and Union should definitely remain one way, I think for I-95 access the E-W roads remaining one way wouldn't be a bad idea.

[TomHurst]

I agree with the other comments.  Tear it down and replace it with a pedestrian ramp.  Alas, if Jacksonville was really serious about walkability they would get rid of all the one-way streets.

Confused here....  What does the one way street system have to do with walkability?  Are you only allowed to walk in the direction of traffic?

And it increases the speeds at which everyone drives downtown which is a big negative on walkability.  Main St. is a perfect example.  It's been essentially turned into a south-bound arterial street since it's all one way, encouraging people to drive quite fast along this stretch through downtown.  Because of this affect, you will notice that there are no longer any businesses or retail (with a few minor exceptions) because it's just not a friendly street for pedestrians.  It's far from ideal for any street called "Main St."

[camarocane]

Has anyone seen there are some old pictures of Jacksonville Dowtown where it looks like the main street bridge terminates right at bay street instead of continuing on to Forsyth.  Am I right about that, can anyone find those old pictures.

I remember it looked way more pedestrian friendly than what we have now, and if Bay were made two way again it would be even better.

Here are some aerials, choose your year...

http://ufdc.ufl.edu/aerials/results/?coord=30.324137691879947,-81.65837287902832,,

[splash]

This is funny.  Stephan doesn't like the one way streets because they slow traffic down and Tom doesn't like them because they speed traffic up.  Which is it?

[dougskiles]

I am fine with the ramp removal, as long as a replacement pedestrian ramp is provided BEFORE they remove it.  What I fear is that the ramp will be removed with the promise that a new pedestrian ramp will be constructed when the Landing is redeveloped, which could be a long time from now.