Author Topic: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration  (Read 11632 times)

Metro Jacksonville

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Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« on: October 07, 2015, 03:00:02 AM »
Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration



Get used to seeing construction cones on I-95. More are on the way. Tolls will also return.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-oct-toll-lanes-for-i-95-under-consideration

coredumped

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2015, 01:17:25 PM »
I wish they would wait to see how big of a failure the 295 tolls they're working on now is. This is not Houston, put your money elsewhere FDOT!
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Kerry

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2015, 01:38:30 PM »
Maybe once people start paying what it costs to sprawl all over NE Fl they will stop doing it.  The free ride is over - litterally.
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Captain Zissou

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2015, 01:57:57 PM »
Let's see how well the traffic flows without a massive construction project on I-95 before we add toll lanes.  By my tally, there has been construction between Stockton and Emerson since 2002.

southsider1015

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2015, 09:02:21 PM »
I didn't make the Work Program meeting.  Did FDOT annouce that I-295 Express (JTB to 9B) would start in the next few months?  That's funny, because final design hasn't started yet.

thelakelander

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2015, 09:32:41 PM »
^ The 295 express lanes project is Design Build, and the award is under protest.
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southsider1015

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #6 on: October 09, 2015, 06:10:10 AM »
^ The 295 express lanes project is Design Build, and the award is under protest.

Right, but was there an announcement about the protest and it being resolved in the next few months to start work?

Jagsdrew

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2021, 10:12:13 AM »
Looks like FDOT is scrapping the toll lanes on I-95 between Atlantic Blvd all the way south to International Golf Parkway in favor of general lanes.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2021/08/23/fdot-express-lanes.html

“The previously planned I-95 Managed Lanes projects between Atlantic Boulevard and International Golf Parkway was reevaluated,” FDOT wrote in a statement to the Business Journal last week. “FDOT planners and engineers determined congestion relief can be achieved with general purpose lanes instead of managed lanes.”
Although FDOT officials told the Business Journal that interstate improvements are slated to begin between 2023 and 2025, the project is not included on the seven 'future projects' slated to begin in St. Johns County in fiscal year 2023 that the department lists on its website.
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Charles Hunter

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2021, 12:24:45 PM »
Quote
It is unclear why the state has decided not to build the express lanes, which have been on the books since at least 2016. When the project planning began, adding regular lanes wasn't even evaluated as an option.

Simple - Gov. Rick Scott favored (demanded) toll lanes as 'user fees' on all Interstate expansions.  Gov. Desantis does not like toll lanes.  That's why the two pieces of I-295 designed and permitted during Scott's term (Buckman Bridge to I-95 and SR 9B to JTB) have toll lanes. 

Interestingly, the North Florida TPO's Long Range Transportation Plan (http://northfloridatpo.com/planning/lrtp - Summary Report [pdf]) shows Express Lanes "needed" in St. Johns County on I-95, but not in Duval; yet the Adopted Cost Feasible Plan shows "Add Lanes and Reconstruct" not specifying whether they should be "express (toll)" lanes or free lanes.

tufsu1

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2021, 01:10:29 PM »
^ the reality is also that the toll lanes on I-295 in Mandarin are financially a loser. There simply isn't enough congestion in NE FL to support them. Unfortunately, adding lanes for general purpose does nothing to curb our driving habits.

marcuscnelson

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2022, 07:03:35 PM »
FDOT is holding a public hearing on Jan 13th about the I-95 widening as part of the PD&E study. Proposal is now for 4-6 general use + auxillary lanes per direction, up to 12 lanes overall.

The project is split into two phases, from I-295 to JTB and from JTB to Atlantic Blvd.

I'm not saying it is in fact possible to prevent it, although they do say-

Quote
A No-Build or Do-Nothing Alternative, which would leave I-95 in its present condition, remains a viable alternative throughout the study. The No-Build Alternative would not add additional lanes or propose any interchange improvements.

But I think it'd be nice if there were at least some expression of interest in building alternative transit vs spending hundreds of millions on widening.
So, to the young people fighting in this movement for change, here is my charge: march in the streets, protest, run for school committee or city council or the state legislature. And win. - Ed Markey

jaxlongtimer

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2022, 07:42:48 PM »
^ Aside from other aspects of this I-95 project, it is sad to see what will probably result in the ultimate removal of all the greenery that lines I-95 through this part of Jacksonville. 

Driving I-95 and other expressways in South Florida and in parts of California and New York, one sees nothing but ugly and dirty concrete surfaces and walls. 

Going back to the origins of I-95 south of the river, it was always nice to see a substantial buffer of trees and other greenery along its sides, somewhat unique in an urbanized area.  When the sound walls went up during its widening to 6 lanes, FDOT spent millions to grow vines on the walls and plant trees in front of them.  Is all that, now mostly mature vegetation, to be ripped away with this expansion?  Will we have concrete mostly from wall to wall?  Will we now call it "ugly 95"?

Charles Hunter

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2022, 08:23:26 PM »
Looking at the two links marcusnelson provided, and doing a lot of scrolling I found:

I-295 to JTB
With the right-of-way ranging from 300' to 324', it looks like there will be room for grass and other plants between the road and the right-of-way.
The only new Noise Wall will be near the Canopy Apartments on Belfort Parkway.
The Baymeadows Road interchange will be converted to a Diverging Diamond. FDOT completed one at I-95 and A1A near Yulee a little bit ago, and is currently doing the same to the JTB / San Pablo interchange.
This project is split into 2 pieces. From Baymeadows to JTB is scheduled in 2023 for $39 Million, and between I-295 and JTB is in 2025 for $109 Million


Between JTB and Atlantic Blvd.
Due to the ROW only being around 200' it doesn't look like there will be much room for any vegetation.
It looks like most of the gaps in the existing Noise Wall north of University will be filled in, and a short segment south of University will be extended.
This project will have to Diverging Diamonds - JTB / Belfort and I-95 / Emerson
Construction is scheduled to start in fiscal year 2023 (July 2022-June 2023) at a cost of $238 Million

Total Construction Cost $386 million

Jagsdrew

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2022, 03:05:55 PM »
It would be nice as well that instead of the FDOT making operational improvements per their usual projects in Jacksonville, they actually provide more aesthetics and modern features/fixtures to the highways. Better looking wayfinding signage and materials, modern street lights, maybe some type of focal point as you get closer to downtown. All of this is currently being done on I-4 which makes the highway more of a enjoyment than a concrete jungle to navigate.  It's just done right in so many other places in Florida outside of Jacksonville.
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ralpho37

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Re: Toll lanes for I-95 Under Consideration
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2022, 07:10:43 PM »
Jagsdrew:  I have always thought the same thing. Anyone who has ever driven in Orlando, Tampa or Miami will realize that their highways are on a different level, aesthetics-wise, compared to Jacksonville. Colorful sound walls with designs of dolphins, palm trees and birds; well-kept landscaping; and upgraded highway lights and signage. Here in Jax we get beige everything, flat sound walls and generic lamps and signage. I actually wrote a letter to FDOT yesterday asking that they consider including these upgraded aesthetic features in this I-95 project.