Plan to widen I-95 into St. Johns County proposed

[thelakelander]

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is in the process of developing plans to widen Interstate 95 between Interstate 10 from International Golf Parkway in St. Johns County to I-295 in Jacksonville. FDOT desires community feedback on the latest concepts. Take a look at the plan and let us know what you think.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/plan-to-widen-i-95-into-st-johns-county-proposed/

[Charles Hunter]

Looks typical of FDOT Interstate widenings.

Lake, you might want to take a look at the introductory text at the link, it could use some editing (specifically the mention of I-10).

[Josh]

I read an article a few months ago in reference to expanding 95 south of downtown and express lanes, and one of the FDOT officials quoted mentioned how this would probably be the last expansion for the interstate there because the costs are getting so high that commuter rail makes more financial sense.

What a moment of clarity. I wish I could find that article again.

[thelakelander]

Looks typical of FDOT Interstate widenings.

Lake, you might want to take a look at the introductory text at the link, it could use some editing (specifically the mention of I-10).

Fixed! Thanks for letting me know.

[Florida Power And Light]

Florida’s First Coast!..... Where Miami Begins!...
St Johns County Citizens could have halted the first Coast Expressway had they Effectively engaged in certain Land Use & Zone Citizens Future Land Use Map ( FLUM) proceeding, and FL DOT public meetings whereby the “ No Build “ option was missed..... the “ No Build” option table at the rear of the Meeting Room stacked high with boxes of Crap.
Or maybe...... when I- 95 Level Of Service was Reduced based on assumed County Road Building “ Improvements”
My personal files are a history of ......Public Stupidity, and Thousand Friends Of Florida organization, Planners & Consultants, Florida Wildlife Federation St Johns County Northeast Office ( I was FWF Vice Chair)..... Official Record Books and Pages.
Some Trends and Events are just worth not “ Changing” or “ Averting “, so bad you jus’ gotta let ..... just Let It Happen.
Reporting and Book/ Novel Rights.
At this point, it’s all about dealing with a Banquet Of Consequences “.
St Johns County Chamber Of Commerce News Release: “ This Place Is Over Rated!!!! “
What you were Sold might not be What You Get.
We didn’t like ourselves 25 Years ago , we Trudged through that “ Sector Plan” stuff, we have worked so hard to be what we are today....... and Beyond!

 

[fsu813]

I read an article a few months ago in reference to expanding 95 south of downtown and express lanes, and one of the FDOT officials quoted mentioned how this would probably be the last expansion for the interstate there because the costs are getting so high that commuter rail makes more financial sense.

What a moment of clarity. I wish I could find that article again.

Google to the rescue:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.jacksonville.com/amp/6524659001

[marcuscnelson]

Guy who wrote that here.

As much as I’d love to believe FDOT when they claim more lanes would be cost-prohibitive, the Central Florida Expressway Authority is already trying to build this:

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/orange-county/officials-looking-raised-express-lanes-help-ease-congestion-sr-414-maitland/JLMHK3YE5FEIVMKDQ3GBWI6YAM/

Moreover, FDOT has repeatedly insisted that they do not consider it their responsibility to come up with transit projects as an alternative to roadways. They expect local governments to do essentially all of the planning, and to largely serve as a financial backer in implementing whatever that plan is. Orlando’s Sunshine Corridor Program is a new example of how local officials have to take the lead in bringing projects to fruition, to the point that FDOT was informed pretty much after all the important conceptualizing meetings.

[jaxlongtimer]

In my observation, FDOT (and JTA, traditionally) is a vehicle to provide cover for politicos who want to steer road dollars to their road builder, developer and other special interests campaign contributors and not much more.  Such politicos have little interest, as a rule, in promoting mass transit as those interested in that are not significant donors to their campaigns.  Just follow the money.

Exhibit A through Z of "major" are projects include, locally, the outer beltway, 9B and the Hart Bridge ramp removal.  All benefit donors more than anyone else.  Compare those investments with State dollars for mass transit.  If not for Federal dollars, we probably wouldn't have any significant level of mass transit in Jax.

[SirJax]

In my observation, FDOT (and JTA, traditionally) is a vehicle to provide cover for politicos who want to steer road dollars to their road builder, developer and other special interests campaign contributors and not much more.  Such politicos have little interest, as a rule, in promoting mass transit as those interested in that are not significant donors to their campaigns.  Just follow the money.

Exhibit A through Z of "major" are projects include, locally, the outer beltway, 9B and the Hart Bridge ramp removal.  All benefit donors more than anyone else.  Compare those investments with State dollars for mass transit.  If not for Federal dollars, we probably wouldn't have any significant level of mass transit in Jax.

All of these FDOT contracts are let to the lowest bidder in what is supposed to be a competitive bidding process. Are you claiming there is corruption involved in FDOT’s selection process? If that is so, then that is a very serious accusation to make.

[jaxlongtimer]

In my observation, FDOT (and JTA, traditionally) is a vehicle to provide cover for politicos who want to steer road dollars to their road builder, developer and other special interests campaign contributors and not much more.  Such politicos have little interest, as a rule, in promoting mass transit as those interested in that are not significant donors to their campaigns.  Just follow the money.

Exhibit A through Z of "major" are projects include, locally, the outer beltway, 9B and the Hart Bridge ramp removal.  All benefit donors more than anyone else.  Compare those investments with State dollars for mass transit.  If not for Federal dollars, we probably wouldn't have any significant level of mass transit in Jax.

All of these FDOT contracts are let to the lowest bidder in what is supposed to be a competitive bidding process. Are you claiming there is corruption involved in FDOT’s selection process? If that is so, then that is a very serious accusation to make.

I have no idea how you came to your conclusion and, clearly, never said what you allege.  To reiterate, I did say that road builders, generally, benefit from increased funding allocated to FDOT road projects by politicos that they influence via contributions to their campaigns.  The more contracts available to bid on, the more dollars to spread across more "low bidders" (none of which will lose money on their bids or they would be out of business).  The lobby for mass transit doesn't compare (unless you make expensive autonomous vehicle systems  ).

It's the American way.  Whether it's Shad Khan getting great deals from the mayor and city council, defense contractors getting their proprietary military equipment approved for purchase or private prison contractors getting profitable contracts from the State, they all give generously to political campaigns and wouldn't do so if they didn't expect it to benefit their interests.  Bribery is illegal but big dollar money contributions to political campaigns are not.  You be the judge if that is corrupting or not, despite such categorizations.

If we want the very best in the public interest, at a minimum, political donations would be anonymous.  Then, politicos would maybe act a lot differently than they do when it comes to serving ALL their constituents.

[SirJax]

In my observation, FDOT (and JTA, traditionally) is a vehicle to provide cover for politicos who want to steer road dollars to their road builder, developer and other special interests campaign contributors and not much more.  Such politicos have little interest, as a rule, in promoting mass transit as those interested in that are not significant donors to their campaigns.  Just follow the money.

Exhibit A through Z of "major" are projects include, locally, the outer beltway, 9B and the Hart Bridge ramp removal.  All benefit donors more than anyone else.  Compare those investments with State dollars for mass transit.  If not for Federal dollars, we probably wouldn't have any significant level of mass transit in Jax.

All of these FDOT contracts are let to the lowest bidder in what is supposed to be a competitive bidding process. Are you claiming there is corruption involved in FDOT’s selection process? If that is so, then that is a very serious accusation to make.

I have no idea how you came to your conclusion and, clearly, never said what you allege.  To reiterate, I did say that road builders, generally, benefit from increased funding allocated to FDOT road projects by politicos that they influence via contributions to their campaigns.  The more contracts available to bid on, the more dollars to spread across more "low bidders" (none of which will lose money on their bids or they would be out of business).  The lobby for mass transit doesn't compare (unless you make expensive autonomous vehicle systems  ).

It's the American way.  Whether it's Shad Khan getting great deals from the mayor and city council, defense contractors getting their proprietary military equipment approved for purchase or private prison contractors getting profitable contracts from the State, they all give generously to political campaigns and wouldn't do so if they didn't expect it to benefit their interests.  Bribery is illegal but big dollar money contributions to political campaigns are not.  You be the judge if that is corrupting or not, despite such categorizations.

If we want the very best in the public interest, at a minimum, political donations would be anonymous.  Then, politicos would maybe act a lot differently than they do when it comes to serving ALL their constituents.

When you said ‘their’ road builder, the implication is that ‘they’ (FDOT in your post) are ostensibly directing funds to specific contractors who are making political donations, which would be a patently illegal act. FDOT operates under a very specific public procurement process that is meant to avoid impropriety. Any kind of wrongdoing related to this process is taken very seriously.

Only in your reply post you mention deals like the one’s Khan got which is indeed a political decision made by politicians, directed at a specific vendor, and made in a public forum - and thus a very different animal. One which makes me personally very uncomfortable as well. Of course, if people don’t like it they do have the choice of voting said politicians out of office. However, I will point out that Kahn did not get the bigger taxpayer-funded deal he wanted… so apparently even these politicians have a limit.

Anyway, you can’t conflate these two situations which are very different.

[Florida Power And Light]

We managed to Bust St Johns county pretty dang good.
The County did it to themselves. Clay Counter over Yonder done did the same.
These places hated themselves twenty, thirty years ago and worked so hard through “ Growth Management “....... SECTOR PLANS DCA Plannerers and Consultants to transform the area. And even what we see today, and maybe glimpse on the Horizon is not what we are going to end up with.
“ Florida’s First Coast..... Where Miami Begins!!!!! Well, we do have some “preserved” wetland belts...... even Miami beats us with the Everglades Conservation Areas.

[Florida Power And Light]

We managed to Bust St Johns county pretty dang good. Yea!
Jacksonville “ Building Community” JEA infrastructure projects extending to St Johns County was a wonderful under the Radar process.
The County did it to themselves. Clay County over Yonder done did the same.
These places hated themselves twenty, thirty years ago and worked so hard through “ Growth Management “....... SECTOR PLANS DCA Planers and Consultants to transform the area. And even what we see today, and maybe glimpse on the Horizon is not what we are going to end up with.
“ Florida’s First Coast..... Where Miami Begins!!!!! Well, we do have some “preserved” wetland belts...... even Miami beats us with the Everglades Conservation Areas.

[jaxlongtimer]

In my observation, FDOT (and JTA, traditionally) is a vehicle to provide cover for politicos who want to steer road dollars to their road builder, developer and other special interests campaign contributors and not much more.  Such politicos have little interest, as a rule, in promoting mass transit as those interested in that are not significant donors to their campaigns.  Just follow the money.

Exhibit A through Z of "major" are projects include, locally, the outer beltway, 9B and the Hart Bridge ramp removal.  All benefit donors more than anyone else.  Compare those investments with State dollars for mass transit.  If not for Federal dollars, we probably wouldn't have any significant level of mass transit in Jax.

All of these FDOT contracts are let to the lowest bidder in what is supposed to be a competitive bidding process. Are you claiming there is corruption involved in FDOT’s selection process? If that is so, then that is a very serious accusation to make.

I have no idea how you came to your conclusion and, clearly, never said what you allege.  To reiterate, I did say that road builders, generally, benefit from increased funding allocated to FDOT road projects by politicos that they influence via contributions to their campaigns.  The more contracts available to bid on, the more dollars to spread across more "low bidders" (none of which will lose money on their bids or they would be out of business).  The lobby for mass transit doesn't compare (unless you make expensive autonomous vehicle systems  ).

It's the American way.  Whether it's Shad Khan getting great deals from the mayor and city council, defense contractors getting their proprietary military equipment approved for purchase or private prison contractors getting profitable contracts from the State, they all give generously to political campaigns and wouldn't do so if they didn't expect it to benefit their interests.  Bribery is illegal but big dollar money contributions to political campaigns are not.  You be the judge if that is corrupting or not, despite such categorizations.

If we want the very best in the public interest, at a minimum, political donations would be anonymous.  Then, politicos would maybe act a lot differently than they do when it comes to serving ALL their constituents.

When you said ‘their’ road builder, the implication is that ‘they’ (FDOT in your post) are ostensibly directing funds to specific contractors who are making political donations, which would be a patently illegal act. FDOT operates under a very specific public procurement process that is meant to avoid impropriety. Any kind of wrongdoing related to this process is taken very seriously.....

You need to re-read my original post differently.  "Their" clearly refers to politicos, not FDOT.  I mention FDOT as a tool of such politicos.
 If this isn't already clear enough, connecting "their" to "special interests campaign contributors" should have made it so.  FDOT doesn't take campaign contributions but politicos do.