State Rd 9B

[British Shoe Company]

Will it benefit congestion?

When will construction begin?

[tufsu1]

Will it benefit congestion?

When will construction begin?

It may benefit congestion some, but probably not enough to justify the project cost (around $200 million from I-95 to SR 9A).....the other problem is that it pretty much requiresd an extension from I-95 down to Racetrack Rd.

Constructio right now is at least 5 years out....unless stimulus funds can be found.

[British Shoe Company]

In 5 years, 9A will be called I295.  T.I.F. bonds are back.  Is there any landowners who could lose their land fighting the project?

[reednavy]

At least put in a much needed interchange at Raetrack Rd. It'll alleviate a good bit of traffic from San Jose.

[British Shoe Company]

You got that right!

[Ocklawaha]

Will it benefit congestion?

When will construction begin?

Looking at the proposed route, it WILL lift the jams at I-95 and I-295, I-95 and St. Augustine Road, Racetrack Rd, I-95 and 210. It will provide a direct truck route to and from the Port of Jacksonville and South Florida. Anyone that drives that stretch has probably noted the huge amount of container and auto carrier trucks which flood I-95. The 9B will serve to direct them away from some of Duval/St. Johns worst interchange bottlenecks.

Honestly, while I don't like the route, the whole Outer-Beltway will probably be overdue before it arrives on the scene. I-295 was built as a BY-PASS to the City of Jacksonville. This road built at only 4 lanes, was never intended to carry the traffic it does, especially in the Southwest rim of the City. The Beltway will divert traffic, however if it's a toll road, that will tend to negate the commercial vehicle use of it, defeating the purpose. Since Middleburg/Penny Farms is already well into a development roll, I don't see this segment as much more then a bridge and more endless sprawl.

OCKLAWAHA

[British Shoe Company]

It sounds like purchasing an "I Pass", or "Easy Pass" to drive thru toll booths would be great, instead of a stop, and paying toll.  I think there will be tolls. 

[Charles Hunter]

From what I've read, there will be tolls on the Outer Beltway - or there won't be an Outer Beltway, the state doesn't have the nearly $2 Billion to build this thing.  I've also heard that "Easy Pass" type tolls will be the only tolls - no "toll booths" to stop at and pay cash.  And, BSC, as I understand it, the switch to calling 9A "I-295" is only a couple years away.  I think commercial truckers balance the cost of a toll against the time it takes to use a route that avoids the toll.  With I-295 in SW Jax getting more congested - even with the 6 lanes there now - it may be cheaper for long distance truckers to use the new route.

But, back to 9B (remember 9B, the topic of this thread?), Ock is right, it will make it easier for truckers going between our new container ports and south Florida.

[thelakelander]

^Until its clogged with new sprawl development surrounding its interchanges.  For the amount of money it costs, 9B is a complete waste.  There are more efficient and cost effective ways to deal with future congestion than building more expressways.

As far as the Outer Beltway goes, I'll believe that one when I see it.  At this point, without fluffing the numbers, it doesn't seem to be feasible for private development.

[Charles Hunter]

We should know that answer in a about a year, when the next round of private proposals come in.  Shame we can't get a Public-Private partnership to build Commuter Rail or a streetcar.

[thelakelander]

We probably could on some level.  However, it would require a lot more effort, will and coordination than what's been given so far to significantly stimulate private sector interest.

[thelakelander]

Here is a map of the 9B corridor

[tufsu1]

Thanks Lake....shown on the map is also the first phase of the 9B extension down to Nocatee Pkwy Extension (realigned Racetrack Rd)....

Note that I said "first phase"....if you zoom out on the map, you'll see this leaves only a few miles between the end of 9B and the Outer Beltway....somebody will see the value in making the entire stretch an expressway...which of course makes complete sense to me since we are also planning to 8-lane I-95 :-)

[Charles Hunter]

St. Johns County could preserve the right-of-way along that parallel road (2209?), as they get each developer to build their piece of it.  But I've heard they are allowing it to be built as a normal road - like SR13 or Blanding.  To go back and make it an expressway, it would be quite costly to buy up all of that eventual commercial land.

[stjr]

I think 9B is poorly planned and is political pork barrel. 

First, even if its 6 laned, 9A/295 will be a parking lot by the time 9B gets built.  So port trucks or anyone else trying to use 9B will not be enthused due to effective denial of efficient access.

Second, 9B's interchanges with US1 and I-95 are so close to those of I-295, I don't see that as justifying the road or having much impact on traffic relief.

Third, the first shown interchange in St. Johns would, as already noted, be better served by an I 95 interchange with Race Track Road.

They should just take the  9B money, interchange I-95 with Race Track and spend the rest to 8 lane I-95 from I-295/southern Duval to SR 16 or wherever and to 8 lane I-295 from I-95 to the east up to the Dames Point Bridge.

Crisscrossing St. Johns County with interstates 9B and the Outer Beltway will just provide developers with more incentive to plaster the county with urban sprawl and accomplish nothing else.  Both projects are designed to enrich developers at the expense of the quality of life in St. Johns County.