JTA's plans for I-95/JTB Interchange Shortsighted

[Metro Jacksonville]

JTA's plans for I-95/JTB Interchange Shortsighted



Metro Jacksonville explains why JTA's current plans for the I-95/Bulter Boulevard Interchange may be shortsighted.


Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jun-jtas-plans-for-i-95jtb-interchange-shortsighted

[tufsu1]

Good points...did anyone from MJ provide the last graphic to JTA and/or their consultants....remember that engineers (notice I didn't say planners) often are very "old school" and probably need to be shown a concept w/ examples from other places where it is used.

[thelakelander]

The graphic was recently created to share the idea with JTA and everyone else for feedback.

[Abhishek]

I like the email chain between MetroJax and JTA. It just shows the propensity to develop connectivity on the part of MetroJax and the utter lack of desire to do so on the part of JTA.
Planning in Jax (as with many other cities) is very text book based.

This is probably how the conversation went.

Q. How do we connect Bonneval to Salisbury for bicycles and pedestrians?
A. Bike lanes and sidewalks.
Q. What is bicycle infrastructure?
A. Bike Lanes
Q. Are they allowed on JTB?
A. No.
Conclusion: do not provide bike lanes on JTB between Bonneval to Salisbury

And they crib and moan (http://tinyurl.com/yjwospm) about why Bicycling magazine voted Jacksonville one of three worst bicycling cities in USA. How's this MetroJax article for tooting 'our' own horn?

[tufsu1]

it is important to note that most responses to public comments on studies like this are "textbook"....but also note that FHWA will review the reports (and comments) prior to giving an agency approval to move on to the next step....so it is quite possible JTA will be asked to make some changes to the preliminary design concepts to accomodate bike/ped.

[buckethead]

More money for planners?

Sorry TU... just watchin' the fort 'til CS gets here

[Abhishek]

@tufsu1
I will be glad to see a bike/ped infrastructure connecting the proposed commuter rail station to the east side on I 95 on JTB. I am sure many commuters will find it beneficial, including me since I live in Riverside and work at Deerwood Park. That is a short 4 to 5 mile bike ride between Phillips Highway and Gate Parkway, where many offices are located.
By 'textbook', I meant the planning process, not the response process.

[cline]

There's really no point of even putting in a commuter rail stop at this location if you're not going to provide a safe pedestrian connection from the station to Southpoint.  Since Southpoint is one of the employment centers of the city, this would be a big mistake that would, in my opinion, hinder ridership.  Employees that work at PSS or the other building east of JTB/I-95 are not going to risk their lives walking along JTB to get from the station to their office.  

[finehoe]

Has JTA learned nothing from the Skyway?  Let's just plop a station down any-old-where with no connection to its surroundings and then wonder why the system gets no use.

[iluvolives]

Noone will use the commuter rail station who works in Southpoint if there isn't a walkway of some sort. Even if there is some type of bus shuttle from the station to the businesses- I wouldn't want to sit around waiting for a bus (that will be stuck in traffic) once I've already ridden a train- just to take me less than a 1/4 mile to my office building.
 
Southpoint has to be the must unpresdetrian friendly business area in Jacksonville. There are almost no sidewalks anywhere- if my co-workers and I want to walk over to the next building to grab lunch at one of the cafes we have to trek through the grass or walk in the street.

[JeffreyS]

This is intended as a park and ride station. As MJ illustrates however it could be more.  There are hotels, retail, residential, office, industrial and even a large hospital within walking distance that should be as intergrated as possible.

[TheProfessor]

If a commuter rail station is put there then there needs to be bus connection to the Southpoint so people can get to their jobs since they cant walk through that interchange mess.  The interchange is shortsighted.

[thelakelander]

With coordinated planning, Southpoint can become a decent multimodal district on its own.  


COJ Southeast Vision Plan

However, we're going to need JTA and other public agencies to bring their "A" game.  With that said, JTA should also coordinate the drainage pond locations for this project with the design of the park and ride/commuter rail facility.  If you don't plan accordingly, you're going to end up with a isolated station, parking lot and an ugly fenced in retention pond.  If coordination and vision take place now, that site could feature a decent TOD to anchor that end of the JTB corridor.

[JeffreyS]

And the easiest multimodal fix is to intergrate walking and biking when you are doing this interchange. the retrofit later will be more expensive and likely not as seemless.

[stjr]

With no vision capabilities, JTA should stand for the "Just Today" Authority.