Is Jacksonvile ready for a road diet?
Are the residents of Jacksonville willing to have one less four-lane road to create a more inviting atmosphere for pedestrians and bicyclist? Considering a road diet for Kings Road, just west of downtown, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will get the answer to this question and more, when it hosts a Public Hearing this month on the project.
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is proposing to resurface Kings Road in the summer of 2016. This resurfacing project allows the FDOT to revisit the striping of the roadway. Currently the road is striped as a four-lane roadway with no bike lanes or center turn lane. FDOT is evaluating the following different concepts for the portion of the corridor from Tyler Street to Martha Street.
1) Leaving the corridor as is (resurfacing the corridor and leaving the striping as four lanes with no turn lane or bike lanes).
2) Leaving the corridor striped as is but adding protected green arrow phases to existing signalized intersections with high left turn volumes.
3) Reducing the road to one travel lane in each direction and adding a dedicated turn lane and 5 foot paved bike lanes.
Issues to Consider in Lane Reductions:
* Travel Times—Existing and future time to drive the corridor.
* Crash Reductions—Turn lanes reduce rear end crashes and protected left turn signal phases reduce right angle crashes.
* Pedestrian Crossing—Three-lane roadways are easier to cross than four-lane undivided roadways.
* Stopped or Slow Buses—It is more difficult to pass slow/stopped vehicles with only one lane in each direction.
As of August 6, 2015, project documents will be available for review at the Dallas James Graham Branch Library, 2304 N. Myrtle Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32209, and the FDOT Urban Office, 2198 Edison Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32204.
A Public Hearing concerning this project will be held on:
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015
Open House: 4:30-6:30 pm
EDWARD WATERS COLLEGE, ADAMS-JENKINS
SPORTS & MUSIC COMPLEX
1859 KINGS ROAD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32209
Presentation: 6:30 pm
If you would like additional information please contact:
Jeff Daugharty, Project Manager
(904) 360-5575
Email: Jeff.daugharty@dot.state.fl.us
You can also submit written comments before September 8, 2015
Click here for more information.
Source: Florida Department of Transportation
Update by Ennis Davis, AICP