JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For EverBank Stadium employee Grant Butler, navigating Bay Street on NFL game days can be a challenging experience, saying that sometimes he has to ride his bike on the sidewalk because the road is so congested with bumper-to bumper traffic.
“Oh man, it’s crazy,” Butler said. “You gotta wait.”
But a new project making its way through the Jacksonville City Council could bring some change to the traffic flow.
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On Tuesday, legislators will consider a $6 million pedestrian safety improvement project along Bay Street, with funding split between the Florida Department of Transportation and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Nina Sickler, Director of Public Works for the City of Jacksonville, said that the project aims to create a more pedestrian-friendly corridor between the stadium and the new Four Seasons development.
“We are looking at ways to slow down traffic in front of the stadium and in between the stadium and the Four Seasons and other amenities on the other side of Bay Street,” Sickler said.
Among the pedestrian safety improvements are two “tabletop” raised pedestrian crossings, with the first crossing on the eastern side scheduled for installation during this off-season, followed by the western tabletop next off-season.
Butler, who travels the route twice daily, is optimistic about the changes. “That’ll help out a lot,” he said, noting that while traffic flows smoothly during non-game days, the improvements will make a significant difference during events.
“It’s looking good. They got the hotel coming...I’m excited,” he added.
The project is one of several traffic initiatives making their way through the city’s legislative body.
“We have a lot of similar objectives across the city,” Sickler said. “And I think pulling resources and partnering together is the best way to get these projects done.”
In addition to the Bay Street improvements, the city is looking at other critical traffic areas.
A $4.4 million project is in the works for the Braddock Road and Dunn Avenue intersection, where a new traffic signal improvement project and other changes will aim to reduce severe crashes and delays in what Sickler called an “area of concern.”
A part of that funding bill is a $5 million investment in Pecan Park Road between I-95 and Main Street, which includes widening the road and drainage improvements.
Each of these projects is scheduled to be discussed during the City Council meeting on Tuesday.