Who Plans Road Work During Hurricane Season?

Now that Hurricane Irene is safely away from the East Coast, it’s time to talk logistics.

It’s no secret that hurricanes strike Florida.

Even if it’s just a glancing blow from a tropical storm, the likelihood that extreme weather can shut down our highways is what traffic managers and other disaster relief agencies plan for.

Your Examiner hadn’t thought about how many roads might be under construction until the local news media started talking about evacuation routes.

Not one report mentioned, “And, oh yeah, those roads right there that you use to get to I-95 and US 17, they’re closed for construction.”

Oops.

Can I Still Get There From Here?

Here’s a list of road closings just for Clay and Duval counties. This information is almost always posted to the county’s web site well in advance of closing.

Take a look at the dates, then ask yourself how you’re getting out of the area if you have to run from a storm. This is not even all of the road closings scheduled or in progress for the rest of 2011.

Blanding Boulevard (State Road 21)

Adding left turn lane at Hall-Boree/Santa Clara
Project start date: May 9, 2011
Estimated completion: 60 days (Summer of 2011)

County Road 209

Replacing the Black Creek Bridge.
Project start date: November 2, 2009
Estimated completion: Fall of 2011

County Road 315C

Resurfacing from County Road 214 (Christian Camp Road) to State Road 21 (5 miles)
Project start date: July 6, 2011
Estimated completion: 190 days (early 2012)

Butler Boulevard (State Road 202)

Resurface from Philips Highway (U.S. 1) to Belfort Road (.5 mile).
Project start date: August 15, 2011
Estimated completion: 90 days (Fall of 2011)

Interstate 10

Adding lanes and reconstructing from east of Halsema Road to Lane Avenue (8.2 miles).
Project start date: January 12, 2009
Project estimated completion: 1,120 days (early 2012)

Interstate 10

Rehabilitating concrete pavement between Lane Avenue and Stockton Street (4 miles).
Project start date: June 1, 2009
Project estimated completion: 965 days (Spring of 2012)

Interstate 95

Rehabilitating concrete pavement between J.T. Butler Boulevard (State Road 202) and Atlantic Boulevard (SR 10) (6.6 miles).
Project start date: February 28, 2011
Project estimated completion: 720 days (Spring of 2013)

Interstate 295

Construct a new Collins Road interchange and collector distributor road system connecting Collins Road and Blanding Boulevard (State Road 21).
Project start date: February 14, 2011
Project estimated completion: 998 days (Summer of 2013)

Interstate 295

Installing ITS (Intelligent Transportation System) from Interstate 10 to Interstate 95 North (14 miles).
Project start date: July 16, 2011
Project estimated completion: 400 days (Fall of 2012)

Ninth Street South (Jacksonville Beach)

Resurfacing, drainage and signal improvements between Osceola Street and First Avenue South (1.7 miles)
Project start date: January 20, 2010
Estimated completion: 585 days (Summer of 2011)

Normandy Boulevard (State Road 228)

Replacing concrete pavement from Pine Street to the beginning of the four-lane (6.5 miles) and adding westbound turn lane at McClelland Road.
Project start date: April 14, 2011
Estimated completion: 360 days (Spring of 2012)

Normandy Boulevard (State Road 228)

Resurfacing from the beginning of the four-lane section to the curb/urban section (7 miles).
Project start date: August 15, 2011
Estimated completion: 240 days (Spring of 2012)

Philips Highway (US 1)

Updating signals and installing Intelligent Transportation System from State Road 9A to Wister Street (10.5 miles).
Project start date: April 8, 2011
Estimated completion: 360 days (Spring of 2012)

Philips Highway (US 1)

Resurfacing from Gran Bay Parkway to Phillips Industrial Boulevard (2 miles
Project start date: July 11, 2011
Estimated completion: 140 days (Late 2011)

Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. 17)

Replacing concrete pavement between Woodmere Street to the end of the I-10 ramp (3.6 miles)
Project start date: January 24, 2011
Estimated completion: 420 days (Spring 2012)

Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. 17)

Resurfacing from Yorktown Avenue to Timuquana Road (State Road 134) (2 miles).
Project start date: August 14, 2011
Estimated completion: 210 days (Spring of 2012)

San Juan Boulevard (State Road 128)

Resurfacing from Lane Avenue to Cassat Avenue (1.5 miles)
Project start date: April 7, 2011
Estimated completion: 170 days (Fall of 2011)

Southside Boulevard (State Road 115)

Widening left turn lane at A.C. Skinner Parkway.
Project start date: May 31, 2011
Estimated completion:

St. Johns Avenue (State Road 211)

Bridge repair at the Ortega River Bridge.
Project start date:
Estimated completion: 425 days (Fall of 2011)

State Road 9A (Dames Point Bridge)

Rehabilitation of the Dames Point Bridge over the St. Johns River.
Project start date: Feb. 10, 2011
Estimated completion: 200 days (Fall 2011)

State Road 9A

Installing Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) communication system from Atlantic Boulevard to Interstate 95 North (14 miles)
Project start date: March 28, 2011
Estimated completion: 397 days (Spring of 2012)

State Road 9B

Design and construct a new four-lane limited access roadway from State Road 9A to Philips Highway (U.S. 1) (4.6 miles).
Project start date: July 27, 2011
Estimated completion: 881 days (Summer of 2012)

So How Can I Find This Info Myself?

Anyone can download this information for the Florida Department of Transportation website.

Our tax dollars go to fund these projects. There are public meetings held for public comment on proposed projects.

Everyone understands that road projects, particulary resurfacing projects, take a lot of heavy equipment, supplies and people to make them happen.

They are very necessary, especially in our extreme climate.

They also take a long time to complete.

The logitisicians and logicians know all this.

So why are so many roads projects planned to during hurricane season?

All the equipment and barricades and signage and supplies and people have to be moved that we can get the hell out of Dodge in a timely manner.

For now, put some paddles in the back of the station wagon and strap on the pontoons just in case you have to float yourself out ahead of the next storm.

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OFFICIAL BIO:K Truitt is a second-generation, native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Truitt worked in public higher education for 25 years, most recently in Texas, is a successful grant writer, knows newspaper publishing, printing and graphic design and wants to work in the public sector. Contact: kt.4examiner@yahoo.com