Argyle Area Civic Council

Agenda of the AACC Meeting Monday, July 15, 2013 at Denny's Restaurant

AACC Meeting Monday, July 15, 2013 - Agenda Updated 7-14-2013 8:00 pm
Location: Denny's Restaurant 8409 Blanding Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32244 Phone: 904-778-4624
Corner of Blanding Blvd and Youngerman Circle.
Map: http://locations.dennys.com/FL/JACKSONVILLE/248004/index.html

1. Call to Order 7:30 pm

2. Approval of Old Minutes
Monday, June 17, 2013 - http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/Argyle_Area/pages/506637
3. Committee Reports
a. Jacksonville City Council, Clay County Commission Report and other elected officials or representatives
1. Duval County School Board District 5 - Dr. Constance S. Hall . Clay County School Board District 4 (Argyle Area) - Johnna McKinnon
2. Jax District 14 Council Member Jim Love
3. Jax District 12 Council Member Doyle Carter
4. Jax District 11 Council Member Ray Holt
5. Jax At Large, Group 1 Council Member Kimberly Daniels
6. Clay District 2 Commissioner - Doug Conkey
7. State Representative Daniel Davis (R), District 13, Legislative Assistant: Michelle Fowler
8. U.S. Representative Ted Yoho (R), Florida's Third District ( Clay County )
9. U.S. Representative Ander Crenshaw (R), Florida's Fourth District ( Duval County )
b. Public Safety Report. Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and Clay County Sheriff's Office

c. Transportation. David Hodges - Click on the links for the Latest Info on these Projects
1. I-295 @ Collins Rd / Blanding Blvd Interchange C/D Project - http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moredot/pdf%20files/DuvalI295CollinsRoad.pdf http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/public/genpage.html?nid=972432200&nneighid=351562714&nsupercity=623542159

Clay Today: Collins Road exit to 295 scheduled to open early
http://www.claytodayonline.com/ee/claytoday/en/component/fullstory/20130627_007_art_0/collins-road-exit-to-295-scheduled-to-open-early
Article Posted: Thursday, June 27, 2013 - 06:00
By Sarah Wakefield Rosser - Staff Writer
OAKLEAF – A construction project connecting the Argyle area to the interstate is scheduled to open sooner than expected.
The Florida Department of Transportation’s $64.5 million project connecting I-295 and Collins Road just north of Argyle is scheduled to open late 2013 instead of the original projection of early 2014.
"Particularly heading southbound, the Collins Road access should open a month before the work is done," said Public Information Office for the Florida Department of Transportation Michael Goldman. "We’re pretty much on schedule. They allow extra days for [inclement] weather, so it could possibly slip a little bit."
Already seen from the interstate are one-way frontage roads paralleling I-295 in each direction. The roads will run for 4.3 miles, providing two lanes for cars to safely exit, allowing through traffic to merge onto Blanding Boulevard or U.S. Highway 17.
"The whole thing is to separate departing traffic from through traffic," Goldman said. "The separation is important because it will allow better flow and provide safer exits."
The Collins Road interchange project is part of a larger road construction project that crosses from Duval into Clay County. The design was meant to alleviate Blanding Boulevard’s clogged arteries and lessen weaving and merging conflicts along I-295. Drivers traveling on I-295 will be able to access Argyle and Oakleaf without adding to Blanding Boulevard’s congestion.
Travelers will be able to access Collins Road from the frontage roads and not the main interstate line.
"The crew’s priority is to complete the work around Blanding before Collins Road," Goldman said.
The Collins Road project began February 14 and is 90 percent complete. It is part of several other construction projects that include a new four-lane overpass on Collins Road over 1-295, resurfacing of Blanding Boulevard and lengthening the northbound on-ramp from Blanding to I-295 south.
About 99 percent of the project was federally funded. The FDOT spent an additional $9.6 million to purchase 48 acres of property needed for six retention ponds and necessary property need to construct the Collins Road interchange ramps.
Construction crews have been working during the day and night with detours only during the late evening and early morning hours.
"They can’t close lanes during the day unless there’s an emergency, such as heavy rains," Goldman said. "That’s for safety reasons such as washouts."
Even though the actual cost is more than $1 million over the estimated cost of $63.4 million, Goldman said "we are still within the bid."
Construction in the Oakleaf and Argyle area along roadways has been developing for more than a decade. About one-third of traffic that currently uses Blanding Boulevard to access the interstate could use Collins Road instead.
"You’ve got Watermill, Oakleaf and a town center and other developments along there," Argyle Area Civic Council President Bill Lewis said. "That will give those areas secondary access to get to the interstate and help with the growth of the area."
Also in the works for local organization Argyle Area Civic Council is a plan for an unfunded access road. Paramore Road, would be a connector road from Collins and Argyle Forest Boulevard and would exit right near Keith Pierson Toyota. The project still needs to be funded. The access road would run along the interstate and give commercial development a chance to grow. It’s also important in case of a vehicular accident.
"Let’s say there’s some type of major accident along Collins and Blanding," Lewis said. "There are no other roads to get off in-between. This would be an access road west of 295 and Collins and it would go right along the interstate."
The AACC is looking for public and private partnerships to fund that construction.

2. Collins Road Widening -
. I) Collins Rd/Rampart to Blanding http://www.coj.net/Departments/Better+Jacksonville+Plan/Road+Projects.htm
. II) Collins Rd/Westport to Rampart http://www.coj.net/Departments/Better+Jacksonville+Plan/Road+Projects.htm
. III) Collins Rd/Shindler to Westport http://www.coj.net/Departments/Better+Jacksonville+Plan/Road+Projects.htm
. IV) Collins Rd/Shindler to Old Middleburg http://www.coj.net/Departments/Better+Jacksonville+Plan/Road+Projects.htm
3. Old Middleburg Rd./103rd to Branan Field http://www.coj.net/Departments/Better+Jacksonville+Plan/Road+Projects.htm
4. Branan Field Chaffee Road Phase 1 (103rd St. to I-10) - http://www.jtafla.com/Projects/showPage.aspx?Project=11
5. College Drive Extension North Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study - New connection between Blanding Boulevard (SR 21) and Branan Field/Chaffee Road (SR 23). - Clay county http://www.collegedrivenorth.com/faq.htm
BETTER JACKSONVILLE PLAN IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS http://www.coj.net/Departments/Better+Jacksonville+Plan/Road+Projects.htm
6. Branan Field-Chaffee Expressway is a state highway designated State Road 23 http://www.bfcxpress.com/
7. St. Johns River Crossing Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study website. http://www.sjrbridge.com/default.htm
First Coast Outer Beltway is a proposed four-lane limited access toll facility that includes the St. Johns River Crossing Corridor in St. Johns and Clay Counties and the Branan Field-Chaffee Road (SR 23) project in Clay and Duval Counties. http://www.fdotfirstcoastouterbeltway.com/index.asp
Jacksonville Transportation Authority Projects Map - http://www.jtafla.com/Projects/showPage.aspx?Sel=185
Florida Department of Transportation Information http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/majorprojects.shtm#two
Florida Department of Transportation Public Meeting Notices http://www2.dot.state.fl.us/publicsyndication/PublicMeetings.aspx/publicmeetings_district2

d. Business Development - David Hodges
. . Oakleaf Town Center - Jacksonville, FL - Description http://www.sembler.com/current_projects.php?id=12
. . Oakleaf Town Center - Jacksonville, FL - PDF Map http://www.sembler.com/pdfs/Oakleaf%20Town%20Ctr.pdf

e. Communications and Web Site - Bill Lewis

f. Home Owners Association President Meeting - Bill Lewis

g. Grant Writing Committee

h. Landscaping Committee

i. Treasurer's Report -

4. Old Business
a. Argyle Area Community Garden - Tom Dumas 7033 Collins Rd, Jax, FL 32244 http://www.meetup.com/Argyle-Area-Community-Garden/
b. Have Jacksonville Traffic Engineer ( Paid Traffic Consultant ) Approve Uniform 45 MPH On Argyle Forest Boulevard
- Recent Stories - Action News Channel 30 and 47: Argyle Forest Blvd Speed limits may be wrong http://www.actionnewsjax.com/mostpopular/story/Budget-cuts-leave-drivers-battling-local-speed/pAQmC79cjU-FSCN-372XJw.cspx
2/15/13, 8:59 PM - Fox 30 Reporter, Alex Hill
Budget cuts leave drivers battling local speed limits
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In a city with close to 828,000 people, the largest city in land mass in the country, you might think an engineer to track the traffic would be a necessity.
Think again.
"They haven't had a traffic engineer for about five years. It's been a while,” said City Councilman Jim Love.
That’s a big roadblock for folks like Bill Lewis who lives along Argyle Forest Boulevard.
"They have not made the speeds on Argyle Forest Boulevard uniform,” Lewis said.
On Argyle Forest Boulevard the speed goes from 35 mph to 40 mph and then to 45 mph in a fairly short stretch. Lewis tells Action News it’s been that way since back when the road used to be just two lanes. Now that it’s not, he believes the speed limit should be uniform at 45 mph, mainly to protect driver’s pocketbooks.
“Sometimes the police officers will sit out here and set up speed traps,” said Lewis, president of the Argyle Area Civic Council.
The problem – the city’s traffic engineer (that no longer exists) is who is responsible for implementing speed limit changes.
Love tells us the city has a contractor on call, but you have to convince the planning department the problem is worth the expense.
"Right now, a lot of constituents don't know where to send their complaints to. Do you think their concerns aren't being heard because of these budget cuts,” Action News asked.
“That's a good question. I think they're being heard, the question is is the money there to handle the concerns,” said Love.
Love spent Friday evening on Argyle Forest Boulevard mapping out the different speed limits. He tells Action News he’ll submit his findings to the planning department. He estimates it costs between $5,000-$15,000 to bring in a contractor to complete a traffic study
If you have a complaint, the city says the best way to get attention is to call (904)630-CITY.
Watch the Video: http://video-static.clipsyndicate.com/zStorage/syndicaster2/172/2013/02/16/04/03/20130216040536.7363960.mp4?co_id=343&syndi_feed_id=137

5. New Business
6. Additional Comments From the Public

7. Motion to Adjourn