JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Traffic issues for residents who live in the Wells Creek area could soon be solved.
Recently, crews were out in the area laying the groundwork to install a new traffic light.
Since last year, News4JAX has reported on the south Duval County subdivision plagued by traffic backups as residents tried to leave their community.
Some residents said it would take them at least 30 minutes in the morning to exit to get onto Philips Highway.
“I get stressed because I don’t enjoy leaving the neighborhood, and so what I do is, I honestly have to leave my house like an hour before I even need to get somewhere that would normally take me 20 minutes,” Kacy Remley said.
Remley has lived in Wells Creek for four years.
She said the traffic issues have become worse over the years.
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Last school year, News4JAX showed you a video of cars at least a mile long in the community waiting to exit during the morning hours.
But toward the end of last school year, JSO helped direct traffic.
Last week, News4JAX reported officers aren’t required to help direct traffic.
They can sign up to work off-duty for the subdivision. Two officers are needed for the job. It’s a voluntary position and scheduled as secondary employment for officers.
So far this school year, people in the community said they have only seen an officer direct traffic for them once, for a few minutes.
However, when communicating with someone from the mayor’s office, they said JSO had been at the intersection to direct traffic during the morning peak hours of 6 to 9 a.m. since Monday, Aug. 12.
It’s something Remley disagrees with. She said if police were able to direct traffic this school year, people would be doing less risky things.
“There’s been a lady that stopped and got out of her car herself and stopped traffic,” Remley said. “And there’s been several other instances like you said people have stopped in traffic to let people go to the right and to the left.”
But Remley said she hopes all of that stops once the light is installed.
News4JAX reached out to the mayor’s office about the traffic light. They sent an email that said:
“Major items like water main relocation and mast arm foundations have been completed. The large mast arms are scheduled to be delivered in mid-September and the signal may be operational as early as mid-November, barring unforeseen delays.”
Remley hoped the timeline for the traffic light wouldn’t change too much. She said since moving here four years ago she’s heard many different dates.