JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A little over a year after a Jacksonville elementary teacher and his 1-year-old son were killed crossing Baymeadows Road, the Florida Legislature has earmarked nearly $975,000 to install a pedestrian hybrid beacon crosswalk near Wicked Barley Brewing Company.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recommended installing the PHB crosswalk and a central refuge island on Baymeadows Road after the deadly May 2025 crash.
Sen. Clay Yarborough requested a one-time investment of $972,000 for the project, and the funding was included when the Legislature passed the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
“This project is greatly needed to enhance safety on Baymeadows Road where tragedy occurred last year,” Yarborough said. “I am grateful the Senate and House chose to fund the project in the state budget and hope the governor will approve it when it comes before him soon. My thanks to State Representative Wyman Duggan and City Councilman Joe Carlucci for their partnership on this.”
READ: Funding request from Sen. Yarborough
The money won’t be guaranteed, though, until Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the budget. DeSantis has line-item veto power.
If the funding survives into the final budget, the improvements will be made near Goodbys Executive Drive, where Mitchell Patch and his 1-year-old son, Everett, were killed while crossing Baymeadows Road after leaving Wicked Barley Brewing Company.
Yarborough’s funding request said the enhancements are designed to improve pedestrian visibility and safety, and make the crossing more accessible for all users.
The funding breaks down into $120,000 for design, $170,000 for right-of-way, $595,000 for construction and $87,000 for construction inspection, according to estimates from the FDOT.
According to the request, construction is estimated to begin in December of 2028 and finish in December of 2029.
Jacksonville City Council member Joe Carlucci, who represents the area, also advocated for safety changes after the deadly crash.
“You have people in the district and community calling and saying we got to do something about this,” he said. “This should have never happened. What can we do to make sure this never happens again.”
A traffic study conducted by FDOT revealed 12 crashes at the location since 2020, including two involving pedestrians and a bicyclist.