JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation wants to hear from you as it prepares to replace a busy bridge along San Jose Boulevard just north of University Boulevard.
It passes over New Rose Creek.
Without the bridge, drivers would need to cut through neighborhoods or take a detour to St Augustine Road.
FDOT is hosting an in-person meeting from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cuba Hunter Community Center in Englewood.
Roughly 25,000 drivers use the bridge on San Jose Boulevard every day.
The FDOT says it’s “structurally deficient” and without improvements, it will continue deteriorating over time.
FDOT says it would need to add weight restrictions or even close the bridge to the public, which would force drivers to find alternate routes, resulting in longer travel times and more congestion.
Instead, FDOT hopes to replace the bridge with a newer, sturdier one by 2027.
Sara Pleasants, FDOT’s Community Outreach Specialist, explained how the project would benefit commuters.
“The existing bridge over New Rose Creek on State Road 13 was built in 1960, and so it’s near the end of its useful years and life. So, the department is in the planning phases of replacing it to bring it up to modern standards and ensure that it could carry traffic for decades to come,” said Pleasants.
To avoid major traffic jams during construction, FDOT plans to build a temporary bridge over the creek.
It would carry northbound traffic, while the southbound lanes would stay open throughout construction.
But the project can’t move forward without hearing from the community, which is why FDOT is holding the meeting Tuesday.
If you can’t make the meeting, you can share your thoughts via email. Reach out to project manager Thomas Redding at Thomas.Redding@dot.state.fl.us.
All comments must be submitted by Aug. 9.