JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Transportation is collecting feedback on plans to change the traffic pattern at I-95 and Emerson Street.
Those interested in discussing a potential fix for the frequent backups in the area can attend an in-person meeting from 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday at FDOT’s Jacksonville Urban Office on Edison Avenue.
The goal is to keep traffic on Emerson moving. Right now, cars often slow down as drivers try to turn onto the interstate, leading to backups as cars sit and wait for the light to change.
A proposed new traffic pattern widens both the lanes and the median and would have drivers going South do a U-turn before turning onto I-95. The change would give cars trying to get onto the interstate an area to wait without slowing down westbound traffic on Emerson Street.
FDOT held a virtual meeting Monday to discuss the plan and some work has already begun in the area.
But some residents say that work creates noise that is a lot to deal with and they’re not sure they could stand much more.
“I’m asking about the work near our house because my wife is pregnant and we have a small child who is 5 years old and I don’t know how we can live this for four years, this kind of situation with this kind of work and noise,” one resident said on the virtual meeting. “Our house trembles a lot when they work. Sometimes it’s unbearable.”
FDOT said a 22-foot tall noise wall will go up along the exit ramps, and an 8-foot wall would go up along the barrier on northbound lanes to help dampen the noise.