Road projects are part of life for people in Jacksonville. But they can be a baffling part. Jacksonville Today reader Lois B. questions why some road construction projects take so long.
Why do some road projects seem to take forever?Read full article: Will La Niña increase hurricane activity through the rest of season?1 hour ago VyStar rolls out program for first-time homebuyers who are first responders, teachers, law enforcementof the Interstate 95 and Interstate 295 interchange on the city’s Northside.
That project began in 2016 and won’t be done until next summer, the Florida Department of Transportation says.A U-turn was built to get eastbound Gate Parkway traffic across Southside Boulevard. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today, where the median is badly torn up. Why don’t contractors do a better job of planning to eliminate all the mess? Lois asks.: FDOT spokesperson Hampton Ray says the department allows contractors to manage their own schedules as long as they meet the overall contract time. That means there are times when motorists don’t see any activity, such as the median work on Southside Boulevard, he says. Contractors schedule work based on the availability of materials, subcontractor crews or other logistical needs, “which helps reduce the overall cost of construction, saving taxpayer dollars,” Ray says. Much of the work on state roads and interstates is scheduled during off-peak hours, often overnight, to minimize traffic disruptions and ensure safety. The public may not see changes, but FDOT meets regularly with the contractor to ensure projects are progressing, Ray says.Ray spoke specifically about the project at Southside and Deerwood Park boulevards. The work will change the intersection to enhance traffic flow and add a new right-turn lane to AC Skinner Parkway, part of a larger corridor improvement project.The $29.8 million project includes nearly 5 miles of resurfacing on Southside Boulevard, intersection and safety improvements at Southside and Deerwood Park boulevards, drainage improvements, sidewalk installation, signage enhancements and lighting improvements. It should be done in spring 2026, Ray says.I-95/295 North interchange project , it is not expected to be completed until summer 2026. Ray says the contractor, Archer Western, has faced challenges, which included redoing I-295’s interchange with North Main Street. The contract time has been extended to account for bad weather, holidays and circumstances beyond the contractor’s control, including labor shortages related to COVID-19 and archaeological complications, Ray says. The original contract amount increased about 5.5%, from $176.8 million to $186.7 million, due to additional work. When the project is done, FDOT will assess what are called “liquidated damages” if Archer Western fails to meet the timeline of the contract, Ray says. Liquidated damages compensate FDOT and taxpayers for losses resulting from delays and the contractor’s failure to complete the project on time.Dan Scanlan is a veteran journalist with almost 40 years of experience in radio, television, and print reporting. He has worked at various stations in the Northeast and Jacksonville. Prior to joining the WJCT News team, Dan spent 34 years at The Florida Times-Union as a police and current affairs reporter.
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