Urban Jacksonville

I got to thinking “why aren’t there any bike lanes on Main Street?” Seems like a no brainer, so I asked and here’s what I found out.

Main Street is a four lane, State and Federal Highway which carries so much more traffic than 8th Street that it is considered unsafe to allow bike lanes.

SPAR inquired about incorporating bike lanes in the Main Street construction plans, but the FDOT would not approve them. Jerks.

Update: Johnny’s Ghost Bike
The crossing signal where Johnny Jones was killed while crossing the street on his bike was faulty.Watch the video here. Within 20 minutes, the city sends someone out to fix it as WTLV is taping a story. Go citizen journalism!

What Can Jacksonville Learn from Portland, Maine?
Portland gives us the opportunity to see what an urban core can resemble when we work to improve our existing landscape, with affordable elements, such as clear wayfaring signage, well-design parks and most of all…. designing for the pedestrian first.

burro bags

Burro Bags just posted a huge update on their blog. Highlights include:

Yesterday we moved in a screen printing shop that opens up a lot of opportunity to make some damn good looking product.
More ROOM – We are making our bags slightly larger in every size.
Vegan friendly – Our original leather tag with ‘Burro’ hand burned into each one will be set aside as an option. We are replacing it with cloth tags.
Adjusting straps – Adding finger loops to the ends
Visibility is a concern – Screen printing our bags with reflective paint
Screen printing – Handfuls of bag will be up with artwork by local artists printed on the outside and maybe inside. We’re going crazy with this.

Don’t forget the Dog and Pony show Sight Sound this Friday at the Art Institute

We’re having an opening THIS Friday from 5-8pm and we’ll be showing almost everything we’ve created since we started doing these awful screen prints in December.

Directions to the Art Institute
95 to Baymeadows.
West on Baymeadows.
Right at 2nd light (Baymeadows Way)
Right at 1st light (Baypine Road)
Follow that around to the parking garage, gallery is right there.

Nest Living is having a huge clearance sale from now until August 5th. Up to 50% off on floor model furniture and lighting.

Barack Obama Campaign Headquarters Grand Opening Party Tonight
I posted this right before I started writing this update, so I want to reiterate. Go Tonight and have Beers for Obama. Disclaimer: there may or may not be beers which you may or may not be able to drink.

Group art show at Bogda in Riverside this Saturday

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008 at 10:48 pm and is filed under Activism, Art, Downtown Jacksonville, Events, News, Springfield. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Tags: burro bags, dog and pony showprints

http://bikejax.blogspot.com Bike Jax

Joey that is pretty much the same response from FDOT I received concerning Main. When I pressed that they are required by state law that mandates that bikes lines are included in any redesign of state roads and that they didn’t think there was too much traffic north of MLK where bikes lanes are marked and signed.

They then decided I need to talk with someone else and proceeded to transfer me to that person. And of course the line some how was disconnected. 6 times.
http://www.metrojacksonville.com thelakelander

Main Street, north of MLK, also has a higher traffic count than the portion that goes through Springfield.
JH

FDOT doesn’t want to hear from the public! this truth stinks, but it is what it is.

All who are interested in bike lanes on main need to pool money and hire a govt consultant/lobbyist. $5-10k ought to do it. hold a fundraising event, fast!
http://www.urbanjacksonville.info Joey Marchy

@JH I think i’d rather do without bike lanes than encourage a system that rewards lobbyists and the politicians who respond to them. If that’s the only way we can encourage the State to respond to a public safety issue, then I just realized I have been very naive.

I’d rather use the money to throw a huge “F FDOT!” party and make our own bike lanes.

Oh well, I guess we’ve got along without them (bike lanes) for this long…
http://www.metrojacksonville.com thelakelander

Btw, just to add fuel to the fire, Baymeadows Road (State Road 152) also has bike lanes between Southside Blvd and 9A. This FDOT road also has a higher traffic count.
adam (not beaugh)

Also, everyone, First Fridays in Five Points is tomorrow. 6-9.
First Fridays- it’s a Riot!
JH

like i said, joey, it is what it is — having to “reward” what seems such an unethical system to get what would seem an ethical outcome is a bummer.

maybe you can use your f fdot party as the $5k-10k fundraiser. at least you could enjoy the irony in that!
http://burrobags.com Matt Burro

I’m in the works of hanging a banner outside as a plea for bike lanes. The excuses are terrible, this area has the most bike traffic in all of Jacksonville, whether it’s us, sidewalk life or workers biking the wrong way, it is a safety concern. Too much hassle to not have bike lanes. I WANT MY FUCKING 3 FEET!
Downtownparks

Emails should be sent to
City Councilmember Johnny Gaffney
Gaffney@coj.net
State Rep Audry Gibson
Audrey.Gibson@myfloridahouse.gov
State SenatorTony Hill
hill.anthony.web@flsenate.gov

Matt you are correct. There are a large number of bikes in the area, including a noteworthy number that use bikes as a primary mode of transportation.
http://www.theurbancore.com biggie tea

Pls don’t put the f word on the banner. I thought Gai had bike lanes in the original plans but that was about 8 yrs ago so I could be remembering wrong. I will write gaffney. Good idea.
http://burrobags.com Matt Burro

Tony, the banner was just going to be the F-WORD, I thought enough people read this that they would know exactly what I was upset with.
http://www.theurbancore.com biggie tea

Ok nevermind. Sounds perfect.

Urban News and Linkage – Why Main Street Won’t Have Bike Lanes Edition

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