JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —
A record number of people are expected to hit the road for the Fourth of July weekend, all while a major transportation project is underway in Duval County.
The $177 million Interstate 295 Express Toll Lane Project includes three different projects. It includes improvements to the Gate Parkway and J. Turner Butler Boulevard, as well as Kernan Boulevard.
“That region is really growing a lot. You’ve got the expansion of the Town Center in terms of residential communities going in there," FDOT spokesman Hampton Ray said.
The main part of the project will add an eastbound express toll lane along I-295 between State Road 9B and JTB. It will look similar to the westbound express toll lane.
“It’s about fostering that growth and making sure people have transportation choices and options," Ray said.
The toll lane will be on a regular travel lane used as an express lane during peak travel hours. You'll need a SunPass to use it, and prices will start off at 50 cents.
“How much will you make off of it for the people who will use it?” Elizabeth Westbury said.
Elizabeth Westbury drives on I-295.
“I think it’s too much money, and it’s for a select few who don’t mind paying extra, but for our tax money to go to that, I don’t like it," Westbury said.
The work you'll see on the project now includes traffic shifts, asphalt work, pavement markers, and orange delineators so people can tell where the express lane is.
“Maybe you’re running late, and you need a more predictable commute," Ray said. "You might choose to use the Express Lanes if you’ve got a doctor’s appointment or a dentist’s appointment, you might use the Express Lanes to make sure you get there on time.”
The entire project is expected to be completed in the fall.