JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney Jr. recently announced the approval of $1.5 million in funding toward improving road safety projects in the city's Dinsmore area.
The money will go towards improving how drivers navigate roads, to include adding traffic lights and working on sidewalks.
First Coast News asked Gaffney how soon will residents see crews improving the roads, as he responded, "Hopefully soon."
The funding was approved by the city's finance committee. The councilman said there has been a rise in car accidents and fatalities.
"This has been a project that's dear to my heart," Gaffney said. "I wanted to prioritize this project and put some money in the budget, so we can finalize and get this project done."
Residents should expect crews working at the intersection of Dunn Avenue and Braddock Road. The councilman said his constituents sometimes have difficulty navigating the roads.
Furthermore, Gaffney said the population in the Dinsmore area is growing and traffic accidents will continue to be an issue there if nothing is solved now. There are talks, he said, to possibly add an extra turn lane.
"Right now, we have in the next two to three years... we have anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 homes [that] will be built," Gaffney said. "So, this problem will only progress."
Residents understand why he's championing for the road safety projects.
Celestia Mobley owns a restaurant in the area. She believes adding traffic lights will help alleviate ongoing problems. In her seven years there, she said car accidents are getting worse.
"I think they'll do better than just the stop signs because people ignore the stop signs too much, especially in this area," Mobley said. "There needs to be a light because it's hard to get out and then people sometimes take chances and they don't make it because there's like an accident."
Councilman Gaffney Jr. said the projects will need more funding in the future, but as of now, the funding that is secured, is ultimately a win for the city's district eight, which is "the second-fastest growing district in Jacksonville."