More than 90 percent of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s (JTA) customers walk or bike to a bus stop. So, the path to the stop is critical, requiring transit agencies to consider the trip before the trip, or what’s known as the “first and last mile”. To this end, JTA launched a Complete Streets-based infrastructure enhancement program known as Mobility Corridors. These designated Mobility Corridors represent JTA’s newly deployed, high-frequency transit routes established under the broader system redesign.
As part of JTA’s Mobility Corridors program, Michael Baker provided planning, analysis and conceptual design services to support the implementation of complete streets along JTA’s most highly traveled routes. We evaluated three corridor focus areas, Lem Turner, Main Street and Arlington Expressway, to develop the most appropriate complete streets solutions aimed at accommodating all modes of transportation, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.
Part of the design process included two public design charrettes to enable stakeholders the opportunity to share ideas and provide feedback with respect to improving multimodal conditions in the corridors. Leveraging the skills of our Design Hub, a collaborative nation-wide network of design professionals who come together to solve complex city planning and design challenges, our team of planners, engineers and landscape architects employed a variety of tools as a part of the design and public engagement process. A combination of 3D modeling and hand sketching was used to communicate complete street and infill redevelopment concepts to the community. Before and after diagrams easily enabled stakeholders to envision how change could affect and improve their neighborhood and quality of life.