Some residents express concerns over access issues in the road expansion project. City officials say safety, finances and the overall design need to be considered.
A major road project on Jacksonville’s Westside is moving forward, but some residents are raising concerns about how the proposed design could affect access to their homes.
Jacksonville City Councilman Rahman Johnson held a community meeting Thursday to provide an update on the next phase of the Old Middleburg Road South project and hear concerns from residents.
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The project will eventually widen Old Middleburg Road South from two lanes to four lanes and add or improve curbs, gutters, sidewalks and a mixed-use path.
Johnson called the project a major opportunity to improve the area.
“I believe that this is going to be one of Jacksonville’s crowning achievements when it looks to roadways and how that other communities around the city can look,” Johnson said.
Phase 1, which runs from Parman Road to 103rd Street, is complete.
The next portion, Phase 2A, runs from Collins Road to Argyle Forest Boulevard. Construction is expected to begin soon, with completion anticipated around September 2027.
Residents say they support the improvements planned for Phase 2A, but some have concerns about Phase 2B, which will run from Collins Road to Parman Road.
The city is still acquiring additional right-of-way for Phase 2B, and there is not yet a firm construction date for that portion of the project.
One of the main concerns involves proposed concrete barriers that residents say could limit left turns from some streets and driveways.
Steve Hoernlein, who lives on Taylor Field Road, said residents are concerned they could be forced to turn right when leaving their neighborhood and then make U-turns to travel in the opposite direction.
“They are limiting us on Taylor Field Road, everybody must turn right,” Hoernlein said during the meeting.
Hoernlein asked whether the city was still considering a redesign to address residents’ concerns along Taylor Field Road.
Johnson said the city needs to consider the concerns of everyone affected by the project.
“We’re not going to look at just Taylor Field Road, we have to look at everything,” Johnson said.
Johnson said safety, finances and the overall design all need to be considered before the plans are finalized.
“We’ve got to do what makes sense financially, we’ve got to do what makes sense ssafety-wise,and we also have to make sure aesthetically it works with the plan we have,” Johnson said.
Residents say they plan to continue working with the city as Phase 2B moves through the planning process and are pushing for a design that improves the road while preserving access to their homes.
The city’s timeline for construction of Phase 2B remains uncertain as right-of-way acquisition continues.