Better Jacksonville Plan

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The Better Jacksonville Plan is a growth management plan implemented by the city of Jacksonville, Florida. It was the signature project of Mayor John Delaney. It was promoted as a blueprint for Jacksonville's future and approved by Jacksonville voters on September 5, 2000. The Plan is funded primarily through a half-penny sales tax and by leveraging existing revenue sources. Lex Hester was a key advisor to Delaney on the $2.25 billion package of projects, pushing for the inclusion of a new downtown library, then serving on the team of top administrators charged with making the far-reaching plan work. The BJP was codified as Section 761 ^[1] of Jacksonville's Code of Ordinances and administered by the City of Jacksonville, the JEA, and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, in cooperation with the Florida Department of Transportation. Most of the projects in the BJP were expected to be completed by 2010. The half-penny sales tax has a Sunset provision no later than 2030.^[2]

1 Resurfacing
2 Road Projects
3 Railroad grade crossings
4 Rapid transit right of way
5 Environmental preservation
6 Targeted economic development
7 New or improved public facilities
8 Problems
9 References
10 External links

[edit] Resurfacing

The Better Jacksonville Plan financed $105 million to resurface streets in Jacksonville that had not been paved since 1985. The Department of Public Works paved nearly 1,800 miles of streets before it ended in September, 2007. The plan also financed $20 million to fund construction of new neighborhood sidewalks.

[edit] Road Projects

These include widening, adding curbs and stormwater drainage infrastructure.

Butler Blvd./US-1 and Butler Blvd./I-95 Intersections^[3]
University/Beach Intersection^[4]
Salt Marsh (Fanning Island and FIND) Mitigation Sites^[5]
Beaver Street (Devoe to Edgewood)^[6]
Atlantic Boulevard (Girvin/Hodges/San Pablo)^[7]
Atlantic/Kernan Intersection^[8]
Atlantic/Southside Intersection^[9]

[edit] Railroad grade crossings

New Kings Road (US 1) - South of 45th Street

A six-lane vehicular overpass will be constructed to replace the existing ground-level railroad crossing. This will help alleviate traffic delays caused at this crossing by passing trains.

Franklin Street - North of 17th Street

A pedestrian overpass has been constructed to bridge three sets of railroad tracks at this location, providing residents safe passage over this busy crossing.

7th Street - Between Harrison and Milnor Streets

A pedestrian overpass has been constructed to span the existing single-track railroad crossing, presenting walkers and runners with a continuous route over the track.

[edit] Rapid transit right of way

Study alternatives

[edit] Environmental preservation

Environmental Clean-up of Ash Sites - $25 million
Neighborhood Park Improvements - $15 million
Preservation Project Jacksonville - $50 million The Preservation Project was a series of land grants for parks. In 2003, The Nature Conservancy awarded Mayor Delaney the President's Conservation Achievement Award for his work on the Preservation Project.^[10]
Septic Tank Remediation - $75 million^[11]

[edit] Targeted economic development

Jacksonville Equestrian Center & Cecil Recreation Complex - $25 million
Jacksonville Zoo: Range of the Jaguar - $10 million
Northwest Jacksonville Economic Development Fund - $25 million

[edit] New or improved public facilities

Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena - $130 million
Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville - $34 million
New Main Library - $95 million
New Library Branches/Renovations - $55 million
Duval County Courthouse - $190 million (see problems, below)

[edit] Problems

The project cost estimates, on which the program was based, were made in the late 1990s, when the price of building materials was relatively stable. They did not anticipate China's huge building boom, which required massive quantities of concrete and steel, resulting in higher prices for those essentials. The increase in oil prices in the new millennium was unexpected, and higher asphalt costs led to cost overruns, which resulted in an estimated $759 million shortfall in 2005. Dozens of road projects were "deferred" to an indeterminate date in the future.^[12]

The original amount budgeted for the courthouse in 2000 was $190 million. After the architectural plan was chosen, construction bids came in substantially higher than expected, resulting in design changes to economize. Mayor Delaney authorized construction to commence, but the cost was not firmly established; some estimates were above $300 million. After Mayor John Peyton took office, the council approved increasing the courthouse budget to $263.5 million in 2006, but after close scrutiny, Mayor Peyton concluded that the most recent budget amount was not realistic, the courthouse project was out of control, and he shut it down. After intensive study, the Jacksonville City Council approved a $350 million county courthouse complex in April, 2008 that was supported by Mayor Peyton and Chief Circuit Judge Donald Moran. ^[13]