Rail Yard District / Durkeeville / Eastside
53. I-95 at Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway Interchange Improvements
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) continues work on new I-95 at Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway Interchange Improvements. The $79 million project is expected to be completed in late 2026.
This FDOT project includes planned interchange improvements at Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway (U.S. 1) and I-95 (S.R. 9) and the proposed ramp closure of the Flanders Street connection to the Boulevard Street on-ramp to westbound Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to improve safety conditions.
The primary purpose of this project is to improve existing and future traffic conditions:
- Improve safety
- Reduce conflicts
- Reduce congestion
- Increase operational efficiency
FDOT proposes the following modifications:
- Closing the northwest loop ramp
Installing new traffic signals:
- For westbound Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to southbound I-95
- For eastbound Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to northbound I-95
- Reconstructing and widening the I-95 bridge at Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to vertical clearance of 16.5’
- Reconstructing pedestrian bridge over Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to vertical clearance of 17.5’
- Installing noise barrier wall to reduce roadway noise at the southeast, northeast, southwest and northwest quadrants of the interchange
- Closing the Flanders Street connection to the Boulevard Street (W. 21st Street) on-ramp to westbound Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway to improve safety conditions
For more information: https://nflroads.com/ProjectDetails?p=5405
54. Keystone Terminal /CSX Railroad Spur
A new rail extension is being built along the south side of Evergreen Cemetery to connect the Keystone Terminal at Talleyrand to an existing CSX railroad line. The proposed rail will be elevated over Evergreen Avenue and cross Long Branch Creek at two locations and includes the installation of two (2) 10-foot (ft) x 12-ft box culverts.
55. Union Terminal Warehouse Company
A major historic rehabilitation project at the Union Terminal Warehouse Company building is nearing completion. When it was originally built in 1913, the Union Terminal Warehouse Company was the largest commercial building to be constructed in Florida. Intended to be a catalyst for economic development and revitalization in the Eastside, when finished, the adaptive reuse project by Atlanta-based Columbia Ventures, will include 228 apartment units, 20,233 square feet of community commercial space, 24,607 square feet of maker/artist studio space, and 4,205 square feet of restaurant and coffee shop space. The 330,000-square-foot warehouse was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is Florida’s first Historic Tax Credit project in a Federal Opportunity Zone. In addition, the $72 million historic renovation is the state’s largest Historic Tax Credit project by square footage.
56. McCoys Creek Greenway
Construction on phase one of the McCoys Creek Restoration Project continues. It is being funded with $105.4 million from the City of Jacksonville to remedy McCoys Creek flooding, create neighborhood-friendly spaces, improve recreational opportunity, and protect the environment. Major components of the 18 month project include the permanent closure of portions of McCoys Creek Boulevard, reconstruction of the Stockton and King Street bridges, creek restoration and Emerald Trail construction.
The restoration of the creek, which was channelized in 1930, will involve restoring the waterway to a meandering natural channel design and expanding the flood plain with the addition of natural water containment features, such as lagoons and tidal pools. The former road bed of McCoys Creek Boulevard will be replaced with a new segment of the Emerald Trail. When complete, the trail component of the project will connect the historic Westside neighborhoods of Lackawanna, Mixon Town, Campbell Hill (Rail Yard District) and Brooklyn to the Northbank Riverwalk.
For more information: McCoys Creek restoration project now underway
Article by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com