A double yellow stripe lines the center of East Forsyth Street in Downtown as part of change to 2-way traffic, as well as Adams Street one block over. | Dan Scanlan, Jacksonville Today
Published on July 2, 2025 at 2:53 pm
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Take extra care Downtown, drivers. Two streets that used to be one way — Adams and Forsyth — reverted Wednesday to two-way traffic.
The change, months in the making, is designed to make the streets more friendly to pedestrians, traffic and businesses.
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Adams and Forsyth have been one-way streets for four decades. Back then, they switched from two-way to one-way to prioritize commuter movement.
The change back applies from four blocks east of Main Street to Liberty Street and seven blocks west to Jefferson Street. A $4.6 million contract for the work was approved in late 2023.
“This marks a major milestone in our vision to revitalize our urban core,” Mayor Donna Deegan said. “We are bringing back walkability. We are slowing down traffic and creating spaces where people want to gather and actually stay and spend some time, and not just speed through Downtown on their way to someplace else.”
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Plans to convert the two Downtown streets back to two-way had been a priority in the city master plan for a number of years, and the conversion work began in February.
City officials say two-way travel will bring economic growth, more retail businesses, higher property values, and better walkability and safety for pedestrians. The overall goal is to encourage pedestrian activity and foster development of street-level dining and retail as businesses see more pedestrian visits. Motorists may notice storefronts along the streets while traveling at slower speeds, officials say.
Among the changes made are turn lane arrows painted on East Adams Street as traffic rolls off the Hart Expressway ramp to divert cars onto North Market Street — and away from the new two-way road in the next block. Other intersections also have new turn lanes.
Brightly colored steel boxes are parked on street corners like West Forsyth Street and North Market Street. They will serve as soon-to-be landscaped bumpers that direct traffic flow at intersections.
The number of metered parking spots on each block has changed, as parking meters have been replaced by a central parking meter kiosk on each block.
“I believe there will be some learning curve,” said Public Works Director Nina Sickler. “But essentially, having them as two-way makes it safer because if you do turn down the street you have the option of being in either direction, you are not finding yourself in a situation where you are turning on a road that doesn’t accommodate the direction that you are driving.”.
The second phase of the project will bring sidewalk widening, tree planting for more shade and redesigned streetscapes to “bring vibrancy and life back to the heart of our city,” Deegan said. That will also be paid for via dedicated tax increment funding from the DIA.
Sickler said that the final design for Phase II is about eight months away, then construction will begin, but no start date has been set yet.
The city is also considering two more Downtown streets for conversion to two-way, although officials did not identify them.
