Park Street reconfigured for bicyclists and walkers

The city of Jacksonville announced Monday the completion of the Park Street Road Diet.

The ceremony marked the end of construction on Park Street from Forest to Water streets, which is a little more than half a mile. Mayor Donna Deegan, councilman Jimmy Peluso and Groundwork Jacksonville CEO Kay Ehas spoke during a ceremony.

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The Park Street Road Diet project, which cost nearly $11 million, is expected to make the area better for people who bike and walk.

“This used to be a car-dominated corridor, but after a road diet, we have transformed it into a safer, more vibrant and more accessible public space. We’ve narrowed vehicle lanes, added bike accessibility, expanded sidewalks and installed enhanced crosswalks and greenery,” Deegan said.

Thanks to this project, the road went from four lanes down to two, sidewalks were widened and bike lanes were added.

City leaders think this will also attract businesses.

Lacey Greeson, who works a few blocks away, thinks so too.

“It will make the roads safer,” Greeson said. “I think it is a cutoff between right there. It will cut down on people’s drive to work and their commute and things like that. I think it would make it a little smoother out here.”

For the first time ever, the city is going to have what is called a two-way cycle track, also known as a bikeway. It is a separate path or route catered toward bicyclists that cars cannot go on at all.

But people can also walk on the path.

Patricia Orange and Emily Honeyman-Mistisshen work a few blocks from the construction site. They welcome the change.

“I think having wider, safer spaces for pedestrians and bicycles to move through is better for everyone,” said Honeyman-Mistisshen, who is a barber at House of Shaves-Riverside. “Obviously, they have more room.”

“It would be nice to have that option for different ways to be able to navigate around the area,” said Orange, the co-owner of The Nest Coworking. “Parking is becoming more and more of an issue. With bicyclists, I think that is going to be great.”

The project connects Brooklyn, Five Points, Riverside, LaVilla and the Emerald Trail.

“We’re going to get some incredible housing projects that’s going to happen here, we’re going to see more vibrancy. We’re going to see more people walking up and down these streets, using the Emerald Trail. This is what makes a Downtown vibrant and exciting,” Peluso said.

There are going to be some roundabouts and planted trees, and the city also has removed some traffic signals.

According to the city of Jacksonville, people will have access to parking at night and on weekends in the Florida Blue garage on Forest Street.

Leaders said more projects like this are already in the pipeline.