The Interstate-295 West Beltway Express Lanes from the Buckman Bridge to Interstate-95 are expected to be completed in early 2017.
The Express Lanes, which will have a toll, will be another option for commuters. The regular lanes will remain open and free.
“(The Express Lanes) will help alleviate the traffic on the general use lanes, as well, because if I’m in a rush and my neighbor’s not, I’m going to get out of the general use lanes, and therefore alleviate the traffic there,” said Florida Department of Transportation spokesman Hampton Ray.
The toll will fluctuate depending on levels of traffic, so that when traffic is lower, the price will be lower, and when traffic is higher, the price will be higher. The minimum toll will be 50 cents.
The First Coast Flyer, Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s new rapid transit service, is currently constructing a route from Kings Avenue Skyway Station/Manning Street to Avenues Walk/Southside Boulevard along Philips Highway. It will be completed Dec. 5.
The Flyer currently has routes downtown and from the Rosa Parks Transit Hub along Lem Turner to I-295. The bus arrives every 10 minutes to stations during peak hours and every 15 minutes during non-peak hours. Dedicated downtown lanes allow the Flyer to avoid traffic. The fare is $1.50.
More routes will open over the next several years with the final phase of construction expected to finish in 2018 or 2019.