by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Taking a cue from Mayor John Peyton’s recent decision to halt work on the new Duval County Courthouse, City Council members Michael Corrigan and Art Graham say they want to reopen at least one of the major streets currently blocked by that development. They just don’t agree on how they want it done.
At the top of Corrigan and Graham’s wish list sits Monroe Street, which has been closed from Julia to Broad Streets since last January. Downtown commuters have since bemoaned the subsequent drive-time delays.
Corrigan filed a resolution Tuesday, urging Peyton’s office to consider reopening the road once new plans for the courthouse are designed.
Showing a bit more teeth, Graham offered an ordinance that would force Peyton to do it at the Council’s
discretion.
“It’s my feeling that, as we move forward in designing a new courthouse, I’d like to see Monroe Street remain open no matter what we decide to build,” said Corrigan. “I think my bill gives the administration the flexibility to do what they need to do.”
Graham agreed, saying Monroe Street should be opened, “because it is one of the major corridors feeding from I-95 through downtown.”
“I don’t see why we can’t reopen it,” said Graham. “In light of recent events, now is the perfect time to look into doing that, to at least open up those conversations.”
Graham said he has little issue with Corrigan’s proposal, he just doesn’t understand why Peyton or anyone else would want to wait to make Monroe Street functional again.
“If my bill passed, we could get it cleaned and opened within two weeks,” he said. “Definitely in time for the Super Bowl, which would help ease traffic congestion in the area.”
Mayor’s office chief of staff Steve Diebenow said it isn’t quite that simple.
He told the Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee Tuesday morning that it would “cost the tax payers a lot of money to reopen Monroe Street without knowing what the new courthouse footprint will look like.”
Those costs, he said, would be attributed to utility and drainage hookups and traffic light signalization.
A funding source has not been identified in Graham’s bill.
“We’ll have to look at all of our options before we can make that kind of a decision,” said Diebenow. “In the end, we may determine that the road should stay closed. Opening it right now would be a mistake. We would obviously prefer a resolution be passed, rather than an ordinance.”
Graham said if it proves to be too expensive, his legislation could be withdrawn.
“But I’m really not sure what costs will be incurred,” he said. “All I’m asking is that we open Monroe Street. I’m not talking about the right-of-ways so we wouldn’t need to worry about things like traffic light signalization.
“If there are other issues, we’ll make that determination. It doesn’t cost us anything to look at the costs.”
Council member Suzanne Jenkins, who represents much of downtown, agreed. She said Monroe Street could and should be reopened before the Super Bowl.
“Why not?” she said. “How difficult can it be to reincorporate that road back into downtown? It was here long before any courthouse construction began. I say flip the switch if we need to and pour some asphalt.”
Already a co-sponsor on Graham’s bill, Jenkins said she also plans to add her name to Corrigan’s.
“They’re really not all that different,” she said. “(Corrigan) is just using his manners.”