For decades, Adams and Forsyth streets in Downtown Jacksonville have been one-way thoroughfares.
That changes July 2.
Downtown Investment Authority CEO Lori Boyer told the DIA board that two-way traffic would return to the east-west streets that day after more than a year of work to restore the roadways to their original configuration.
Both streets were designed in Jacksonville’s early years to carry traffic both east and west but were converted to one-way in the mid-20th century, with Adams going west and Forsyth east.
Work began in April 2024 on the $4.6 million restoration project. Proponents of two-way conversions say the reconfigurations reduce traffic speed and foster safer mobility for pedestrians and bicyclists, improving the livability of urban environments and promoting patronage of street-level retail stores and restaurants.
Boyer noted to DIA board members that the conversion back to two-way traffic would come two days before the city’s annual Independence Day fireworks display.
This year’s display is expected to draw heavy traffic to Downtown because the city is reducing its fireworks launch sites to the Acosta and Main street bridges after spreading them out to as many as five different locations across the community after the coronavirus pandemic.
Boyer said had spoken with other city officials about the situation.
“The advantage of converting on the 2nd, Public Works told me today, is all the construction barrels will be gone and the parking spaces will be open,” she said. “So they think that with directing traffic properly, it will be a benefit to have it open on the two-way.”
In recent weeks, sections of each street have been reduced to one lane to allow for construction work.
The two-way conversions involved installing new signals, restriping the surfaces and installing curbside dining areas for restaurants along the streets.
Once work is completed, both streets will carry two-way traffic between Liberty and Jefferson streets.
Jacksonville is among several cities nationwide that have returned Downtown streets to two-way traffic.
Studies of some conversions showed that they reduced accidents and helped raise values of streetside properties.
Detractors of street conversions say two-way configurations are not as efficient at moving traffic as one-way streets and increase the possibility of head-on collisions. Another concern is that pedestrians who have grown accustomed to looking for traffic on one-way streets will not look the other way when two-way traffic is restored, making them more susceptible to being struck by vehicles.
Proponents counter that two-way streets reduce the likelihood of high-speed vehicle-pedestrian accidents and provide a more direct route to destinations, especially for drivers who are unfamiliar with downtown grid layouts and could end up circling blocks to find parking.