ORANGE PARK, Fla. \u2014 Business owners on Wells Road in Orange Park are taking issue with an ongoing remodel of the intersection of Wells Road and Blanding Boulevard.<\/p>\n
Even some local state lawmakers have joined the fight.<\/p>\n
Christopher Jackson owns The Carpet Man on Wells Road, but lately, a lot of his time has been spent fighting this redesign<\/a> of the Wells and Blanding Boulevard Intersection.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think they know how dangerous this intersection is,\u201d said Jackson.<\/p>\n His main concern is the planned crosswalk, which he argued will offer little protection for pedestrians crossing an already dangerous intersection.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not gonna put my kids and grandkids out in the middle of that intersection now, let alone with a crosswalk with a three-inch curb and some yellow paint on it,\u201d said Jackson.<\/p>\n >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Hearing the concerns of Jackson and other business owners, State Senator Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) and State Representatives Sam Garrison (R-Fleming Island) and Judson Sapp (R-Palatka) sent a letter to FDOT Secretary Jared Purdue back in August.<\/p>\n In it, they called for further traffic studies and consideration of an alternative proposal, citing concerns that businesses on the West end of Wells could see their bottom lines impacted.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will greatly alter access to local businesses, particularly contractor supply businesses whose suppliers and customers drive large commercial vehicles or pull trailers. The proposed changes will restrict access to Wells Road from Blanding Boulevard and, it appears, will result in commercial vehicles making U-turns on busy Blanding Boulevard or travelling on small residential roads to access these businesses. This seems inherently problematic and dangerous,\u201d the lawmakers wrote.<\/p>\n The new traffic design would prevent cars from directly crossing Blanding while headed west on Wells.<\/p>\n Instead, they would have to drive North on Blanding and make a U-turn.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are my customers gonna do? ABC Supply is ten times as big as I am, Jake. It\u2019s not gonna happen,\u201d said Jackson.<\/p>\n In response to the lawmakers\u2019 letter, FDOT defended the redesign, claiming it will cut travel times at the intersection by 50 percent.<\/p>\n \u201cThe savings of 5,100 hours per day reduces the annual delay cost by $33,150,000\/year, and over a 20-year lifecycle, the savings will exceed $663,000,000,\u201d wrote FDOT District 2 Government Liaison Ed Seifert.<\/p>\n