The NFTPO recently completed a traffic study for Ponte Vedra and Palm Valley. Although there are many valid suggestions we would benefit from adopting, there is one we would not. And that is making A1A six lanes.
Making A1A a six-lane roadway would seriously encroach on hundreds of homes and families, negatively affecting their quality of life and property values. It would put pedestrians and bikers, who are crossing A1A heading to the beach, schools, stores, churches, etc., in an exponentially more dangerous situation. This, in turn, would encourage them to drive instead – which in turn would ironically increase traffic density.
And traffic experts have identified a phenomenon called “induced demand,” which has been studied and documented in England, Sydney, China and the United States. It demonstrates that adding or widening roadways doesn’t actually lessen traffic, but actually adds to the congestion. Traffic engineers have a clever quote to better describe the concept: “Trying to cure traffic congestion by adding more capacity is like trying to cure obesity by loosening your belt.”
Not to mention the mind-blowing bottleneck we would have as we traveled northbound to Butler Boulevard and Jacksonville Beach.
Let’s listen to the experts about induced demand and our logical observation skills and not waste our tax money on this foolishness.
Lisa Johnson Cook
Ponte Vedra Beach
