Lane closures were set to begin Feb. 22 as part of the work to restore two-way traffic to Forsyth and Adams streets in Downtown Jacksonville, the city announced.
First up is the closure of the northern lane of Forsyth, followed March 1 by the southern lane of Adams. Both lanes will be closed for about 60 days, the announcement said.
After work on those lanes is completed, the other lane of each street will be shut down for 60 days.
During the closures, work will include milling and resurfacing the roadways, and installing pavement makings, signals and and parking kiosks.
Parking will be closed off on the closed lanes but will remain available on the open ones. Access to businesses and properties will be maintained, as will pedestrian mobility.
The city says “minor” stoppages may occur at intersecting streets to allow for movement of construction equipment.
The project began in April 2024, with work being done under a $4.6 million revised contract approved in October 2023 with the Jacksonville-based engineering and construction firm EltonAlan Inc.
When completed, the project will restore two-way traffic to both streets between Jefferson and Liberty streets.
Forsyth and Adams were among Downtown streets converted to one-way decades ago during a time when traffic engineers prioritized movement for commuters to and from Downtown workplaces.
The restoration is designed to slow traffic and make the streets safer for walking, cycling and other modes of transportation like scooters.
The overall goal is to encourage pedestrian activity, increase mobility and foster development of street-level dining and retail. Proponents of restoration say businesses benefit from increased foot traffic and patronage by motorists who are more likely to notice storefronts along the streets while traveling at lower speeds.
In 2021, the city approved a $1.33 million contract with Jacksonville-based Prosser Inc. for two-way mobility and safety engineering services.
Prosser produced a design for Forsyth and Adams streets that included 10-foot travel lanes and seven-foot parallel parking spaces, plus new features such as protected “parklets” with seating areas, steel planters and wood flooring.