Author Topic: Ferry out of service St Johns River- Mayport - winter 2016  (Read 7067 times)

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Offline rjstolzberg

Ferry out of service St Johns River- Mayport - winter 2016
« on: January 13, 2016, 09:14:05 am »
Atlantic Coast Route Map 6. It looks like the ferry across the St Johns River going on A1A is out of service until February. Is there another local way across for a bike? (I am coming there today from the north and would like to avoid the unpleasant trip up to Jacksonville and back.) if someone has info today Jan 13, please email rjstolzberg(at)acsalaska.net.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2016, 11:07:34 am by CMajernik »

Offline CMajernik

Re: Ferry out of service St Johns River- Mayport
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2016, 10:57:55 am »
I'm looking at a map. It looks like the only way to get around the ferry will take you through Jacksonville. From the north side of Jacksonville, take US 17 south into the city. The highway becomes Main St. Take E. Union St./SR 115 east, then exit, going north, onto University Blvd. Take Merrill Rd. east which becomes SR 116. That will take you to SR A1A, where you rejoin the route, going south.

Here is a link to a map which will help you plan this routing. It shows any bike facilities and shoulder widths.
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/rddesign/BikeRouteViewer/index.html

I've called the FL bike/ped coordinator, and he is calling the regional person who can ask local cyclists the best way to go around the ferry. I realize that won't help you for today. As soon as we know more we will post it.
Carla Majernik
Routes and Mapping Program Director

Adventure Cycling Association
Inspiring people of all ages to travel by bicycle.
800/755-2453, 406/721-1776 x218, 406/721-8754 fax
www.adventurecycling.org

Follow Routes & Mapping on Twitter: @acaroutes

Offline rjstolzberg

Re: Ferry out of service St Johns River- Mayport - winter 2016
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2016, 01:58:45 pm »
Thanks for the info. I met the local Wednesday group ride and accepted the offer of a car ride around to cross the river. The 25 mile detour would be doable but it would not be pleasant.

Offline JHamelman

Re: Ferry out of service St Johns River- Mayport - winter 2016
« Reply #3 on: January 13, 2016, 02:37:33 pm »
According to the ferry website (http://stjohnsriverferry.com/) this closure is through February 17. For more updates or changes to this schedule, visit their website.

Jennifer
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Jennifer Hamelman

Adventure Cycling Association
Inspiring and empowering people to travel by bicycle.
800/755-2453, 406/721-1776 x205
www.adventurecycling.org

Follow Routes & Mapping on Twitter: @acaroutes

Offline JHamelman

Re: Ferry out of service St Johns River- Mayport - winter 2016
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2016, 09:12:56 am »
We received correspondence from the Florida Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator and this is what he suggested for handling this ferry closure:

Quote
The first, and probably easiest, has you leave the current route at St Augustine (if you are going north) and head over toward Green Cove Springs on SR 16/SR13, then up the east coast of Lake George and the St Johns River on Madrid Ave. This is shown as a high traffic road on our Bicycle Friendly Roads app, but it is the preferred route of the local cycling club.  I expect they are using it during off-peak traffic times, and apparently folks on this route are used to seeing cyclists.
 
You cross into downtown Jacksonville on the Acosta Bridge, then take Main Street/US 17 north to rejoin the existing bike routes. Main Street/US 17 is a multilane road, and there are bike lanes north of the railroad tracks (we need to reflect this on the website) but not south of the RR tracks. Cyclists can take the outside lane, or they could use one of the smaller parallel residential streets instead (that’s what I’d probably do.)  You can see these on the website.
 
The second alternative would be to continue north to US 90/Beach Blvd, due east of Jacksonville, and ride that west toward Jacksonville.  US 90 has spotty bike lanes most of the way in, but as you get close to town you’ll want to jump off onto the local grid and connect to the Acosta Bridge, then it’s north on 17 as described above.

The website he is referring to is their Bicycle Friendly Roads interactive map found here: http://www.dot.state.fl.us/rddesign/BikeRouteViewer/

Jennifer
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Jennifer Hamelman

Adventure Cycling Association
Inspiring and empowering people to travel by bicycle.
800/755-2453, 406/721-1776 x205
www.adventurecycling.org

Follow Routes & Mapping on Twitter: @acaroutes