JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A multi-million-dollar construction project in Murray Hill is bringing a second roundabout to the area to help improve safety.
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It’s something business owners are happy about after two businesses had property damage due to crashes this year.
David Cushman is the owner of Duval Dogs Daycare and Boarding, located on Edgewood Avenue South.
His business opened a couple of months ago, and since then, he’s had to deal with damage to his property.
“On June 1st I arrived to work, and I found our fence laying on the grass,” said Cushman.
Cushman said there was a hit and run, and no one was hurt. It just left him with a big bill for repairs.
That same weekend a truck came barreling into the side of First Coast CrossFit, a gym just down the street from Duval Dogs.
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It left a gaping hole in the business and that crash is another example of why this stretch of road is pretty dangerous.
“Usually, people are going down this road 40 mph plus,” said Cushman.
The Florida Department of Transportation is now getting closer to the finish line on a $7.66 million project in that area.
“We are improving this roadway, we are making it more walkable with more connecting communities,” said FDOT’s PIO Hampton Ray.
With the project, they’ve already completed a roundabout at Edgewood Avenue and Plymouth Street.
“We are receiving a lot of positive feedback as it relates to that, that’s a unique interchange it used to have stop signs,” said Ray.
Now they are implementing a second roundabout on Edgewood Avenue. The traffic light will be taken out and the new roundabout will be put in at the intersection of Edgewood Avenue South, College Street, and Falmouth Street.
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“It improves safety, it also will help reduce the speed along this corridor which is really important because we are going to have a lot more people on the road just enjoying the community,” said Ray.
That second roundabout will be right by Duval Dogs. Cushman said it should force drivers to slow down.
“I am very excited; we are very excited for the future of Murray Hill, and we believe this is the best move for us,” said Cushman.
Once construction starts on the second roundabout, FDOT said the intersection will be closed for about a week.
The entire project is expected to be completed in the fall.
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