JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Mandarin Community Club was bustling with residents eager to learn about the future of a sidewalk expansion project on Mandarin Road.
Councilman Michael Boylan shared that the Jacksonville Transportation Authority will gather community feedback to begin developing detailed plans.
“That’s probably gonna take about a year before they get to a point in time that they’re comfortable in coming back and having another meeting with the community to say this is where we’re landing in terms of this project,” Boylan said.
The proposed project aims to extend the sidewalk on Mandarin Road, which currently ends at Red Cypress Drive. If expanded, it would stretch approximately two and a half miles to Walter Jones Park. However, many neighbors are concerned that the expansion could lead to the destruction of the area’s tree canopy.
Renee Slater, a resident opposed to the sidewalk expansion, expressed her worries about the environmental impact.
“This is a road that is irreplaceable. And once the trees or anything are changed, it’ll never go back,” she said.
Slater, who moved to Mandarin for its rural feel, is concerned that trees could be impacted during construction.
“These trees serve as buffers. They serve as drainage; they prevent storm runoff. There’s so many ecological, environmental points to make about this project and why it should not continue as proposed,” she added.
Some residents support the sidewalk expansion. Martin Baker, a frequent runner on Mandarin Road, highlighted safety concerns due to the lack of a sidewalk.
“I see a lot of people walking on the road. Traffic sometimes is above the speed limit and can be a little hazardous,” he said.
While Baker is in favor of the project, he hopes it will be executed thoughtfully.
“I just hope they can preserve as many trees as possible when they do it, but I’d like to see the sidewalk done too, so it’s not an easy puzzle to solve, I guess,” he noted.
Boylan shares concerns about the tree canopy and aims to balance safety with environmental preservation.
“I just know for a fact that many of my neighbors who don’t have the luxury that I do, because I live south of Red Cypress, to take advantage of beautiful sidewalks and these beautiful trees in a walking way or bicycle way, I want to provide them the same opportunity for a safe walkway,” he said.
The sidewalk expansion project is still several years away from starting. Boylan estimates it will likely be two years before construction begins.
