Residents have mixed reviews after construction ends on Beach and Southside boulevards

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Drivers are navigating a new traffic pattern on Beach Boulevard at Southside after crews finished their work on the “median u-turn” Thursday night.

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The median u-turn, also known as a “mut,” was designed to improve safety and traffic flow in the area. It’s not also designed to reduce congestion and conflict points in the intersection, but some locals have taken to social media and said they think this new traffic pattern might be confusing.

However, the Florida Department of Transportation is hopeful that this new layout will be the exact opposite.

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According to FDOT, the mut installation was part of a $6 million road project that’s new design has new traffic lights and easier ways to get to Newell Boulevard and Eve Drive, which has oftentimes been a busy and difficult route due to a lack of green light opportunities for drivers.

Long-time local Robin Lewis told Action News Jax that she expects traffic to get better now that the mut is complete. She said the layout caused a lot of hiccups on the road.

“The traffic has gotten so strong over the last few years that I used to go down Southside Boulevard in seven minutes,” she said. “It’s about 45 minutes now.”

According to FDOT, this is not the first mut in Jacksonville. Officials say we have one at I-295 and Collins Road and another one is under construction at I-95 and State Road 16.

Read: Construction at busy Jacksonville intersection of Beach and Southside boulevards almost done

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