Florida State Road 109

Route description

University Blvd travels through the western part of Jacksonville's Arlington neighborhood. Mostly lined with businesses, it is a major thoroughfare throughout its course. University Boulevard/SR 109's southern terminus is at San Jose Blvd/SR 13, one block from the St. Johns River. It heads due east for over a mile until reaching St. Augustine Rd and turning to the northeast. It then passes over a CSX rail line before meeting Philips Highway/U.S. 1 and passing under I-95. The highway continues on a more northerly course as it reaches Beach Blvd/U.S. 90 and the Commodore Point Expressway/SR 228 before an intersection with Atlantic Blvd/SR 10, and turns briefly to the west as it splits with Cesery Blvd/SR 109A, crossing the Arlington River. After a major interchange at the Arlington Expressway/SR 115, it continues north to Jacksonville University. Although the designation SR 109 ends at Jacksonville University, University Blvd continues north for more than two miles (3 km) with its northern limit, like its southern, just feet from the St. Johns River.

History

Prior to the development of Jacksonville University, from which the road gets its current name, it was called Love Grove Road, hence Lovegrove Elementary School, on the same road. It was then very different from its' current urban character. In earlier names it was rural ,with farms and open spaces. From 2002 to 2005, the City of Jacksonville fought with neighborhood residents and businesses over two proposed intersection flyover projects included in the The Better Jacksonville Plan. One proposed project was at SR 109's intersection with Atlantic Blvd/SR 10, while the other was at its intersection with Beach Blvd/US 90. Residents and businesses feared their properties would be consumed due to the space needed for construction, and that the city would cite eminent domain in order to do so. Other residents were concerned that the flyovers would detract from the beauty of the neighborhoods. In 2006, the City of Jacksonville considered alternative solutions to improving traffic congestion at these intersections, including various at-grade improvements: road widening, additional turn lanes, and other related options. Both plans were scrapped in September 2007.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Jacksonville, Duval County.

State Road 109A

State Road 109A, also known as Cesery Blvd, runs nearly exactly the same course a few blocks to the east of SR 109. Its southern terminus is at SR 109 just south of the Arlington River crossing, where it travels north, intersecting with Atlantic Blvd/SR 10 before becoming a two lane street to its northern terminus at Ft. Caroline Road.