NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. — Major traffic upgrades could soon be coming to Penman Road. It goes through Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, and Neptune Beach.
City leaders held an open house at the Neptune Beach City Hall at 5 p.m. Tuesday evening to get feedback from the community.
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Action News Jax Shanila Kabir spoke to neighbors and city leaders who said improvements are long overdue, in terms of convenience and safety.
According to a 2023 study, Penman Road alone had more than 300 accidents between 2016 and 2021.
Peggy Meola works at St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store on Penman Road, and she said she is looking forward to any improvements on the busy road.
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“We do have some concerns about the traffic, but we do feel that the roundabout will help, especially at the five-way down by Florida Boulevard,” said Meola.
Leaders with Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and the City of Jacksonville said Penman could see a path for pedestrians and bikers, more turn lanes, and about five roundabouts.
However, some residents said they are unsure about roundabouts on roads with heavy pedestrian traffic.
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“I personally love roundabouts when they’re appropriately designed when I’m in an automobile, not when there’s pedestrians. Roundabouts are designed to move traffic,” said Patricia Hazouri, a Neptune Beach resident.
City leaders said these changes to Penman Road are part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s “Complete Streets” initiative.
“That’s going to create a streetscape that is very pedestrian-friendly. In Jacksonville, we were number 6 in terms of pedestrian fatalities and now we’ve down on that list and we’re safer,” said Neptune Beach Mayor Cori Bylund
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