A newly built stretch of the First Coast Expressway opens this weekend, offering drivers in Clay County a faster route between Blanding Boulevard and U.S. 17.
“Traffic’s really bad - bumper to bumper. Complete stops. It gets on my nerves. And I’m not even driving,” said Brian Malice with Jordan Lawn Care.
The Florida Department of Transportation says the 18-mile segment is opening ahead of schedule and is expected to ease congestion on some of the area’s busiest roads, including SR 16, Henley Road, and County Road 218. Up to 8,000 daily trips are expected to shift onto the new expressway, which includes a bridge over Black Creek.
“It gets pretty congested. Especially around 3 to 5 o’clock—that’s when traffic’s the worst,” said Josh Jordan, who works for Jordan Lawn Care and frequently drives through the area for work.
Although tolls are coming, FDOT says drivers will be able to use the expressway toll-free until September 15. After that, tolls can be paid using SunPass or Toll-By-Plate.
The new segment is part of a much larger infrastructure effort—eventually expanding the expressway to 46 miles through Duval, Clay, and St. Johns counties. The full project is expected to be completed by 2030 and is designed to improve regional mobility between I-10 and I-95.
Clay County is one of the fastest-growing areas in Northeast Florida. Local drivers say this new route is a step in the right direction, especially for people who commute daily or rely on quick access for business.
“It’ll be like a super highway connecting to the other highways,” said driver Johnny Clements.
Because construction from north of State Road 16 to east of County Road 209 is not yet complete, some ramps will remain closed to traffic at this time.
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