A road construction project is expected to start in the coming years along a section of New Berlin Road in Jacksonville’s Oceanway community, and some residents are worried about traffic flow during construction.

According to plans from the city of Jacksonville, the project to widen New Berlin Road will start at Starratt and Pulaski roads and finish at Cedar Point Road. The plans include widening the road from two lanes to three, installing a new 6-foot-wide sidewalk on one side and adding a 12-foot-wide shared-use path on the other.

Residents in the area learned more about the project during a community meeting Thursday at the Oceanway Community Center. Concerned resident Keethrone Eugene told News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner, that he has concerns about traffic flow along the road during construction.

“Just having one street like New Berlin be the main way in and out … a lot of people use the different schools out here, so it’s going to be packed. It’s already packed out here. If you’re here around 5 p.m. or 6 p.m., you’ll see the line from the red light down there is all the way up to here, so construction is probably going to make it 10 times worse,” Eugene said.

Construction is supposed to get started in about three years, and it should take about five years to complete. 

Article continues below

More from Jax Today

Duval Schools apologizes for errors over arrested teacher

Ponte Vedra Concert Hall to close one year for renovations

Worker safety stressed as nine who died are honored

Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.

During the meeting, Jacksonville City Council member Mike Gay told News4Jax he’s been listening to the residents’ concerns.  

“You know we’ve been hearing concerns about needing to get this project done,” Gay said. “We’ve got massive, massive backups through New Berlin Road. We’ve got schools. We’ve got developments. So it’s way, way needed.”

Another community meeting is expected in mid to late April, a representative from Gay’s office said.

More information will be released once plans have been finalized.