Part of the First Coast Expressway is shown under construction. | FDOT
Published on August 4, 2025 at 3:57 pm
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The next segment of the First Coast Expressway is expected to open in the next two weeks from Blanding Boulevard to U.S. 17 in Clay County, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Once open to traffic, the new expressway segment will help lessen daily congestion on roads like Blanding Boulevard, U.S. 17 and Florida 16, FDOT said.
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Some 5,000 to 8,000 cars will be diverted from those routes, FDOT said. “Additionally, first responders will gain faster, more direct access to communities, improving response times and accelerating critical care delivery.”
The First Coast Expressway is a multilane, limited-access toll road that will ultimately connect parts of Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties. The 46-mile expressway is designed to reduce congestion for commuters in a rapidly growing area, as well as those headed away from the coast during storm-related evacuations.
The Clay County segment of the First Coast Expressway includes new roadway from Blanding Boulevard in Middleburg, then through Green Cove Springs with a new bridge over Black Creek. This segment is divided into a north segment (north of Florida 21 to north of Florida 16), and a southern segment (north of Florida 16 to east of County Road 209).
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The $229 million north segment began construction in late 2019 and is expected to be done by this fall, FDOT said. The $180 million south segment began construction in spring 2019 and is expected to be done in mid-2026. A new bridge planned between Clay and St. Johns counties is in early stages of construction.
Since construction continues on the expressway from north of Florida 16 to County Road 209, some ramps will remain closed to traffic for the time being.
Tolls are expected to begin on the newly opened segment on Sept. 15.
