St. Johns County Public Works Director Greg Caldwell talks to residents about the controversial planned path along Shore Drive in St. Augustine South. | Noah Hertz, Jacksonville Today
Published on February 12, 2026 at 1:58 pm
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Since it was first approved two years ago, the proposed 3-mile-long paved path on Shore Drive has changed quite a bit, but tensions in the community about the project have not.
St. Johns County leaders say a decision on the future of the project is coming, and residents’ opinions shared this week will be top of mind.
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What was once an 8-foot-wide multiuse waterfront path has become much more like a sidewalk. The latest iteration of the path in St. Augustine South is only 5 feet wide. And, in response to residents’ environmental concerns, county staff shifted the path closer to the road and redesigned it to better accommodate water drainage.
This week, St. Johns County leaders went into the community to determine whether those changes have affected public opinion on the project. And, as when the path was first proposed years ago, the community is still split.
Shore Drive does not have a sidewalk, and county officials have spent years trying to execute a plan to give pedestrians on Shore Drive an alternative to walking in the street, but the plans have split the community in two — many residents oppose a paved sidewalk of any kind.
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Mark Millerick, who lives on Shore Drive, says he doesn’t want the county building a new amenity in their neighborhood because it could drive up property values — and then taxes.
He says the changes since it was first introduced make the project “maybe slightly better,” but he still says “no trail would be better.”
People spoke with staff about the project during a community meeting Wednesday night and lined up to take a poll about the trail that was limited to just St. Augustine South residents. The poll was conducted by a neighborhood group sharing information on a web page called St Augustine South News.
That page includes information so opponents can contact the county, as well as a note that the project will cost the county $1.8 million.
According to county staff, the cost of the project is, in reality, closer to $900,000, paid for by impact fees developers pay when building in the area.
Shore Drive concerns
For many attendees Tuesday night, the cost wasn’t their top issue. Opponents cited concerns about paving over grass, as well as fears that the path would generate more traffic in the quiet neighborhood.
A number of questions staff received from residents Wednesday night were along the lines of, “What if I don’t want this path in my neighborhood at all?” But Public Works Director Greg Caldwell said the event was a good opportunity to talk to people who have strong feelings about the project one way or the other.
“We hear a lot of people are passionate for and against it. So that’s why we’re having this tonight, is to make sure that we get to hear everybody. Everybody has an opportunity to tell the county how they feel about this,” he said. “This information will be brought back to the Board of County Commissioners so then they can make a more informed decision on what the community wants out here.”
The County Commission previously voted to approve the Shore Drive path two years ago, but commissioners shuttered the project in 2025 when they voted to not pursue a grant that was necessary to fund the path.
Now that a cheaper version of the path is back in play, the county has tried several outlets to gather public opinion. In addition to the community event this week, the county also launched an online survey that will be available through March 1.
Residents have criticized the survey, however, because it does not ask for verification of whether people live in the neighborhood. Also, the same person can take the survey on multiple devices without any tracking.
Once the results of the survey are in, the County Commission is expected to make a final decision about the project next month.
“I’m tired of fighting about it, to be honest with you,” County Commissioner Christian Whitehurst said this month.
County Commissioner Clay Murphy, whose district includes St. Augustine South, agreed.
“This has gone on far too long,” he said.
The discussion about the Shore Drive trail is scheduled for the County Commission’s meeting at 9 a.m. March 3. The meeting will be in the County Auditorium at 500 San Sebastian View and broadcast live on the county’s website.
