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{{short description|Highway in Florida}}
{{About|a Florida state highway numbered 23|the U.S. Highway with the same number|U.S. Route 23 in Florida}}
{{For|the former State Road 23 north from Gainesville|Florida State Road 121}}
{{redirect|FL 23|the congressional district|Florida's 23rd congressional district}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox road
{{Infobox road
|state=FL
|state=FL
|type=
|type=Both
|route=23
|route=23
|alternate_name=Branan Field Road<br>Cecil Commerce Center Parkway<br>First Coast Expressway
|length_mi=
|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=290|type=line|raw={{Wikipedia:Map data/Wikipedia KML/Florida State Road 23}}}}
|length_km=
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Completed section of SR&nbsp;23 highlighted in red
|maint=[[Florida's Turnpike Enterprise]]
|length_mi=11.395
|length_round=3
|length_ref=<ref name=sld/>
|established=
|established=
|direction_a=South
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a={{Jct|state=FL|SR|21}} near [[Middleburg, Florida|Middleburg]]
|direction_b=North
|direction_b=North
|starting_terminus= Kindlewood Drive in Clay County
|terminus_b={{Jct|state=FL|I|10|US|90}} in [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]]
|ending_terminus= 103rd Street [[Image:Florida 134.svg|25px]] [[State Road 134 (Florida)|SR 134]], to be extended to I-10 in late 2007
|counties=[[Clay County, Florida|Clay]], [[Duval County, Florida|Duval]]
|previous_route=22
|previous_type=US
|previous_route=23
|next_type=SR
|next_route=24
|next_route=24
}}
}}
'''State Road 23''', also known as '''Branan Field-Chaffee Road,''' is a partially-built western bypass of [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]]. Its south end is at [[State Road 21 (Florida)|SR 21]], and it is planned to continue south and east as a planned bridge over the [[St. Johns River]] (which will connect to [[State Road 9B (Florida)|SR 9B]]). The north end will be at [[State Road 8 (Florida)|SR 8]] ([[Interstate 10|I-10]]), with a possible extension as a northwest bypass to [[State Road 9 (Florida)|SR 9]] ([[Interstate 95|I-95]]). Currently it is a surface road, built on new right-of-way and a rebuilding of Branan Field Road, but there are plans for a full [[freeway]].
'''State Road 23''' ('''SR&nbsp;23'''), also known as the '''First Coast Expressway''', is a [[controlled-access highway|controlled-access]] [[toll road]] serving as an outer [[Bypass (road)|bypass]] around the southwest quadrant of [[Jacksonville, Florida]]. {{as of|2024}}, the first phase has been built, linking [[Interstate 10 in Florida|Interstate&nbsp;10]] (I-10) near [[Whitehouse, Florida|Whitehouse]] with [[Florida State Road 21|SR&nbsp;21]] (Blanding Boulevard) in the [[Middleburg, Florida|Middleburg]] area. The second phase to [[Green Cove Springs, Florida|Green Cove Springs]] is currently under construction, and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.


The ultimate plan is for a {{convert|46.5|mi|km|adj=on}} four-lane controlled-access, electronically-tolled highway between I-10 and [[Interstate 95 in Florida|I-95]]. The total investment for the entire highway is estimated at $2 billion. Construction of the final section began 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2032. It extends from near Green Cove Springs, crosses the St. Johns River, then continues east through fast-growing northern [[St. Johns County, Florida|St. Johns County]] to a point approximately {{convert|3.5|mi}} north of the [[World Golf Village]] interchange along I-95.
==Major roads intersected==

Note that only parts of SR 23 are built, so this listing is subject to change.
==Route description==
* proposed [[St. Johns River]] Crossing Corridor
The First Coast Expressway begins at an interchange with [[U.S. Route 90 in Florida|US Highway&nbsp;90]] (US&nbsp;90, Beaver Street). Shortly after, the expressway heads southbound towards a cloverstack interchange with [[Interstate 10 in Florida|I-10]]. Following the major interchange, the freeway widens to two lanes and continues south towards interchanges with POW-MIA Memorial Highway and [[Florida State Road 134|SR&nbsp;134]] (103rd Street), providing access to the nearby [[Cecil Airport|Cecil Field]]. The highway continues through the suburban outskirts of Jacksonville before crossing into Clay County following the interchange with Argyle Forest Boulevard/Oakleaf Plantation Parkway. The expressway follows a pair of frontage roads from the second interchange with Oakleaf Plantation until the half-diamond interchange with Old Jennings Road. The highway continues for roughly {{one2a|{{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}}}}, passing by St. Vincent's Hospital, until it reaches its current southern terminus at SR&nbsp;21 (Blanding Boulevard) near Middleburg.
* [[State Road 21 (Florida)|SR 21]] (Blanding Boulevard)
* Kindlewood Drive '''begin SR 23'''
* [[State Road 134 (Florida)|SR 134]] (103rd Street)
* Chaffee Road '''end SR 23'''
* [[State Road 228 (Florida)|SR 228]] (Normandy Boulevard)
* [[State Road 8 (Florida)|SR 8]] ([[Interstate 10|I-10]])
* [[State Road 10 (Florida)|SR 10]] ([[U.S. Highway 90|US 90]])


==History==
==History==
[[File:Plantation Oaks Boulevard bridge.jpg|thumb|left|Bridge carrying Plantation Oaks Boulevard over the future expressway in [[OakLeaf Plantation, Florida|OakLeaf Plantation]], built 2010]]
SR 23 was originally going to be built as a toll road by the [[Florida's Turnpike Authority]], but those plans fell through. The plans for connecting Interstate 10 to [[Florida State Road 21|Blanding Blvd]] date back to 1979.
The plans for connecting I-10 to [[Florida State Road 21|SR&nbsp;21]] (Blanding Blvd) date back to 1979. SR&nbsp;23 was originally planned as a toll road by [[Florida's Turnpike Enterprise]] to meet those plans, but those plans fell through in 1997.


The Jacksonville Transportation Authority and [[Clay County, Florida|Clay County]] worked together to connect Branan Field Road in Clay County and Chaffee Road in [[Duval County, Florida|Duval County]].
The [[Jacksonville Transportation Authority]] and [[Clay County, Florida|Clay County]] worked together to connect Branan Field Road in Clay County and Chaffee Road in [[Duval County, Florida|Duval County]]. By 2003, the Duval County section was open, and connected south to Branan Field Road in Clay County. By late 2004, the Clay County section was added. Currently the entire route stretches from I-10 in Jacksonville to SR 21 (Blanding Blvd) in Middleburg.


The project was formerly known as the '''First Coast Outer Beltway''' and the '''Branan Field-Chaffee Expressway''', but its current name is the First Coast Expressway.
By 2003, the [[Duval County, Florida|Duval County]] section was open, and connected south to a local road (Branan Field Road) in [[Clay County, Florida|Clay County]].


==Future==
By late 2004, the [[Clay County, Florida|Clay County]] section was added.
<!--Entire section needs an overhaul since the first phase has already been completed-->
The partial outer beltway when finished will contain 17 interchanges and a new bridge across the [[St. Johns River]] in place of the current two-lane [[Shands Bridge]].<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://firstcoastexpressway.com/documents/PIM_TABLOID_ULTIMATE.pdf |title = First Coast Outer Beltway plan sheets |access-date = April 4, 2014 |archive-date = April 7, 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140407065725/http://firstcoastexpressway.com/documents/PIM_TABLOID_ULTIMATE.pdf |url-status = dead }}</ref><!--16 interchanges includes two half-interchanges at Old Jennings and Trail Ridge, plus the extension to US 90, but not the "future corridor" west of CR 15A on sheet 8-->


===Planned extension===
===Funding===
Funding for the $1.8 billion project will be competitively bid as a public-private partnership (PPP) opportunity for private sector businesses. By using a PPP and innovative contracting solutions, the project will be built years earlier than with traditional contracting methods. The awarded contractor(s) will serve as the concessionaire to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the beltway. The [[Florida Department of Transportation]] (FDOT) is currently engaging private contractors in a competitive bidding process. The [[Interstate 595 (Florida)|I-595]] Corridor Express PPP with I-595 Express LLC was the first of its kind in Florida, opening years ahead of schedule.<ref name="clay today">{{cite news |url = http://www.claytoday.biz/content/2113_1.php |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110706144359/http://www.claytoday.biz/content/2113_1.php |url-status = dead |archive-date = July 6, 2011 |newspaper = Clay Today |accessdate = March 31, 2010 |title = Crist touts outer beltway in Clay County speech }}</ref> The beltway is the one of largest public infrastructure projects to be undertaken in Northeast Florida.
The Branan Field-Chaffee Expressway is to be constructed in ten segments, one of which is already complete.<ref>[http://www.bfcxpress.com/segments/ Branan Field-Chaffee Expressway - Segment Project Details]</ref> When complete, it will be a fully limited-access expressway between SR 21 and US 90. Plans call for the expressway to eventually become a part of the proposed outer beltway around Jacksonville.<ref>[http://www.sjrbridge.com/pink.htm Description of pink corridor (preferred)]</ref>


In early 2011, FDOT abandoned the plan to find a private company to build the entire {{convert|46.6|mi|km|adj=on}} beltway and just focus on building the 15 mile section between I-10 and SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard). This section is partly built and would need flyovers built and widening done for the expressway to be complete. It is expected to cost around $291 million and would be a tollway.<ref name="Jacksonville.com">{{cite news |first = Larry |last = Hannan |date = August 15, 2011 |title = State to make announcement on Outer Beltway |url = http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/400669/larry-hannan/2011-08-15/state-make-wednesday-announcement-outer-beltway?cid=hp-topnews |newspaper = The Florida Times-Union |access-date = August 15, 2011 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130126204255/http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/400669/larry-hannan/2011-08-15/state-make-announcement-outer-beltway |archive-date = January 26, 2013 }}</ref>
== Original FL 23 ==
SR 23 was defined in the [[1945 Florida State Road renumbering|1945 renumbering]] as:
* From a point on [[State Road 25 (Florida)|SR 25]] and [[State Road 20 (Florida)|20]] approximately one mile Northwest of [[Paradise, Florida|Paradise]] in a Northwesterly direction to the intersection with [[State Road 235 (Florida)|SR 235]] in [[LaCrosse, Florida|LaCrosse]] and along [[State Road 235 (Florida)|SR 235]] for approximately .07 of a mile, then continuing Northwesterly via [[Santa Fe, Florida|Santa Fe]] to a junction with [[State Road 18 (Florida)|SR 18]] at [[Worthington Springs, Florida|Worthington Springs]] and along [[State Road 18 (Florida)|SR 18]] to a point approximately one mile north of [[Worthington Springs, Florida|Worthington Springs]], then Northeasterly to a junction with [[State Road 100 (Florida)|SR 100]] in [[Lake Butler, Union County, Florida|Lake Butler]] and East on [[State Road 100 (Florida)|SR 100]] to a point near the East City limits of [[Lake Butler, Union County, Florida|Lake Butler]] then Northeasterly via [[Raiford, Florida|Raiford]] to junction with [[State Road 10 (Florida)|SR 10]] in [[MacClenny, Florida|MacClenny]] and along [[State Road 10 (Florida)|SR 10]] to 5th St. then in a Northerly direction along 5th St. and to the [[St. Marys River (Florida-Georgia)|St. Mary's River]] at the [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] State Line.


In August 2011, FDOT announced that the [[Florida's Turnpike Enterprise]] will be taking on the $291 million project of turning the {{convert|15|mi|km|adj=on}} stretch into a tollway.<ref>{{Cite web |last = Hannan |first = Larry |title = Outer Beltway: $2.25 estimated cost to drive from I-10 to Blanding |url = https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/transportation/2011/08/17/outer-beltway-225-estimated-cost-drive-i-10-blanding/15893118007/ |access-date = April 18, 2024 |website = The Florida Times-Union |language = en-US }}</ref> Construction started on September 10, 2012, and was completed in 2017.
Prior to the renumbering, this had been:
* [[Pre-1945 Florida State Road 99|SR 99]] from northwest of [[Paradise, Florida|Paradise]] to [[Worthington Springs, Florida|Worthington Springs]]
* [[Pre-1945 Florida State Road 113|SR 113]] from northwest of [[Paradise, Florida|Paradise]] to [[LaCrosse, Florida|LaCrosse]]
* [[Pre-1945 Florida State Road 49|SR 49]] from [[Worthington Springs, Florida|Worthington Springs]] to [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]


Construction on the second phase of the expressway, from SR&nbsp;21 (Blanding Boulevard) to Green Cove Springs started in October 2019 and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025. The third and final phase of the project, which includes replacement of the [[Shands Bridge]], started in May 2023 and will be completed in 2031.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.claytodayonline.com/stories/residents-get-sneak-peek-of-future-shands-bridge,70164 | title=Residents get sneak peek of future Shands Bridge | date=June 2023 }}</ref> Bridge construction will begin in 2024. Construction on the segment between County Road&nbsp;16A (CR&nbsp;16A) to St. Johns Parkway (CR&nbsp;2209) is expected to start in early 2025, and from St. Johns Parkway to I-95 in late 2025.
At some point, SR 23 was renumbered as part of [[State Road 121 (Florida)|SR 121]], probably to match [[Georgia State Road 121]]. Before that, however, SR 23 had been extended around the west side of [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]] to end at [[State Road 25 (Florida)|SR 25]] ([[U.S. Highway 441|US 441]]) at [[Rocky Point, Florida|Rocky Point]], and the southernmost part did not become part of [[State Road 121 (Florida)|SR 121]]. It was later given to the county, and may be [[Alachua County, Florida Road 23|CR 23]].

===Tolling===
All tolls are electronic and compatible with [[SunPass]] used in other parts of the state with no toll booths. There is a free section between US&nbsp;90 and New World Avenue which helps promote growth in the [[Cecil Commerce Center]], and the future Shands Bridge crossing the [[St. Johns River]] will be free as well.<ref name="FTU">{{cite news |url = http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-02-11/story/outer_beltway_around_cecil_commerce_center_will_not_be_tolled |title = Outer Beltway around Cecil Commerce Center will not be tolled |newspaper = Florida Times-Union |location = Jacksonville |access-date = April 2, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171109234859/http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2010-02-11/story/outer_beltway_around_cecil_commerce_center_will_not_be_tolled |archive-date = November 9, 2017 }}</ref>

==Major intersections==
Tolls are collected between each exit south of exit&nbsp;42.<ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.news4jax.com/traffic/get-ready-to-pay-tolls-on-first-coast-expressway |title = Get ready to pay tolls on First Coast Expressway |date = June 11, 2019 }}</ref>{{jcttop|exit|state=FL|length_ref=<ref name=sld>[http://www2.dot.state.fl.us/Straight-linesOnlineGIS/ FDOT straight line diagrams] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306153400/http://www2.dot.state.fl.us/Straight-linesOnlineGIS/
|date=March 6, 2014}}</ref>
}}
{{FLint|exit
|county=St. Johns
|cspan=3
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=0.0
|exit=1
|road={{jct|state=FL|I|95|city1=Jacksonville|city2=Daytona Beach}}
|notes=Future interchange and future southern terminus; I-95 future exit&nbsp;326
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=SilverLeaf Plantation
|type=unbuilt
|mile=2.5
|exit=3
|road={{jct|state=FL|CR|2209|county1=St. Johns|name1=St. Johns Parkway}}
|notes=Future planned interchange
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=6.9
|exit=6
|road={{jct|state=FL|to1=to|CR|16A|county1=St. Johns|CR|210|county2=St. Johns|CR|244|county3=St. Johns|name3=Longleaf Pine Parkway}}
|notes=Future planned interchange
}}
{{jctbridge|exit
|river=[[St. Johns River]]
|type=unbuilt
|mile=9.5
|bridge=[[Shands Bridge]]
}}
{{FLint|exit
|county=Clay
|cspan=9
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=10.6
|exit=10
|road={{jct|state=FL|FL|16|city1=Green Cove Springs}}
|notes=Future planned partial interchange (northbound exit and southbound entrance); Future northern end of SR 16 concurrency
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=13.0
|exit=13
|road={{jct|state=FL|US|17|city1=Palatka|city2=Green Cove Springs}}
|notes=Future planned interchange
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=20.0
|exit=20
|road={{jct|state=FL|SR|16|city1=Penney Farms|city2=Green Cove Springs}}
|notes=Future planned interchange; diverging diamond interchange; Future southern end of SR 16 concurrency
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=none
|type=unbuilt
|mile=24.0
|exit=24
|road={{jct|state=FL|CR|218|county1=Clay|to1=yes}}
|notes=Future planned interchange; diverging diamond interchange
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=Lake Asbury
|type=unbuilt
|mile=27.6
|exit=28
|road={{jct|state=FL|CR|739|county1=Clay|name1=Henley Road}}
|notes=Future planned interchange; diverging diamond interchange
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=none
|type=
|mile=30.9
|exit=31
|road={{jct|state=FL|SR|21|name1=Blanding Boulevard|city1=Middleburg|city2=Orange Park}}
|notes=Current southern terminus
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=none
|type=incomplete
|mile=32.1
|exit=32
|road={{jct|state=FL|CR|220A|county1=Clay|name1=Old Jennings Road}}
|notes=Southbound exit and northbound entrance; southern terminus of [[frontage road]]s
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=OakLeaf Plantation
|type=
|lspan=3
|mile=34.5
|exit=35
|road=Oakleaf Plantation Parkway / Discovery Drive
|notes=Partial [[diverging diamond interchange]]; northern terminus of [[frontage road]]s
}}
{{FLint|exit
|mile=35.4
|type=closed
|exit=
|road=Plantation Oaks Boulevard
|notes=Former at-grade intersection
}}
{{FLint|exit
|county=Duval<!--2.275=0-->
|cspan=7
|mile=37.1
|exit=37
|road=Argyle Forest Boulevard / Oakleaf Plantation Parkway
|notes=[[Single point urban interchange]]
}}
{{FLint|exit
|location=Jacksonville
|lspan=6
|mile=40.7
|exit=41
|road={{jct|state=FL|SR|134|name1=103rd Street|city1=Macclenny}}
}}
{{FLint|exit
|type=closed
|mile=36.9
|road=Chaffee Road ([[County Road 115C (Duval County, Florida)|CR&nbsp;115C]] north)
|notes=Southern terminus of CR&nbsp;115C
}}
{{FLint|exit
|mile=42.1
|exit=42
|road={{jct|state=FL|SR|228|name1=Normandy Boulevard|location1=[[FSCJ Cecil Center]]|location2=[[Cecil Field]]|location3=[[Jacksonville Equestrian Center|Equestrian Center]]}}
}}
{{FLint|exit
|mile=43.5
|exit=44
|road={{jct|state=FL|road|POW-MIA Memorial Parkway|location1=[[FSCJ Cecil Center]]|location2=[[Cecil Field]]|location3=[[Jacksonville Equestrian Center|Equestrian Center]]}}
}}
{{FLint|exit
|mile=45.6
|exit=46
|road={{jct|state=FL|I|10|to2=to|I|295|I|95|city1=Jacksonville|city2=Lake City}}
|notes=I-10 exit&nbsp;350, signed as exits&nbsp;46A (east) and 46B (west)
}}
{{FLint|exit
|type=
|exit=
|mile=46.6
|road={{jct|state=FL|US|90|city1=Baldwin|city2=Whitehouse}}
|notes=Current northern terminus
}}
{{jctbtm|exit|keys=unbuilt,etc,incomplete}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{official website|http://firstcoastexpressway.com}}
*[http://www.sjrbridge.com/default.htm St. Johns River Crossing Corridor Study]
{{Attached KML|display=inline, title}}{{Florida's Turnpike}}


[[Category:Florida State Roads|023]]
[[Category:State highways in Florida|023]]
[[Category:State roads in Clay County, Florida|023]]
[[Category:State roads in Duval County, Florida|023]]
[[Category:State roads in Jacksonville, Florida|023]]
[[Category:Toll roads in Florida]]
[[Category:Westside, Jacksonville]]
[[Category:Expressways in Duval County, Florida]]

Latest revision as of 00:00, 30 December 2024

This article is about a Florida state highway numbered 23. For the U.S. Highway with the same number, see U.S. Route 23 in Florida.
For the former State Road 23 north from Gainesville, see Florida State Road 121.
"FL 23" redirects here. For the congressional district, see Florida's 23rd congressional district.

State Road 23 marker State Road 23 marker
State Road 23
Branan Field Road
Cecil Commerce Center Parkway
First Coast Expressway
Map
Completed section of SR 23 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise
Length11.395 mi[1] (18.338 km)
Major junctions
South end SR 21 near Middleburg
North end I-10 / US 90 in Jacksonville
Location
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountiesClay, Duval
Highway system
← US 23→ SR 24

State Road 23 (SR 23), also known as the First Coast Expressway, is a controlled-access toll road serving as an outer bypass around the southwest quadrant of Jacksonville, Florida. As of 2024, the first phase has been built, linking Interstate 10 (I-10) near Whitehouse with SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) in the Middleburg area. The second phase to Green Cove Springs is currently under construction, and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.

The ultimate plan is for a 46.5-mile (74.8 km) four-lane controlled-access, electronically-tolled highway between I-10 and I-95. The total investment for the entire highway is estimated at $2 billion. Construction of the final section began 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2032. It extends from near Green Cove Springs, crosses the St. Johns River, then continues east through fast-growing northern St. Johns County to a point approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of the World Golf Village interchange along I-95.

Route description

[edit]

The First Coast Expressway begins at an interchange with US Highway 90 (US 90, Beaver Street). Shortly after, the expressway heads southbound towards a cloverstack interchange with I-10. Following the major interchange, the freeway widens to two lanes and continues south towards interchanges with POW-MIA Memorial Highway and SR 134 (103rd Street), providing access to the nearby Cecil Field. The highway continues through the suburban outskirts of Jacksonville before crossing into Clay County following the interchange with Argyle Forest Boulevard/Oakleaf Plantation Parkway. The expressway follows a pair of frontage roads from the second interchange with Oakleaf Plantation until the half-diamond interchange with Old Jennings Road. The highway continues for roughly a mile (1.6 km), passing by St. Vincent's Hospital, until it reaches its current southern terminus at SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) near Middleburg.

History

[edit]
Bridge carrying Plantation Oaks Boulevard over the future expressway in OakLeaf Plantation, built 2010

The plans for connecting I-10 to SR 21 (Blanding Blvd) date back to 1979. SR 23 was originally planned as a toll road by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise to meet those plans, but those plans fell through in 1997.

The Jacksonville Transportation Authority and Clay County worked together to connect Branan Field Road in Clay County and Chaffee Road in Duval County. By 2003, the Duval County section was open, and connected south to Branan Field Road in Clay County. By late 2004, the Clay County section was added. Currently the entire route stretches from I-10 in Jacksonville to SR 21 (Blanding Blvd) in Middleburg.

The project was formerly known as the First Coast Outer Beltway and the Branan Field-Chaffee Expressway, but its current name is the First Coast Expressway.

Future

[edit]

The partial outer beltway when finished will contain 17 interchanges and a new bridge across the St. Johns River in place of the current two-lane Shands Bridge.[2]

Funding

[edit]

Funding for the $1.8 billion project will be competitively bid as a public-private partnership (PPP) opportunity for private sector businesses. By using a PPP and innovative contracting solutions, the project will be built years earlier than with traditional contracting methods. The awarded contractor(s) will serve as the concessionaire to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the beltway. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is currently engaging private contractors in a competitive bidding process. The I-595 Corridor Express PPP with I-595 Express LLC was the first of its kind in Florida, opening years ahead of schedule.[3] The beltway is the one of largest public infrastructure projects to be undertaken in Northeast Florida.

In early 2011, FDOT abandoned the plan to find a private company to build the entire 46.6-mile (75.0 km) beltway and just focus on building the 15 mile section between I-10 and SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard). This section is partly built and would need flyovers built and widening done for the expressway to be complete. It is expected to cost around $291 million and would be a tollway.[4]

In August 2011, FDOT announced that the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise will be taking on the $291 million project of turning the 15-mile (24 km) stretch into a tollway.[5] Construction started on September 10, 2012, and was completed in 2017.

Construction on the second phase of the expressway, from SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) to Green Cove Springs started in October 2019 and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025. The third and final phase of the project, which includes replacement of the Shands Bridge, started in May 2023 and will be completed in 2031.[6] Bridge construction will begin in 2024. Construction on the segment between County Road 16A (CR 16A) to St. Johns Parkway (CR 2209) is expected to start in early 2025, and from St. Johns Parkway to I-95 in late 2025.

Tolling

[edit]

All tolls are electronic and compatible with SunPass used in other parts of the state with no toll booths. There is a free section between US 90 and New World Avenue which helps promote growth in the Cecil Commerce Center, and the future Shands Bridge crossing the St. Johns River will be free as well.[7]

Major intersections

[edit]

Tolls are collected between each exit south of exit 42.[8]

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
St. Johns​0.00.01 I-95 – Jacksonville, Daytona BeachFuture interchange and future southern terminus; I-95 future exit 326
SilverLeaf Plantation2.54.03 CR 2209 (St. Johns Parkway)Future planned interchange
​6.911.16


 To CR 16A / CR 210 / CR 244 (Longleaf Pine Parkway)		Future planned interchange
St. Johns River9.515.3Shands Bridge
Clay​10.617.110 SR 16 – Green Cove SpringsFuture planned partial interchange (northbound exit and southbound entrance); Future northern end of SR 16 concurrency
​13.020.913 US 17 – Palatka, Green Cove SpringsFuture planned interchange
​20.032.220 SR 16 – Penney Farms, Green Cove SpringsFuture planned interchange; diverging diamond interchange; Future southern end of SR 16 concurrency
​24.038.624
 To CR 218		Future planned interchange; diverging diamond interchange
Lake Asbury27.644.428 CR 739 (Henley Road)Future planned interchange; diverging diamond interchange
​30.949.731 SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) – Middleburg, Orange ParkCurrent southern terminus
​32.151.732 CR 220A (Old Jennings Road)Southbound exit and northbound entrance; southern terminus of frontage roads
OakLeaf Plantation34.555.535Oakleaf Plantation Parkway / Discovery DrivePartial diverging diamond interchange; northern terminus of frontage roads
35.457.0Plantation Oaks BoulevardFormer at-grade intersection
Duval37.159.737Argyle Forest Boulevard / Oakleaf Plantation ParkwaySingle point urban interchange
Jacksonville40.765.541 SR 134 (103rd Street) – Macclenny
36.959.4Chaffee Road (CR 115C north)Southern terminus of CR 115C
42.167.842 SR 228 (Normandy Boulevard) – FSCJ Cecil Center, Cecil Field, Equestrian Center
43.570.044POW-MIA Memorial Parkway – FSCJ Cecil Center, Cecil Field, Equestrian Center
45.673.446

 I-10 to I-295 / I-95 – Jacksonville, Lake City		I-10 exit 350, signed as exits 46A (east) and 46B (west)
46.675.0 US 90 – Baldwin, WhitehouseCurrent northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b FDOT straight line diagrams Archived March 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "First Coast Outer Beltway plan sheets" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2014.
  3. ^ "Crist touts outer beltway in Clay County speech". Clay Today. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  4. ^ Hannan, Larry (August 15, 2011). "State to make announcement on Outer Beltway". The Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  5. ^ Hannan, Larry. "Outer Beltway: $2.25 estimated cost to drive from I-10 to Blanding". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  6. ^ "Residents get sneak peek of future Shands Bridge". June 2023.
  7. ^ "Outer Beltway around Cecil Commerce Center will not be tolled". Florida Times-Union. Jacksonville. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  8. ^ "Get ready to pay tolls on First Coast Expressway". June 11, 2019.
[edit]
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