Q: What can you tell us about the road construction on Veterans Parkway … why it’s taking so long and is there an estimated completion date?
A: People are not wrong to be upset about this situation. I too am frustrated. I have had many conversations with staff and the contractor to try to get to the bottom of this. First, we had an engineering design flaw that caused a six-month delay in 2021. The following year, we learned that the JEA utilities needed to be moved. How and where to move them were ongoing issues in 2022. We also had issues obtaining aggregate for the roadway. None of these are acceptable in my mind as excuses, but they are some of the reasons. As to when completion is anticipated, I’ve been told in the next three months, but I’ve been given deadlines before and I’m hesitant to rely on this. I plan to continue my regular conversations with our transportation manager.
Q: Can you give an update on the Transportation Summit that was held on March 3?
A: I’ve been told this is the first time that federal, state, and local officials have been together to discuss this single issue: transportation in St. Johns County. I’d encourage readers to view the GTV link to the meeting that is on the county website (www.sjcfl.us). We discussed both north/south transportation corridors and east/west transportation corridors. Since the summit, we have heard from Congressman Rutherford’s office that we will be getting a few million dollars towards our greatest needs. Also, the Florida state legislative session began the Tuesday following the Transportation Summit and I have followed up with our St. Johns County delegates regarding some of the projects we discussed. I want citizens to know that this is just the beginning of our requests of our federal and state partners. It will be an ongoing conversation.
Q: What is the latest on the Grand Oaks development?
A: At our last Board of County Commissioners meeting in February, the developer of this project located on State Road 16 brought forth an amendment to relieve them of their obligation to widen State Road 16 from two lanes to four, which was part of the original agreement approved by the BCC in 2018. The three miles of widening is required per that original agreement since the development has met a number of homes constructed threshold. Not only did the commissioners deny this amendment by a vote of 5 – 0, but Commissioner Sarah Arnold made a subsequent motion, which passed, to hold the developer in default. This allows the county to retain the $5.4 million that the developer had already paid into the transportation obligation. We are not letting them off the hook.
Q: Do you have anything else to share with District 1?
A: Yes. The Bartram Trail High School girls’ soccer team just won their third state championship in the last four years. They have also been ranked No. 1 in the country for the whole year. The Board of County Commissioners will honor them at our April meeting to congratulate them on behalf of the county on their achievements.
Q: What is the best way for our readers to contact you?
A: Readers can email me at bcc1cwhitehurst@sjcfl.us or call me at (904) 584-5348.
