Q: Can you comment on the recent $59 million that St. Johns County received in appropriations from the state of Florida now that the governor has signed the budget into law?
A: It’s another record for our county. We owe a debt of gratitude to our legislative delegation and we will be asking for more money next year.
Q: What are some of the highlights?
A: The funds include $25 million for beach restoration, which is really coastal protection. Sand protects not only property, but roads like State Road A1A. This project will protect billions of dollars of property and infrastructure, not just beaches. St. Johns County derives a lot of income from our coastline; property taxes from the northeastern part of our county fund our sheriff’s office and fire rescue department for instance — more than just items in Ponte Vedra Beach. Plus we are competing for tourism with counties up and down the Atlantic coast. We want our beaches to be as beautiful, if not more so, than the surrounding counties.
Also included is $15 million for a two-mile extension of County Road 2209 (St. Johns Parkway) to International Golf Parkway. This road has been in St. Johns County’s long range plans for decades. With this money, the state is paying to extend our county road and help relieve north/south pressure from US Highway 1 and Interstate 95.
There is a $6 million appropriation for intersection improvements along State Road A1A at multiple points. This road has been heavily congested for years. This funding will reimagine some intersections, using inventive ideas from the Florida Department of Transportation, to improve traffic flow along A1A in lieu of widening the roadway, which citizens in the area said they were not in favor of. Pine Island Road’s intersection with US Highway 1 will be signalized and reconstructed. This has been a dangerous intersection for many years.
Q: Do you have anything else to share with District 1?
A: I’d like to wish everyone a happy and safe Independence Day!
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.
