Officials explain new road construction to Lake Asbury-area residents

Clay County officials explained their plans to upgrade three roads and construct a fourth during a presentation at Russell Road Baptist Church on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

The projects are four of the seven financed through a $130 million bond issue floated by the county in 2020. County Manager Howard Wanamaker said the seven projects initially budgeted for $130 million will now cost $190 million because of increasing construction costs.

Commissioner Kristin Burke said the road improvements will keep the county’s infrastructure ahead of anticipated growth spurned by the construction of the First Coast Expressway.

“As Northeast Florida continues to grow, we’re putting a foundation in place,” Burke said, so we’re in the best position possible to handle it.”

The new thoroughfare: Cathedral Oak Parkway, will carry traffic on two lanes from the First Coast Expressway east to the intersection of Maryland Ave. and County Road 315 north of Green Cove Springs. The second project will expand the new parkway to four lanes, following the current route of County Road 315 to U.S. 17, near the current location of a Speedway convenience store.

The third project expands County Road 209 between U.S. 17 and Peters Creek from two lanes to four.

The fourth upgrade increases Sandridge Road from two lanes to three between Henley Road and County Road 209.