A view from below has reader wondering when will the First Coast Expressway in Clay County be done?
Sometimes you don't even have to drive on a road to wonder what's happening to it.
In the case of one reader, he was under it — and wondered what was up, just above his head.
His request was for an "update on toll road extension from Blanding to Green Cove Springs? When is it opening?" He also asked what the expected toll will be? And what is the next phase, he asked after floating under the toll road extension's new bridge over Black Creek.
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The planned First Coast Expressway will ultimately span 46 miles across parts of Duval, Clay and St. Johns counties, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Toll collection started in July 2019 on the first phase from New World Avenue to Blanding Boulevard and just north of Argyle Boulevard. Now come two more segments currently under construction, the FDOT said.
One of those segments is from Blanding to north of Florida 16, costing about $229 million. The other $180 million segment will run from north of Florida 16 to east of County Road 209, FDOT spokeswoman Sara Pleasants said.
"Both are expected to be completed in early 2025," she said. "Toll rates have not yet been announced and will be determined by Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, which will assume maintenance/ownership of the roadway once construction is completed."
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She said she believes tolls would "be on par with the rates" on other already-completed segments from Interstate 10 to Blanding. That's 20 cents with a SunPass and 45 cents via toll-by-plate on two segments on the north end. The three southern segments are 60 cents each with a SunPass and 85 cents with toll-by-plate where cameras scan the car's license plate and mail a bill.
No tolls are collected on the first part of the First Coast Expressway between U.S. 90 and New World Avenue, the FDOT said.
The next segment under construction is the new bridge over the St. Johns River, its contract to be awarded in August. Set to begin this fall, completion is set for 2029 at an estimated $413 million.
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The final segment will run through St. Johns County and connect with Interstate 95, costing an estimated $339 million. The work contract should be awarded in April 2023, with construction set for the summer of 2023.
For information, maps and more on the toll road, go to firstcoastexpressway.com.
dscanlan@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4549
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: First Coast Expressway in Clay, Duval, St. Johns has a ways to go
