St. Johns $26 Million Grant for Bike Trail Construction

St. Johns County is gearing up to create a brand-new multi-purpose trail, thanks to big support from its residents and funding from the state. At a recent meeting on April 2, the County Commission gave the green light to accept a hefty grant of $26.27 million from the FDOT Sun Trail Grant Funds.

This money is going to cover the costs of designing and building four connected trail sections. These sections will stretch from the existing trail on Allen Nease Road in Elkton, all the way to U.S. 1 and County Road 214 (King Street). The new additions will extend the Palatka to St. Augustine State Trail, offering cyclists a smooth 19-mile journey from southern St. Johns County to Putnam County on a 12-foot-wide paved path.

Part of the grant, about $730,000, will specifically go towards designing a trail along Beach Boulevard from Pope Road to State Road A1A on Anastasia Island. County officials are optimistic about securing state funds to construct this fifth segment by 2027.

The timeline for the fully funded segments looks like this: Design will take approximately 12 months, according to county staff, followed by construction, which is estimated to take between 18 to 24 months to complete.

Why the big push for this trail? It's all about safety for cyclists and pedestrians, better transportation options, and more recreational opportunities for both locals and visitors alike.

To make sure everything runs smoothly, commissioners also approved reallocating $55,000 from the Transportation Trust Fund Reserves to cover the salary of a full-time employee who will manage and oversee these grant projects.