CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Clay County neighbors are voicing concerns about a $30 million construction job on a major road that’s backing up traffic and causing long detours.
Sandridge Road will be closed from Henley Road to Eagle Haven Drive while construction crews widen it to three lanes and add medians, sidewalks and bike lanes.
The Sheriff’s Office has added barricades and signs as a safety precaution.
Mother of three Ashleigh Chase lives in the Russell Oaks subdivision. She said what used to be a quick two-minute drive to the store has become a 25-minute trip with the detour.
Project Administrator Ed Dendor said they chose to work on a section in front of Lake Asbury Junior High and Elementary schools over the summer with student safety in mind.
Construction just started, and Chase said it’s already a major inconvenience.
“My husband has a broken leg,” Chase said. “So he can’t stay home with the kids for me to run somewhere quickly because he only can do so much with them for so long without being able to help. He can’t carry them around, so with the two little ones, I need to be able to get there and back if I’m not going to take them with me.”
Dendor said their team meets with the Sheriff’s Office almost every other day to assess the project’s status.
“We take a report,” Dendor said. “What’s going on, how does it look, do we need to make adjustments, and we take into consideration also the public’s input, look at the different considerations. Obviously, you can’t act on all of them, but we do take all of them into consideration.”
Chase is also concerned about the amount of time it might take for emergency vehicles to arrive or for a neighbor to get to the hospital.
“If something happens,” Chase said. “People with children or elderly or whatever, they’re going to be stuck waiting even longer, so I just feel like that’s all around just not the safest choice to make.”
According to Dendor, emergency services vehicles don’t have to take the detour and can easily access neighborhoods.
Dendor said construction is expected to be completed on July 30 before school starts.
Clay County Communications have released the following statements about the project:
June 8, 2023 - County leaders, CCFR, CCSO, and county engineers met Wednesday to discuss community input to the traffic plan. Those proposed solutions were vetted by the team for possible implementation. Overall, safety has been the driving force behind the decisions made. We’ve added additional signage and CCSO will have increased law enforcement presence to help direct traffic at the Sandridge and Russell intersection at peak commuter times. As a reminder, there is no access to Henley Road from Sandridge.
The areas that are closed were determined by county leaders, CCFR, CCSO, and county engineers based on the project scope and time, and, most importantly, safety. Emergency vehicles have predetermined routes to area emergencies. We continue to stress that drivers be patient, go the speed limit, pay attention to signage, and avoid the area if possible. Know we’re doing all we can to make this a quick and safe project. This necessary road closure is very fluid and is continually evaluated. As work is completed or issues/concerns arise, the team will evaluate and adjust the road closure as necessary. Stay tuned to this page for updates.
June 7, 2023- We understand your frustrations over the road closures surrounding the Sandridge Road project. Our goal is to finish this project as quickly and effectively as possible. If you don’t have to drive in the area, please find an alternate route.
Our staff, CCFR and CCSO leadership, and project managers worked on the original traffic plan, but after some major safety concerns were raised, that team worked to develop a revised plan early Monday afternoon that went into effect Tuesday. As a reminder, going around roadway barricades is illegal, and barricades bordering a construction zone are there for safety purposes. County crews also added more message boards to the area to direct drivers ahead of the construction. We know many of you have concerns. You can email Commissioner Kristen Burke at Kristen.burke@claycountygov.com or Sheriff Michelle Cook at sheriff@claysheriff.com and they will relay your comments to the multiagency team overseeing this traffic plan.
June 5, 2023- The County worked with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office to install more signs, messaging boards, and barricades to continue to safely direct traffic through the construction on Sandridge Road in Lake Asbury.
Sandridge Road from Henley Road to Eagle Haven Drive is closed for road reconstruction through July 30, 2023. Traffic is detoured via Henley Road and Russell Road. County staff worked with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office to add barricades, signage, and messaging boards well ahead of and surrounding the construction zone. Please pay attention to those, and drive slowly. There is no through access from Henley to Sandridge through the Glenhaven neighborhood roads.
Contractors are coordinating with Clay County District Schools and intend to complete road construction in front of the Lake Asbury elementary and junior high schools during the summer break to keep our students safe and minimize traffic impacts.