ST JOHNS, Fla. — Extreme traffic delays on CR-210 are causing a St. Johns County high school to adjust its school day. In an email to families, Beachside High School Principal Greg Bergamasco said, "The traffic has created a situation where our students arrive late on campus which then delays or interrupts our 1st period instructional time."
In an effort to improve student attendance and traffic flow, Beachside High School has adjusted its start and end times to start school 15 minutes later at 9:35 a.m and dismiss at 4:05 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, school ends at 3:05 p.m.
"Traffic gets bad," Sandy Creek resident Dennis Barnard said.
On County Road 210 near Interstate 95 in St. Johns County, cars and semi trucks fight to get to where they need to go. Dennis Barnard lives in the Sandy Creek neighborhood and says the traffic backup makes it difficult to get home. He says growth in the area is making the problem worse.
"You've got a high school out there and the amount of moms and dads taking their kids to school, that adds to it. Plus, you've got people going east and west off of 210 getting on and off I-95 to go to work. It's really hard in the morning. It's hard," Barnard said.
Right in the middle of the congestion are two truck stops.
"My wife and I were coming home one night, it took us 21 minutes to get from the Tractor Supply Store just right over here where this traffic light is," Barnard said. "We need a wider lane. We need an egress. We need a road out of our subdivision. This traffic has to go down. The lights have to be synced."
During the county commission meeting Tuesday, the county’s infrastructure team says it’s aware of the traffic issues and has plans to make the changes Barnard mentioned. The county has taken over the 210-widening project after it says the Twin Creeks developer failed to widen the road from 2 lanes to 4 lanes. The county is also planning to add and sync traffic signals to help improve congestion in the area.
"We're going to signalize at Cumberland Park and go ahead and get that signal in, that is going to help with the traffic," county officials said Tuesday.
Barnard says until the stretch is improved, he's worried about drivers' safety.
"Tempers flare up and it's just human nature to get mad when the lights are not synced and you see all the traffic, people get agitated," Barnard said.
St. Johns County Officials say the project costs about $12.5 million and the developer will be responsible for the price. Officials say there is a proposed 18 month construction timeline but hope to reduce that time with incentives to seven months to get traffic moving faster as soon as possible.