Nocatee Commuters Gain New Expressway Connection as First Coast Expressway Segment Opens

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Florida — The final Clay County segment of the First Coast Expressway is set to open to drivers by noon Monday, June 29, completing a continuous limited-access route that now connects three counties across northeast Florida.

The new segment runs from US 17 to Leonard C. Taylor Parkway, directly off the Shands Bridge, and includes three new bridges, a new drainage system, and new traffic signals. Construction began in late 2019, and this opening marks the completion of the full Clay County corridor from US 17 north to Interstate 10.

"This is the final Clay County segment of the First Coast Expressway. Clay County has really experienced a lot of improved efficiency with this First Coast Expressway — another option for you," said Jacob Pickering, public information officer for the Florida Department of Transportation.

The expressway uses all-electronic tolling with no cash booths. SunPass transponders are accepted, and vehicles without a transponder will have their license plates scanned for billing. FDOT does not expect peak rush-hour congestion to build up on the roadway due to its limited-access design.

For Green Cove Springs residents, the new segment offers an alternative to the often-congested US 17 and Blanding Boulevard during peak hours. The connection also benefits St. Johns County residents, who now have expressway access directly at the foot of the Shands Bridge.

"Once they get off the Shands Bridge, they can immediately go north and access the First Coast Expressway right from the bridge now," Pickering said.

Nocatee, a master-planned community of roughly 25,000 residents in St. Johns County, sits about 20 miles southeast of Jacksonville. The community is located near the PGA TOUR headquarters in Ponte Vedra and a Northrop Grumman facility, making improved highway access a valuable asset for residents who commute across the region.