Letter to the editor

Kohnke: Don’t blame Nocatee for traffic woes

Posted

Where are all those people I hear are overwhelming us in Ponte Vedra coming from? Let’s look.

First, let’s look at the number of cars that travel in-bound to Ponte Vedra and Ponte Vedra Beach. According to an analysis of FDOT and transportation statistics, 7 percent (3,500 cars) of the average daily traffic in a 24-hour period on A1A comes from the south. From the Palm Valley Bridge, there are 10,525 or 22 percent (half of that comes from US1). The JTB ramp brings 13,000 or 28 percent. A1A from Jacksonville Beach: 20,250 or 43 percent.

The vast majority, at 71 percent, is driving into PV from the north Beaches and/or JTB. And you have 29 percent coming in from the south and west. Some of these are pass throughs from A1A South and Nocatee Parkway – that’s the old 210 – because A1A is a faster route to get to Butler and the Beaches.

Next, let’s look at who works here. We have four large schools that employ about 324 people. Of those, 104 reside outside Ponte Vedra. We have golf courses, clubs and hotels. The Ponte Vedra Inn and Club has two golf courses and employs about 600 people. The PGA Tour has two courses and the Sawgrass Marriott has two courses and a club. Then we also have Marsh Landing and Players Club.

Now look at the number of restaurants, stores of every kind and office buildings – plus all the lawn people who keep the yards up, the cleaning people who keep us tidy and many more not mentioned.

We are a great employment mecca. We are bringing all those people here.

Many of these workers don’t live in Ponte Vedra or Ponte Vedra Beach. They can’t afford it. Nor do most of them live in Nocatee. Again, not affordable, with an average price of around $400,000 a house. Further, the biggest place to live in Nocatee is Del Webb. Mostly retired people.

These working people come to us from the north and west – always have and always will.

Nocatee is not bringing us all these people. Some come to us via Nocatee Parkway; most come from the west and north. All those other people on the road live here and are going to work or wherever.

Now, if you want those people not to come, then I guess you’ve got to do the work yourselves. See, it’s a lot more fun to complain when you don’t have the facts. You asked them to come help us. Guess what? They did.

Mary Kohnke

Ponte Vedra Beach