Widening A1A from two to four lanes from Mickler Road to ATP Tour Boulevard and from four to six lanes from ATP Tour Boulevard to Marlin Avenue are among the recommendations included in the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization’s Ponte Vedra/Palm Valley traffic study, a draft of which has been posted online in advance of an April 25 town meeting to discuss the findings.
Available online at http://northfloridatpo.com, the draft report also recommends converting the roundabout at Mickler and Palm Valley roads to a four-leg, signal-controlled intersection as well as widening Mickler Road and the east-west segment of Palm Valley Road from two to four lanes. Other suggested improvements include constructing a new westbound off-ramp from Palm Valley Road to Roscoe Boulevard, and new sidewalks and bicycle lanes along Palm Valley Road. Total construction costs of the proposed standalone intersection improvements are estimated to cost $3.4 million, while the widening improvements are estimated at $32.6 million.
Conducted to identify improvements to enhance traffic flow and safety on some of Ponte Vedra and Palm Valley’s key roadways, the study analyzed current traffic counts, crash data and other traffic conditions and concerns, as well as anticipated demand in the area through 2040. According to the study, between 2011 and 2016 1,082 crashes occurred on A1A from Marlin Avenue to Mickler Road and on Palm Valley Road, Mickler Road and Roscoe Boulevard/Solana Road. That includes seven fatal crashes, 285 accidents with injuries and 790 crashes that involved damage to vehicles. Rear-end collisions were found to be the most common type of accident on A1A, accounting for 52 percent of the total crashes.
More of the study’s findings will be shared at the town hall meeting to be held Tuesday, April 25 at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. The event will begin with an open house from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., when attendees will have the opportunity to review project exhibits, ask questions, watch a video summarizing the project and provide written or verbal comments. A formal presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by a public comment period, with remarks limited to two minutes per person.
The traffic study was sponsored by the Citizens Traffic Task Force (CTTF), which was founded in 2014 by a group of citizens and community leaders to gain consensus on how to address long-term traffic needs in the Ponte Vedra area. The report completes two years of research by CTTF in collaboration with NFTPO and its consultants, the North Ponte Vedra Beach Coalition (NPVBC), St. Johns County and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
“The results of the traffic study are only one step in the process for developing short- and long-term traffic solutions for the community,” said Jim Sabo, president of the Ponte Vedra Beaches Coalition and a task force member. “This is a long journey that will need continued positive support from the community to have any results down the road. Decisions on how to go forward with improvements, timelines and funding are remaining issues that will need to be supported to be successful.”
