Powell anticipates that the expressway will continue to bring both business and residential structures into Clay County as a result due to retail expansion based on the demographics of the area .
“ In five to seven years , as these residential communities grow , you ’ ll see tremendous growth in the retail sector also ,” he says .
The road isn ’ t the only area where congestion will improve for area businesses , either . For those who distribute goods via waterways , the third segment of the project will improve water transportation . A new four-lane bridge over the St . Johns River — south of where the current Shands Bridge is — will add a clearance of 65 feet , allowing marine vessels to navigate the area more easily .
The bridge will cost $ 334 million and is expected to be finished in 2029 , according to the Florida Department of Transportation .
As for the success of the overall project , Powell says it
couldn ’ t have been done without the forward thinking and teamwork of elected officials and the Florida government . He credits them positively “ working together and making sure everything stays on track ” as the reason the expressway has
moved forward as it has .
“ It ’ s an extremely large project and took an extreme amount of vision and insight and due diligence to get it on this path ,” he says . “ This has been on people ’ s minds for 20 to 25 years . That ’ s just visionary leadership investing in the community .”
Seraine Page is a four-time award-winning journalist who writes for the health , wellness , and business industries . As a serial entrepreneur herself , she ’ s passionate about putting a spotlight on successful businesses through her writing . She lives with her husband , son , and hefty chiweenie in Saint Johns , Florida .
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