ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A new traffic signal is being placed along County Road 210 at Shearwater Parkway to help make the roads safer.
This is a busy and sometimes dangerous intersection in a part of St. Johns County that’s growing quickly.
There have been several serious crashes on that stretch of County Road 210 west of Interstate 95 that fueled traffic safety concerns for this area.
RELATED: Residents concerned after recent crashes on County Road 210
“One time I got run off the road. I turned into it and then someone was I would assume staring at their phone. I had to just swerve off the road really fast, that’s when I just started driving too. So that was definitely not a fun moment, so yeah hopefully no one else has to be any kind of incidents like that,” said Jack Vranicar, Shearwater resident.
St. Johns County estimates these new traffic lights will take until the end of January to be complete and running.
This is the first step of many to make this area safer, the county also plans to widen County Road 210 to help ease traffic congestion. Currently, there’s no start date for that project.
Until then, you will notice construction in this area as well as traffic delays.
Before things get better, there will be more growing pains.
Down the road on County Road 210, a new development Stillwater is in the beginning stages of construction.
The two-lane road is being closed to one lane for road work by the entrance, causing delays in the area.
But for the residents who live here, they say these minor inconveniences will create long-lasting change for an area that desperately needs it.
“I think it will be tough for some people who are used to being able to drive through here and not having to worry about it. But for everyone who lives here, it’s definitely were very grateful for it. Especially as this place continues to grow and get bigger, gets bigger every single day. It’s growing rapidly fast, so it’s definitely necessary for us and I think it will be good for everyone in the long run,” said Vranicar.
The installation includes construction of two wooden strain poles with associated foundations, the messenger and catenary cables, electrical service connection to the proposed cabinet location, conduit installation and install detection loops per the design plans.