MIDDLEBURG - Many residents voiced concerns about plans to widen County Road 220 during a public meeting Thursday night.

Held at RideOut Elementary, the residents could view the blueprint, hear presentations and ask questions about the estimated $32-$35 million project.

County leaders, including District 5 Commissioner Kristen Burke and Chairman Jim Renninger, the Clay County Sheriff's Office, partners from the Florida Department of Transportation and the engineering company Eisman and Russo, INC, were in attendance.

Phase one, expected to begin within the next six to eight weeks, will be widening the road to four lanes from Hollars Place to the west of Henley Road, ending at Chief Ridaught Trail. Intersection improvements at County Road 220 and Henley Road will also be made, all of which are expected to take 15 months. 

Phase 2 will widen to a four-lane road from east of Chief Ridaught Trail to Knight Boxx Road, including a new four-lane bridge over Little Black Creek. Signal updates at Knight Boxx Road and Blanding Boulevard are also expected to take 16 months. 

Residents were not shy about voicing their disdain for the upcoming project. During the question-and-answer period, residents who were given the microphone said they were mainly concerned about increased traffic and speeding dangers.

Lake Asbury Residents Lori and Jesse Butler said doing the project now is the wrong choice for the area, especially with all the current construction that is still taking place. They both said that over a year’s construction would be too long for a road shutdown. 

“These improvements need to happen,” Lori said. “Our concern is all the road work in the Lake Asbury area. Sandridge, 209, 315. So, the timing of the project is my concern, as far as traffic.” 

Plans to widen the roads were made back in 2017. However, issues such as the pandemic held off the venture — until now.

Jesse said this is a part of the problem. 

“The timeline on this whole project is just taking too long,” Jesse said. “They’re shutting down roads and not completing anything.” 

Several detours will also be in place from mid- to late November and will continue throughout the projects. 

In light of these, many residents said they were concerned about the traffic this will bring. 

Doreen Lance lives in Ridaught Landing, right in the middle of the construction. She said the detours would affect both entrances to her neighborhood. 

“Getting in and out is going to be painful,” Lance said. “And I’ve been here 20 years in the same neighborhood. We were promised this many moons ago.” 

 Although the county said all businesses and residents will have full access to their property during both projects, she said she is concerned about the influx of cars that will begin to use her neighborhood as a shortcut.

“Yes, it's good we’ll still be allowed to come in our neighborhood because we live here even though this is construction,” Lance said. “But, they’re not [going to be] checking IDs.” 

Estrella Maloney said that adding the two additional lanes on Chief Ridaught Trail requires some stop light or turning lane to accommodate traffic. “We didn‘t hear any solution to the concern many people have,” Maloney said. “And, a lot of emotions were high.” 

Maloney said that having been to Chicago, known for its high population and traffic flows, she wishes it were the same in Clay County.

“Here, because of the uncontrollable growth, the traffic is just at a standstill,” she said. “And a lot of people are just so frustrated. We don’t have a turn lane off of Chief Ridaught ... we’re waiting 20 minutes to take a left, and there’s only one lane.” 

A project seven years in the making, the county urged residents that it’s time for the work to get done, regardless of what may come with it. 

To address the county’s rush to get it done, County Engineer Richard Smith said the main reason the projects are happening now is the funding.

Smith said the Department of Transportation and federal funding have a limit on when they can be spent, or else the county will lose its partnership in the project. 

“It’s time to build it,” Smith said. “DOT’s money and the federal money will end in 2027. We have to get the project completed by then.” 

During the meeting, some residents left due to high frustration and many of their questions not being answered. Lance said that was sad to see. She said many big concerns, such as the reason for the project’s rush, weren’t addressed until the very end.

"You gave us pretty pictures, and that’s fine. I don’t want to look at the pretty pictures, and I didn’t walk around to see them," Lance said. "They are fine visuals, but you needed to say some of those important points at the beginning, but they didn’t say that. And I think that was a missed opportunity for many people.”

The county said it is working to the best of its ability to ensure the projects are completed in a timely and efficient manner.

The estimated completion date for both projects is Summer 2026.