Clay County hearing on College Drive visioning finds residents split on roundabouts, united on lighting and pedestrian safety

Kimley Horn presented the College Drive Visioning and Strategic Development charrette to the Clay County Board of County Commissioners at the Jan. 28 meeting, summarizing public engagement and an action plan for the two-and-a-half-mile corridor that runs past Fleming Island and the Thrasherhorn arts campus.

The report, estate and planning consultants said, is a planning document meant to collect community feedback and suggest short-, mid- and long-term improvements including branding, lighting, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, and possible zoning overlays. Blair Knighting of Kimley Horn said, "This is a planning document that we were trying to get feedback from the community," and urged continued public outreach before any design work begins.

Why it matters: College Drive carries roughly 20,000 vehicles per day, includes residential stretches and commercial nodes, and borders several community institutions including St. Johns River State College and the Thrasherhorn. Changes to the corridor could affect traffic flow, pedestrian safety and future private development; commissioners emphasized the need for traffic and right-of-way studies before major redesigns.

Consultant findings and community input Kimley Horn summarized a multimodal analysis and public outreach that included two in-person charrettes, stakeholder…