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 meetings and an online survey that drew 181 responses. The report found the corridor is zoned primarily for single-family residential use despite having significant commercial activity on the ground and identified "community-serving retail" as the most immediate non-residential market opportunity.

Public feedback showed consistent support for better lighting, street trees, wayfinding and a shared-use path; opinions split on traffic treatments. At the first public meeting most attendees favored roundabouts to improve left-turning movements; at a later forum a majority opposed roundabouts. The consultant concluded additional engagement and a formal traffic study are needed because the community response was polarized.

Costs and timing The report includes order-of-magnitude cost ranges intended as planning guidance: a painted bike-lane treatment and physical separators for parts of the corridor were estimated around $350,000; reconstruction of the roadway with a shared-use path and possible roundabout work was presented in a multi-million-dollar range (consultant figures put major corridor reconstruction in the low millions, with a suggested $6–8 million range for certain roadway scenarios). Kimley Horn also provided a funding matrix mapping improvement types to potential grant sources and private sponsorships.

Public comments and local priorities Speakers during the public-comment period and at the charrettes stressed maintenance, safety and community programming. Connie Thomas, representing the College Drive Initiative steering committee, asked for an overlay district, a "pond-to-park" name and a crosswalk for the PACE Center for Girls, and urged paths wide enough for wheelchairs and runners. Resident Nancy McDaniels said recent drainage and paving work already improved quality of life along the corridor.

Several businesses and nonprofit stakeholders supported incremental, low-cost placemaking—murals, benches and sponsored banners—while some business owners said they opposed new taxes or regulatory burdens. Thrasherhorn representatives said they want to be involved but said their campus operates largely as a commuter destination and questioned whether restaurants or higher-intensity uses would suit their campus visitors.

Board reaction and next steps Commissioner Burke asked staff to return with concrete options: "If you could just take some things that I personally would like to see — for staff to bring back options of funding streams so we can all discuss what that would look like, and then also a couple options of overlays, of what properties are available to look at those overlays." Commissioners emphasized lighting as an initial safety priority and cautioned the public that large construction projects would require funding and longer time horizons.

County staff indicated several technical next steps if the board decides to proceed: a formal boundary and right-of-way survey, a detailed traffic study (to identify peak hours and vehicle types), phased corridor design work, and targeted public engagement about any proposed zoning or overlay changes. The board did not adopt any ordinance or direct formal rule changes at the meeting; staff were asked to return with funding and overlay options.

What remains unresolved The roundabout proposal at Old Jennings drew significant debate. Kimley Horn's engineers said a roundabout can be designed to accommodate large trucks by using a truck apron and appropriate geometry; residents and some commissioners voiced concern about long-term traffic growth and heavy vehicle operations. Consultants repeatedly recommended a traffic study and further public engagement before any design or construction decisions are made.

Looking ahead Staff will compile funding options, potential overlay approaches and technical-scope recommendations for the board to consider in a future meeting. The College Drive action report and funding matrix remain available in the board packet for commissioners and the public to review.