CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook calls it the county’s Super Bowl.
The Clay County Fair, which opens Thursday, is expected to draw around 170,000 people to the Green Cove Springs Fairgrounds, and residents know all too well about the traffic that the event brings to the area.
“Oh it’s bad,” said Charles Colleen, who lives along State Road 16, the main corridor to access the Fairgrounds. “When it gets backed up all the way to Green Cove Springs, it’s hard to get out on the highway, believe me.”Colleen adds that the next two weeks will consist of him “hunkering down.” Sheriff Cook has said the agency is more prepared than it was during the Strawberry Festival a few weeks ago, which saw multi-hour traffic delays for some drivers. “The Strawberry Festival got away from us,” Cook said. “Let me just say this, and I’ve had some great conversations with the promoter, he did the proper paperwork to rent this venue, but what got away from us was great weather. [It was the] first big event of the season and [there was] unexpected attendance.” Cook said attendance for the Strawberry Festival was 50% higher than previous years, and in the future, the agency will start planning in January, similar to the planning process for the Clay County Fair.
Furthermore, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office recommends drivers download the SaferWatch App to get real-time updates on traffic, carpooling to help mitigate some of the traffic, and plan for large crowds and heavy traffic when leaving their home.
“A major ‘don’t’ is leaving 15 minutes before your concert starts and thinking you’ll get there in time,” Cook said.
Fair attendees can also monitor the Clay County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for updates.