CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – A new 18-mile stretch of the First Coast Expressway is expected to open as early as this weekend in Clay County—well ahead of its original projected completion date in spring 2026.
Hampton Ray, Community Outreach Manager for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), said the new segment runs from State Road 21 (Blanding Boulevard) to U.S. 17 in Green Cove Springs.
“We are really looking forward to this opening,” Ray said. “We plan to bring congestion relief to the people of Clay County, offering another choice for drivers with the First Coast Expressway.”
The new expressway is a toll facility, but FDOT said tolls won’t go into effect until Sept. 15. That means drivers will have a “free trial period” to use the road and decide if it fits their commute.
Ray emphasized the significance of the early opening:
“This project wasn’t expected to be completed until spring of 2026. We know the area is growing quickly, and with that comes traffic. This expressway is about giving time back to drivers, time they can spend with their families instead of stuck on the road.”
According to FDOT, opening the road even a few minutes earlier each day could save commuters over 20 hours a year in travel time.
Construction on this phase began in 2019, but planning dates back even further. The expressway is part of a long-term infrastructure plan that will eventually stretch from I-10 in Duval County to I-95 in St. Johns County, acting as a partial beltway around Jacksonville. When fully completed—expected by 2030—the First Coast Expressway will span approximately 46 miles.
The remaining segments still under construction include a connection from Green Cove Springs to the Shands Bridge, which is expected to open in spring 2026. The new Shands Bridge replacement project is also progressing and will be a major component of the full corridor.
“We’re about providing options,” Ray said. “This isn’t a road to nowhere. These decisions are made by locals, for locals—with the goal of reducing congestion and better connecting communities.”
FDOT said the full First Coast Expressway project is a multi-million-dollar investment that spans three counties—Duval, Clay, and St. Johns and will support one of the region’s fastest-growing commuter corridors.
Drivers are reminded to use caution as the newly opened stretch remains an active construction zone.
For updates and traffic information, visit FDOT’s website.
