CLAY COUNTY, Fla. – Have you noticed a tricky road or dangerous intersection in your neighborhood? If the answer is yes, Clay County wants to hear your thoughts.
Leaders are launching the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) project, aiming to make roads safer across the area, and held a public meeting on Monday to hear the public’s input.
The county said the public’s voice is essential in shaping this plan and ensuring that the community benefits from safer, more accessible streets.
“The data only does half the story, so getting the feedback can kind of explain a little more about why we’re seeing the trends that we’re seeing,” Michael Slaughter, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator with the Planning and Zoning Department, said.
Earlier coverage can be found in the video below
Dozens of residents flowed into the Fleming Island Library. Crash maps were set up across the room to show the concentration of incidents over the last five years.
“Felt it was important that I’d come here and speak my mind about the problems here in Clay County, the growth,” resident Joe Borsodi said.
Residents also had a chance to show the project managers the areas they see as problems. A chance to give a local perspective on the traffic issue.
With 97 severe crashes in 2023 and 102 in 2022, the county wants to bring those numbers down to zero.
“That would be incredible to say that we’re in a community where everyone can feel safe walking riding and driving that’s incredible,” Slaughter said. “That’s such a quality of life boost so that’s what we’re looking for.”
The Safe Streets for All project, which is part of a national program supported by the US Department of Transportation, has three goals:
- Identify high-risk roadways and intersections
- Recommend safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists
- Prioritize infrastructure and policy solutions that save lives
Clay County residents can also fill out an online survey to share their thoughts. The survey also asks questions like preferred method of travel, street safety, and more.
News4JAX spoke with two walkers in Clay County who said they notice some safety concerns in their neighborhood.
“My neighborhood at Eagle Harbor, sometimes there are speeders in the 20 mph zone, they’re definitely going over that. And then at the entrance into Eagle Harbor, some of the road debris kinda breaks up a bit, so they try to repair that as best as they can, when they can,” John Castillo and Franky Wonpat said.
The county and research team will take the data from an online survey and today’s meeting to come up with some proposals before going back to the community for feedback on the ideas.