New hospitals are opening in Clay County and investors are making bets on land in St. Johns County in expectation of the First Coast Expressway, now in its first phase of construction.
The route hasn’t been dictated through St. Johns County yet, Nicholson said. But, there’s a lot of speculation tied to where the new Shands Bridge will be built.
Once built, the beltway will ease the commute between homes in Clay and St. Johns counties and job centers in Duval, providing a boost to residential development.
Clay County’s bigger issue, though, is how to attract more local jobs.
Nicholson said the beltway will help with that, as well.
“Once you have that employee base it’s easier for companies to see Clay County as a place to locate a business,” Nicholson said. “Eventually it will attract office development.”