Drivers traversing the intersection at Pine Island Road and U.S. 1 can anticipate smoother turns and fewer backups, as St. Johns County nears completion of significant improvements designed to alleviate congestion and enhance safety. The project, which has been on the Public Works radar and in development since early 2023, is a response to increased traffic brought on by nearby Nocatee's development and its unexpected role as a thoroughfare shortcut.
Describing the pre-upgrade conditions, Chris Gatchell, Project Manager for St. Johns County Public Works, noted, "On Pine Island, it was just a two-lane road where you could go right or left from the same lane—and you had oncoming traffic." Now, with the redesign, there will be separate, signalized turn lanes for those exiting Pine Island Road, a revision expected to boost efficiency and, most importantly, safety. The assessment of the former traffic situation and the promise of the updates were outlined in a statement obtained by St. Johns County Office of Public Affairs.
Additionally, U.S. 1 received its own set of upgrades, including a new turn lane that allows vehicles to line up for a turn without obstructing the flow of through traffic. "There was no turn lane on U.S. 1 before," said Gatchell in the same public release. "Now people can queue in the turn lane instead of slowing traffic on the highway."
While the redesign bars direct through traffic crossing Stratton Road, it introduces a new shortcut U-turn to aid in local navigation just north of the Pine Island and U.S. 1 intersection. The logistics of this project, which required land acquisition, traffic studies, and various permits, also necessitated coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida East Coast Railway, among others. The project kicked off construction in the Fall of 2024 and is expected to wrap up before summer's end in 2025, according to the Public Works Department.
