Construction crews are now working along Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach on a $5 million state project that will resurface the roadway, rebuild drainage, and carve out new bicycle lanes — a change that means some stretches of on-street parking will disappear for good.
The Atlantic Avenue road rehabilitation project includes plans for bicycle lanes. The Florida Department of Transportation plans to remove on-street parking along sections of the corridor specifically to make room for bicycle lanes and roadway shoulders, according to the Fernandina Observer.
The city has also made walking and biking a broader planning priority. Fernandina Beach formed a seven-member Citizens’ Task Force for Safe Walking and Biking in 2023 to gather proposals from residents and visitors; the city says Amelia Island draws 1.6 million visitors a year. The task force’s reference materials include police traffic incidents, a Strava activity map and a bicycle-and-pedestrian safety study, reflecting the mix of local travel and tourism that shapes how streets are used. The city’s task force page lays out its mission and background.
What the Project Actually Covers
The work stretches 1.62 miles, from Centre Street to South Fletcher Avenue, and includes resurfacing the pavement and rehabilitating drainage infrastructure beneath it, per the Fernandina Observer's reporting. Bicycle lanes are planned in both the eastbound and westbound directions between 15th Street and Jean Lafitte Boulevard, the outlet notes. The project will also bring new signage and pavement markings, along with curb replacement and curb-ramp rehabilitation, according to the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce.
The Atlantic Avenue work sits within a wider set of local transportation-planning efforts. The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization’s study archive lists an Atlantic Avenue at Fletcher Avenue intersection study as well as bicycle and pedestrian projects elsewhere in the region. The archive identifies the Fletcher project as a study, distinct from the FDOT construction job; together, the listings show that planning for this corridor extends beyond resurfacing and the new lanes. The regional planning organization’s project archive includes the intersection study.
FDOT awarded the construction contract to MAER Construction on April 28 at the stated project cost of $5 million, the Fernandina Observer reported. The contract allows 300 days to complete the work, and construction was scheduled to begin this fall with completion expected in late 2027, weather and unforeseen circumstances permitting, the same outlet notes.
Keeping Traffic Moving During Construction
Drivers won't be left stranded during peak commute times. Traffic will be maintained according to FDOT design standards throughout construction, and no lane closures will be allowed between 6:30 and 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, according to the Nassau County Chamber of Commerce.
Ahead of the work starting, FDOT held a hybrid construction open house on Sept. 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Atlantic Recreation Center auditorium at 2500 Atlantic Ave.
With construction now visibly underway, Fernandina Beach residents can expect less than a year of ongoing roadwork along one of the city's key corridors before the new bike lanes and rebuilt drainage system are finished.
