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Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning
"Businesses want to locate in the same kinds of communities that home buyers want to live in: places perceived as safe and attractive, with opportunities for walking and trail activities"
- American Trails (2011)
"Trails consistently remain the number one community amenity sought by prospective homeowners"
-National Association of Homebuilders (2008)
"Bicycling is more than a practical, cost-effective solution to many municipal challenges. It’s an opportunity to make your community a vibrant destination for residents and visitors — a place where people don’t just live and work, but thrive"
-The League of American Bicyclists
Community Support
Planning for bike and pedestrian safety is a key initiative in planning for the future of Nassau County. There are numerous groups within the county which are working towards and supportive of increasing access and enhancing the atmosphere for people on bicycles and pedestrians. Because of the support of the community, the County and cities are able to pursue opportunities to increase the infrastructure throughout the county for bicycles and pedestrians.
Bike Facilities
The City of Fernandina Beach is one of only fifteen Florida communities to receive Bicycle Friendly Community status through the League of American Bicyclists. In the coming years the County and the City of Fernandina will be jointly pursuing Bicycle Friendly Community Status for Amelia Island in its entirety.
In 2016 the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization drafted a study of the bicycling and pedestrian facilities on Amelia Island. This plan analyzed existing conditions and came up with recommendations for future facilities. These facilities not only included bike lanes, boulevards, and paths, but also a comprehensive wayfinding system.
These wayfinding systems can help create and enhance community character while directing residents and tourists where they want to go. They can encourage people to walk to bike to their final location through showing the distances between locations while providing safer, designated routes.
Amelia Island Bicycle and Pedestrian Focus Area Study Report
Bike Map (from Amelia Island)
Throughout the county there are bike lanes down State Road 200, Amelia Concourse, and proposed bike lanes on Chester Road. The ENCPA will have a multi-use path throughout the development and adjacent to State Road 200. The Three-Rivers Development will also have bike lanes and multi-use paths throughout the development. We are hoping to create a bike network that connects Nassau County to Georgia, and west and south Florida. By improving the bike connectivity, you can create a more sustainable community that is less dependent on motorized transportation. As the county continues to grow, we will look into opportunities to install more bike facilities.
Amelia River-to-Sea Trail "Simmons Trail"
The Simmons Road Trail, also known as the Amelia River to Sea Trail's design is complete, the contract has been awarded, and construction has commenced!
Plans:
Conceptual Graphics
The conceptual graphics are divided into three sections of the trail, based on the 30% design.
View the first segment from Crane Island to Bailey Road
View the second segment from Bailey Road to Fernandina Road
View the third segment from Persimmon Circle to the Beach
View the conceptual landscaping plans
90% Conceptual Graphics
View the conceptual graphics for the Amelia River-to-Sea Trail graphics
Grants and Awards
The county is continually seeking opportunities to apply for grants. These grants enable us to increase our trails network throughout the county, and particularly in Fernandina Beach and Amelia Island. The grants also are used to increase safety for pedestrians. These grants include:
Amelia Island Trail Phase II (Amelia Island Parkway Multi-use Trail)
The County applied for $2,500,000 for the Transportation Alternatives Projects Funding FY 2021 to extend the Amelia Island Trial. The extension would complete the remaining 4 miles to connect from just east of Shave Bridge on 8th Street (A1A) to the southern most extent of Amelia Island, which eventually connects to Timucuan Trail in Duval County. The county was awarded around $1,000,000 to design the 4 miles and complete the first mile of construction from South Fletcher Avenue to Via Del Rey. The purpose of this trail is to provide a safe network for people on bikes and pedestrians, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and provide connectivity to economic sectors like commercial, professional, resorts for residents and visitors.
Simmons Road Multi-use Trail
In 2013 Nassau County was awarded $1,720,000 to create the Simmons Road Multi-Use Trail, a trail running east to west to allow for non-motorized travel. The trail accommodates both commuting and recreating users and connects to commercial and residential sectors. The trail, which is the highest priority for the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (NFTPO) and Nassau County for FY 2019, will stretch across 2.2 miles of the island.
Simmons Road Grant Application
Fernandina Beach High School/Middle School - School Safety Sidewalk TAP Grant Application
In 2016 Nassau County, with support of Fernandina Beach, applied for The Transportation Alternatives Program Grant - School Safety Sidewalks, for Citrona Drive in front of Fernandina Beach High School and Middle School. The purpose of the grant, which amounts to $212,000, is to replace the non-ADA compliant sidewalk and improve the pedestrian safety in front of the schools.