Amelia Island Celebrates Completion of 3.2-Mile Parkway Trail

Nassau County officials on Wednesday celebrated the completion of the Amelia Island Parkway Trail, a multi-modal pathway designed for pedestrians and cyclists. County and city officials and staffers, along with dozens of cyclists and Amelia Island residents, gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the intersection of the trail and Airport Road.

Segment one of the asphalt path, from South Fletcher to Jamestown Road, was completed in 2024. The ribbon-cutting marked the completion of segments two, three and four — stretching from Jamestown Road to 8^th Street.

In total, the trail is 3.2 miles and connects to the original Amelia Island Trail, extending to the south tip of the island. It also links to the River to Amelia Sea Trail at Bailey Road. The original Amelia Island trail was completed in 2011 and the Amelia River to Sea trail was finished around 2019.

The project is about more than just a trail, said County Commissioner Hupp Huppmann.

“We’re opening a new connection between neighborhoods, parks, businesses, schools and the natural beauty that makes Amelia Island such a special place,” he said. “This multiuse pedestrian and bicycle trail represents something important about who we are as a community. It says that we value getting outside. We value healthy and active lifestyles. We value safe places for people to walk, run, ride and enjoy time with family and friends.”

The network of bike trails is aimed at providing additional exercise and recreational opportunities to island residents as well as an alternative to driving. Motorized vehicles are prohibited on the multimodal trails except for e-bikes. The speed limit for e-bikes is 10 mph. Golf carts are not allowed on the trails.

The trail is best suited for casual cyclists and walkers while street cyclists will likely prefer the roadway, said Amy Kahn, a lifelong cyclist who attended the ceremony.

“It offers all cyclists, of all levels, a safe experience to enjoy our beautiful island,” she said.

The trail looks simple, Huppmann noted, but it represents many years of planning and effort. He thanked state, county and city officials as well as the many planners, contractors, engineers, community advocates and volunteers who played a role in the project.

The Friends of the Amelia Island Trail, a nonprofit group formed in 2003, has long advocated for a network of trails to enhance mobility around the island, said Mike Pikula, president of the organization. He thanked the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization. “They have been a godsend for trails here,” he said.

The county isn’t finished with trail projects. Officials are planning a new multiuse path that will run along Will Hardee Road to Sadler Road; Sadler to South 14^th Street and north to Hickory Street. Construction on that trail is expected to begin later this year.

The trail system leaves a legacy for future generations, Huppmann said.

“This trail belongs to our community,” he said. “Perhaps most importantly, it belongs to future generations who will grow up thinking that walking or biking are simply part of everyday life on the island.”

County Commissioner Hupp Huppmann delivers remarks at the Amelia Island Parkway Trail ribbon-cutting ceremony.