Parkway shutdown to funnel traffic to Fletcher

On the eve of a major roadway shutdown on Amelia Island, Nassau County officials say they are confident that primary emergency response times will remain unaffected. They acknowledge, however, that drivers in general will need to be patient and plan their trips carefully.

Earlier this month, Nassau County officials announced the temporary closure of Amelia Island Parkway south of 14th Street, a measure that is expected to significantly impact traffic flow in the central and south parts of Amelia Island. The closure is necessary to relocate major water main, gas main and electrical distribution lines from under the center of the roadway at Amelia Island Parkway and Buccaneer Trail, where a roundabout is under construction.

Buccaneer Trail remains closed where the new roundabout is under construction. The closure of Amelia Island Parkway to traffic in all directions starts Wednesday, March 25, at 7 a.m. The closure is expected to last approximately five weeks, through Monday, May 4, although weather and other circumstances may require a longer closure. The road will open to local traffic only.

Fletcher Avenue will be the only conduit to the south part of the island.

“We want to remind drivers to plan ahead, remain courteous, and prioritize safety while traveling through the area,” county officials said in an email to the Observer. “We understand that the closure may be a disruption in your daily routine; however, the work being completed is essential to improving mobility in the area and will provide lasting benefits to residents and visitors alike.”

While clearly inconvenient for thousands of residents and visitors, a primary concern is the ability of emergency response vehicles to respond to calls in the impacted area. However, the City of Fernandina Beach Fire Rescue and Nassau County Fire Rescue have “worked together to ensure seamless coordination to avoid gaps in service,” county officials said. The plan includes temporarily assigning some resources to Nassau County Fire Station 20, located at 5518 1st Coast Highway, instead of Fernandina Beach Fire Department Station 2, located at 800 Airport Rd. “Assigning the area to NCFR Station 20 helps position resources in a way that accounts for the closure, reduces response times, and ensures that emergency services remain consistent and effective for the duration of the disruption,” county officials said. However, secondary companies dispatched to impacted areas may encounter “slight” delays in response time, officials said.

Drivers on Fletcher should be aware of any emergency response vehicles in proximity and obey Florida laws to allow those vehicles to pass.

Detour signs will be posted to keep traffic moving. County officials advise drivers consider one of two detour routes:

• Follow 14th Street to Simmons Road to Fletcher Avenue/A1A. This detour adds about 1.5 miles compared to the normal route along Amelia Island Parkway.

• Alternatively, use Eighth Street to Sadler Road to Fletcher Avenue. While this is not the official detour route, this alternate path can help distribute traffic and may suit some drivers better.

The closure and detour route will be mapped in ArcGIS, which feeds into Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze among other mobile applications, to assist motorists with navigating to their destinations. “Utilizing these tools will give motorists the best real-time look at traffic conditions to help plan their routes accordingly,” county officials said. “While 14th to Simmons to Fletcher is the official detour route, utilizing Sadler to Fletcher can assist with reducing bottlenecks and wait times.”

However, drivers should build extra time into trips, county officials say. The Simmons Road to Fletcher detour is expected to add three to five minutes to the drive during “midday or evenings with low volume” conditions.

During peak hours, such as morning and evening commute hours, county officials advise adding 10 to 15 minutes to travel time.

County officials say they do not expect bottlenecks at Sadler Road and Fletcher due to the roundabout there, while at Simmons and Fletcher traffic flow is metered by the existing stop sign.

“At this time there are no plans for additional signalization, however county staff will be monitoring the traffic flow daily and may adjust as needed,” county officials said. “County staff will be placing traffic counting hoses on Fletcher at Amelia Island Parkway during the first few days of the traffic switch to adjust the sequencing of the lights at Fletcher/Amelia Island Parkway to ensure no bottlenecks occur at that intersection. “

There are no plans at this time to man intersections for manual traffic control operations; however, the sheriff’s office and Fernandina Beach Police Department will monitor traffic issues and will act if necessary. There are no plans currently to alter Thursday trash pickup on South Fletcher Avenue, which typically slows traffic flow.

Both city and county officials emphasize that they will adjust to any problems that arise as the shutdown goes into effect later this week. County officials are urging residents and employees in South Nassau County to carpool when possible. Major employers such as the Ritz-Carlton and OMNI Amelia Island Plantation already offer shared transportation for many local employees.

Upon completion of Phase 2 activities in early May, Buccaneer Trail will reopen to traffic in both directions, while the Parkway will remain closed south of the intersection until the roundabout project completion this summer.