Mostly Cloudy, 61°
Weather sponsored by:

Tynes Blvd. opening will give 20,000 motorists relief

By Wesley LeBlanc wesley@opcfla.com
Posted 2/26/20

OAKLEAF – Tynes Boulevard is officially open.

The Board of County Commissioners worked with East West Partners to create the roadway that connected Eagle Landing at Oakleaf Plantation with the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Don't have an ID?


Print subscribers

If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers

Click here to see your options for subscribing.

Single day pass

You also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass.

Tynes Blvd. opening will give 20,000 motorists relief


Posted

OAKLEAF – Tynes Boulevard is officially open.

The Board of County Commissioners worked with East West Partners to create the roadway that connected Eagle Landing at Oakleaf Plantation with the First Coast Expressway that was formally opened Feb. 24. The BCC held an opening ceremony but cars drove on the road during the event because the road was already open.

“On behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, I declare Tynes Boulevard officially open,” said commissioner Wayne Bolla, whose district includes Oakleaf.

Bolla said the boulevard project marks a positive relationship between the public sector, which is the BCC in this instance, and the private sector, which is East West Partners. It’s how work should get done in Clay County, Bolla said, joking about how long government projects can often take.

The project originally came with a $10 million price tag but East West Partners Florida Division President Roger Arrowsmith said it was done with $8.5 million. Arrowsmith said there’s still plenty of work to be done to spruce up the surrounding areas.

There are already residential areas with housing but Arrowsmith said an assisted living facility, 500 apartments, a shopping center and more are on the way. Once the First Coast Expressway is open, the boulevard will give drivers in the area an easy entrance to the connection.

Bolla explained the project had been a long time coming. It was first brought to Arrowsmith by former County Manager Stephanie Kopelousos and is made up of features Bolla is excited for drivers to experience: namely, the roundabout.

Bolla has long been in favor of roundabouts where possible instead of red lights but is often in the minority when discussions of this road feature are brought up in BCC meetings. The boulevard features not only the roundabout but two lanes with curbs and gutters in the residential areas and an additional two lanes for the commercial area. The entirety of Tynes Boulevard was designed to handle 20,000 vehicles a day.

When you drive into Oakleaf Plantation, Tynes Boulevard can be reached by turning left at the first light of the area. It’s right before the Oakleaf Commons Publix and because of how new it is, it is one of the smoothest roads in the county.

Tynes Boulevard is the first of many road projects to be completed in Clay County. The BCC has approved a massive transportation project that will see five roads transformed and a new road built to connect drivers on U.S. Highway 17 to a new First Coast Expressway connection near County Road 315.

The BCC voted Tuesday night to approve this project and work will begin in the coming months. Because the project is being funded by bonds, all phases of the projects must be completed within five years so residents around the county won’t have to wait long to experience new roads like those in Oakleaf are currently experiencing on Tynes Boulevard.