FDOT working on plan to overhaul the Shands Bridge

The Shands Bridge is flooded with traffic daily -- thousands of motorists cross the two-lane bridge every day.

Action News Jax spoke with many drivers on Wednesday that said the bridge is too narrow.

A proposed plan by the Florida Department of Transportation in the coming years would make the Shands Bridge a new multi-lane bridge connecting Clay and St. Johns counties.

Some motorist said it’s nerve-wracking to be driving on the narrow two-lane bridge as it currently stands.

Dawn Peyton said when there’s debris or an accident on the bridge it’s a stand still.

“You got trucks and trailers going over that bridge, and if something flies off … of course it is very dangerous,” Peyton said.

Jamie Dake said she had a close encounter on the bridge last week.

“There was a box on the bridge, and you had to go into oncoming traffic to get around it,” Dake said.

The FDOT has a proposal to expand the Shands Bridge to four lanes. The travel lanes would also be separated by a bicycle and pedestrian path. Engineers said the new bridge will go up south of the existing bridge.

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“It definitely needs to be widened. I’m in for leaving it in exactly where it is and widening,” Peyton said.

Plans call for the current bridge to be torn down once the new one is built.

This project is years out from conception according to FDOT officials. As of right now, the construction funds for a new Shands Bridge are not available.