ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — In a letter Action News Jax obtained from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Hardwick formally urged county commissioners to reconsider hosting future IRONMAN events, citing significant traffic disruptions and safety concerns.
Action News Jax first reported the concerns that St. Johns County Commissioner Krista Joseph aired regarding the IRONMAN, saying the St. Johns Board of County Commissioners never voted on the event.
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In a letter addressed to Chairman Murphy, County Commissioners and the County Administrator, Sheriff Hardwick said the Jacksonville-based event generated serious congestion at major intersections, particularly along Nocatee Parkway and near Davis Park, causing extended delays for residents.
“I do not support the return of the Ironman event to St. Johns County,” Hardwick wrote.
Deputies were frequently required to stop or redirect traffic because of wide gaps in cyclist groups, creating unpredictable conditions for both drivers and athletes, the sheriff said. On Sunday, Action News Jax spoke with an IRONMAN athlete who was hit by a car while cycling through Nocatee.
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Hardwick outlined five recommendations for commissioners to consider before allowing the event to return, including early coordination and collective sign-off from all relevant stakeholders, reassessment of endurance event routes, and improved traffic-engineering strategies.
The sheriff also called for stronger advance notice to residents and businesses, and suggested that large-scale events be minimized or eliminated during peak months of April through August.
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Hardwick acknowledged the benefits major events can bring, but said those must be weighed against resident expectations and quality of life.
“By strengthening approval and planning processes together, especially when adjoining counties host events that directly affect our community, we can help ensure that mobility, safety, and quality-of-life considerations remain central to future event coordination,” Sheriff Hardwick wrote.
Read Sheriff Hardwick’s full letter, below:
Chairman Murphy, County Commissioners, and County Administrator,
The intent of this email is to express my concerns regarding the recent Jacksonville Ironman event and its impacts on traffic, safety, quality of life, and overall mobility throughout our county.
The event generated significant congestion at major intersections, particularly along Nocatee Parkway and near Davis Park, where lane shifts and competing activities created extended delays. Deputies were frequently required to stop or redirect traffic due to wide gaps in cyclist groups, resulting in unpredictable conditions for both drivers and athletes. Numerous unmanned side streets also contributed to unsafe merging and increased congestion. Increased risks are created when high-volume racing activity shares narrow, two-lane community roads during peak weekend hours.
To strengthen community safety and reduce disruptions for any future consideration of this event, we recommend a more collaborative planning approach involving County leadership, public safety partners, event organizers, and community stakeholders. Specifically:
1. Establish early coordination and collective sign-off from all relevant stakeholders before moving forward with major events.
2. Reassess the suitability of routing endurance events through densely populated residential areas.
3. Improve traffic-engineering strategies to reduce road sharing between vehicles and cyclists.
4. Strengthen advanced community notification and create mitigation plans to minimize impacts on residents and businesses.
5. Consider minimizing or eliminating these type events during peak months, i.e. April – August.
We appreciate the benefits major events can bring, but they must be balanced with the needs and expectations of the community. By strengthening approval and planning processes together, especially when adjoining counties host events that directly affect our community, we can help ensure that mobility, safety, and quality-of-life considerations remain central to future event coordination. In closing, I do not support the return of the Ironman event to St. Johns County.
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