NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla — A new trail could connect Downtown Jacksonville to the Beaches and time is running out for you to put in your two cents on the project.
The “Core-2-Coast” Trail would connect the Fuller Warren Bridge shared use path to the beach towns. The City of Neptune Beach wants to hear from you as the wheels get turning on the plans.
Florida ties for the second most deadly place to walk, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. One way researchers with Smart Growth America say a city can be made safer is by using a separate, designated path for people walking and biking.
From Riverside to the seaside, the trail would make Duval County more accessible, said Neptune Beach Mayor Elaine Brown. She listed tourism, economic development and a positive environmental impact as bonuses.
“Here at the beaches, bicycles are a big deal,” Brown said. "We have over 1300 people a day using this portion of the East Coast Greenway so you can imagine how it would be when we get this set up for another 16 miles of trail coming out to the beaches.”
Brown said right now studies are underway to determine the best route for the path and wheels could really be turning on the project next year.
First Coast News caught up with Nick Mignone on his lunch break in Neptune Beach. He said he has biked to work before.
“If there was a designated path where you could run, bike, do whatever you gotta do as opposed to being on the road or on the sidewalk, I think that would be really key," Mignone said. "I think that would be probably a big concern with traveling to and from downtown 'cause that’s a long distance and the roads aren’t really made for it today. So I think that would be a really good idea.”
Florida consistently ranks at the top for dangerous places to walk. As new paths like the Emerald Trial open and connect communities, one of the hopes is Duval County will become a safer place to live.
“This is something that I think we’ll work on to make sure that it’s not only safe, very well-used, but it’ll be a lot of fun for people,” Brown said.
You only have until Monday to complete the City of Neptune Beach's online survey. Find it here.