A new 18-mile stretch of the First Coast Expressway is expected to open as early as this weekend in Clay County—well ahead of its original projected completion date in spring 2026.

Hampton Ray, Community Outreach Manager for the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), said the new segment runs from State Road 21 (Blanding Boulevard) to U.S. 17 in Green Cove Springs.

“We are really looking forward to this opening,” Ray said. “We plan to bring congestion relief to the people of Clay County, offering another choice for drivers with the First Coast Expressway.”

The new expressway is a toll facility, but FDOT said tolls won’t go into effect until Sept. 15. That means drivers will have a “free trial period” to use the road and decide if it fits their commute.

Ray emphasized the signific

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