Huge "trail" along I-95 S in St Johns County?

[TimmyB]

We have noticed that there is a lot of work happening on the edge of the southbound side of I-95 south of Jacksonville.  Just to the outside of the safety fence, they are clearing a path about 30 feet wide, taking hundreds and hundreds of pine trees down, apparently making room for a small road or path.  It goes on for miles and miles.  I have searched but cannot find any mention of it.  Does anyone have any idea what this is for?

[RiversideRambler]

It's probably related to Durbin Park.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/stores-restaurants-lined-up-for-durbin-park-in-st-johns

[TimmyB]

No, this goes on for miles and miles and miles.

[marcuscnelson]

Could you maybe give a better idea of where this is? On a map or something?

So far, I don't see any records indicating the development of a path, unless it's for express lanes or preventing fires or something of that nature.

[TimmyB]

Could you maybe give a better idea of where this is? On a map or something?

So far, I don't see any records indicating the development of a path, unless it's for express lanes or preventing fires or something of that nature.

I wish I could.  I haven't paid enough attention to where it starts and ends.  I have to take my daughter to MCO next Monday; I'll try to get mile markers and a picture or two.

[Lostwave]

No, this goes on for miles and miles and miles.

Could it be for the Express Lanes:
http://northfloridaexpress.com/images/modal_map.gif

[TimmyB]

No, this goes on for miles and miles and miles.

Could it be for the Express Lanes:
http://northfloridaexpress.com/images/modal_map.gif

That could be, although this is taking place outside of the fence that defines the interstate.  Maybe they need to clear that land just to give themselves enough of a buffer when they actually widen/add lanes.(?)

[Charles Hunter]

Too soon for the Express Lanes; construction not until 2023, per the FDOT Tentative Work Program on their website http://d2wpph.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/St%20JohnsCitizenPlan.pdf

[acme54321]

If truly south St John's it might just be a timber company cutting/maintaining their roads.

[TimmyB]

OK, so we had to go to Orlando today and I paid a bit more attention.  The trail starts at MM 313 and continues until MM 299, or approximately 14 miles.  It appears to veer away from the highway to get around the exits at 311 and 305, plus the rest area just south of there.  I took pictures but from the passenger side of the car all the way across the highway (NB) at 70+ mph with a phone, it's tough to show great detail.

Heavy equipment 1


Heavy equipment 2


Limestone (?) poured from dump trucks


Limestone (?) spread over surface of path


Any new guesses?  Maybe an awesome new trail, part of the East Coast Greenway?  (Yeah, right, I know...)

[thelakelander]

Definitely not a shared use trail. More likely the installation of a utility like fiber optic lines, a pipeline or something.

[acme54321]

That big boom crane is interesting.  I'd agree most likely a pipeline or something.  There is a big natural gas pipeline that follows 95 like that south from Brevard county.

[TimmyB]

Definitely not a shared use trail. More likely the installation of a utility like fiber optic lines, a pipeline or something.

Well, maybe a trail inside of a big pipeline?  C'mon, man...   

[thelakelander]

Haha definitely not a trail. At work, I sit next to the state's Sun Trail coordinator and help out a lot with various trail projects proposed and underway in various counties. There's nothing on the drawing boards paralleling I-95 for 14 miles in St. Johns County.

[TimmyB]

OK, we'll scratch that one off!  Wonder what it really is. (?)