Nassau County Public Works Dept.
Rebecca Hiers-Bray, P.E.
Public Works Director
Contact: Robert T. Companion, Engineer II
[email protected]
www.nassaucountyfl.com
November 10, 2018
The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners hosted a Ground-Breaking Ceremony on Thursday, November 8 at 2:00 p.m. to celebrate construction of the new Bailey-Simmons Multi-Use Trail in Fernandina Beach.
The County, with funding from the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Local Agency Program (LAP), is constructing a 10’ wide, 1.8-mile-long multi-use trail. The intent of the Bailey-Simmons Multi-Use Trail is to provide citizens with an east-west recreational pedestrian and cycling path from Beach Access #30 to the Fernandina Beach Athletic Complex at Bailey Road. This trail is the eastern half of the Amelia River-To-Sea Trail. The Amelia River-To-Sea Trail includes the public multi-use trail constructed by Crane Island Development that extends west from the Fernandina Beach Athletic Complex at Bailey Road to the Amelia River.
The Bailey-Simmons Multi-Use Trail project is the result of successful collaborative efforts by Nassau County, the City of Fernandina Beach, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, Florida Department of Transportation, Crane Island Development, Friends of the Amelia Island Trail, Inc., and supportive local citizens.
For additional information, please contact the Nassau County Engineering Services Department at 904-530-6225.
More on the Amelia River-To-Sea Trail:
From Mike Pikula
Amelia Island residents and guests have been enjoying rides and walks on the 6.2 mile Amelia Island Trail (www.ameliaislandtrail.com ) since 2013. Very soon we will see construction starting on our island’s newest pedestrian/bicycle trail.
The Amelia River-To-Sea Trail (ARTS Trail) will offer pedestrians and cyclists a paved recreational path that, as its name implies, will link the Amelia River with the Atlantic Ocean. This new three mile long trail will run generally east to west from South Fletcher Avenue’s Beach Access #30 to the west alongside Simmons Road, then continue through an undeveloped Simmons Road right-of-way to an intersection with Bailey Road, and then turn south crossing the Amelia Island Parkway into the City’s Ybor Alvarez Ball Park. It will then continue westward to the banks of the Amelia River.
New “ARTS Trail” to be constructed across Amelia Island
The portion of the paved path between S. Fletcher and the City ball fields is being funded by a federal grant awarded by the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (NFTPO). The segment from the ball fields to the river is being funded and constructed by the Crane Island Development which has granted public access to the trail and to a river overlook at the western terminus of the trail. Various trailside amenities will be installed by City, County and Friends of the Amelia Island Trail, Inc.
Related to the pending trail construction, the City of Fernandina Beach recently announced their plans to construct parking, a nature trail and restrooms near the new trail alongside Simmons Road between Egans Bluff Road and Persimmon Circle.
Subject to approval of the contract award in the next few weeks by the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners, Florida Infrastructure Inc. of Callahan, FL., will be the primary contractor for the $1.5 million project. According to Nassau County officials, construction start is expected by October, 2018.
This trail project is the result of successful collaborative efforts by Nassau County, City of Fernandina Beach, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization, Florida Department of Transportation, Crane Island Development, Friends of the Amelia Island Trail, Inc., and supportive local citizens.
Kudos to Mike Pikula, Phil Scanlan and the many trail advocates of Nassau County!! This trail is an essential addition to Amelia Island’s hiker-biker network and it took a village to bring it all together with our various government agencies.