Sign the petition & show your support for an alternate location.

I am a resident of St. Augustine Beach and I support the Sun trail in Florida for biking and pedestrians but oppose the proposed alignment  of the Sun Trail along the east side of A1A Beach Blvd. This plan was only recently made public, without required notice to property owners within 300 feet under which is not in compliance with FDOT, Sun Trail guidelines and the County’s Neighborhood Bill of Rights.

The proposal removes the existing east side sidewalk and replaces it with a 12-foot-wide asphalt trail, creating serious safety concerns. Increased speeds from cycling enthusiasts combined with pedestrians going in both directions plus 56 driveways & side streets will lead to dangerous conflicts along one of our busiest corridors. What is wrong with our  current sidewalk & bike lane on either side of A1A Beach blvd;?  It works very well and the width of these A1A Beach blvd. Bike lanes mirror those on U S 1 and A1A with bike symbols. Our residents seem to the like the current setup very well and it is what defines the character our City. Alternatives were studied such maintaining the alignment on A1A yet it shifts to to A1A Beach boulevard which requires crossing at a complicated intersection near Win  Dixie.

Goodbye grass buffer!
It also eliminates the important 18” grass strip between the sidewalk and A1A Beach along the entire section of the boulevard which will increase stormwater runoff and increase storm water drainage system requirements. In addition, it threatens the character of our community by putting the iconic “Avenue of Palms” at risk. Many of the Palms  are only 12 inches from the proposed sidewalk to be removed with large equipment and be replaced with black oil based asphalt which will damage the roots and possibly killing many of the palms.

There are better alignment alternatives that can improve trail connectivity without sacrificing safety, green space, or the unique coastal identity of St. Augustine Beach that over 7,000 people call home.

Please join me in urging FDOT and County leaders to reconsider this alignment and pursue a safer, more thoughtful solution.