St. Johns County finished the widening of County Road 210 between Old CR 210/Greenbriar Road and Cimarrone Boulevard this fall. The county celebrated with a ribbon cutting on Sept. 30. The $42.5 million project added a lane in each direction, bridges, sidewalks on both sides, and drainage work along about three miles of road. That ended a construction period that began June 30, 2023.
Beachwalk was expected to become one of the county's big new destinations on CR 210, but BurgerFi nearby has closed for good and a neighboring gas station is shutting down. Shearwater's new park and library are still targeted for 2027. The next road project hasn't started. For now, most of the new places you can drive to on the widened road are at The Fountains near I-95.
What Changed Between Greenbriar and Cimarrone
The new section joins the existing four-lane road at Cimarrone Boulevard, so CR 210 is now four lanes all the way from Greenbriar Road to Cimarrone. If you live off this stretch, the biggest daily change is the intersections. Three of them now have new traffic signals:
- Stillwater Boulevard/South Hampton
- Shearwater
- Greenbriar Road/Old CR 210
Crews also put in curbing, stormwater pipes, and two drainage ponds to handle runoff. The sidewalks run along both sides of the road, so this section now has a walking route along it. Superior Construction Co. was the contractor. Impact fees and the county's Transportation Trust Fund paid for the work.
At the ceremony, Greg Caldwell, director of St. Johns County Public Works, thanked "residents and local businesses throughout construction" for their patience, according to the county's announcement.
The east end of the corridor finished earlier. In April, the county completed a 0.7-mile section between Trinity Way and Beachwalk Boulevard. That stretch went from two lanes to six, got sidewalks, and added a new signal at Badger Park/Cumberland Park. So both ends of CR 210 have been rebuilt this year. The difference is in what has opened along each end.
The Fountains Is Where the New Spots Are Opening
Head east toward I-95 and the shopping center known as The Fountains at St. Johns is where something new keeps showing up.
Smalls Sliders opened its first Jacksonville-area restaurant on Friday, May 29, at 1545 County Road 210 W near The Fountains, the Times-Union reported. In late July, the Jax Daily Record reported that 7 Brew had filed plans for a second drive-thru coffee kiosk next to Smalls. The county got the preapplication July 25, and a Development Review Committee discussion was set for Aug. 18.
Inside the center, one storefront has already turned over. Jax Fish Fry closed at 170 Fountains Way, Suite 7, in August after nearly three years at The Fountains. A month later, Ned's New England Deck opened in that same suite on Sept. 23, the Jax Daily Record reported.
Ned's was started by New England natives who live in Nocatee. The menu includes:
- The Down East Lobster Roll, with poached lobster served cold on a buttered New England bun
- The North Shore beef sandwich, with slow-roasted rare roast beef and barbecue sauce
- Clam chowder, fried clams, and other New England classics
"We bring in live Maine lobster, cook it ourselves and serve the kind of lobster roll we grew up eating," founder Steve Forbes said in a release quoted by the Jax Daily Record. The restaurant serves beer from Florida and New England, plus wine, cocktails, and mocktails. Part of the dining room and patio has a kids' play area. Breakfast is planned.
Since late spring, The Fountains area has picked up two new restaurants, with plans filed for a coffee kiosk. No other stretch of CR 210 west of I-95 has had that much activity.
East of I-95, Beachwalk Is Changing in Both Directions
Beachwalk, the lagoon-centered development on the east side of I-95, is moving more slowly. In September, News4JAX reported that BurgerFi near Beachwalk had closed for good and the nearby Daybreak gas station was shutting down. The report noted that Beachwalk "was expected to become one of the county's major new destinations."
The same report covered approvals that point to more activity later. According to county records cited by News4JAX, the county approved a four-story, 111-room hotel in December and 68 cottages on Sept. 4. Seth Neiman, owner of Island Fin Poké, told News4JAX that "with a 110-room hotel and 68 cottages, and having a restaurant that is right in front of it, I think this is going to be a very valuable spot."
There's also a restaurant on the way. In February, the Jax Daily Record reported that the county was reviewing plans for a 6,542-square-foot, full-service restaurant near the Compass Hotel at Beachwalk. The developer had not named it. The road to Beachwalk is now six lanes. Most of what is meant to bring people there is still at the approval stage.
What Comes Next, and When
The road work is done for now. Several other projects near CR 210 are coming, but each is on its own schedule, and none has a confirmed opening date.
| Project | What it adds | Latest published timing |
|---|---|---|
| Greenbriar Road widening | 1.5 miles widened from two lanes to four, east of Longleaf Pine Parkway to Greenbriar Estates Drive | Construction expected to start late 2026 or early 2027 and take about 18 months |
| Shearwater Community Park | Community center with a library hub, eight pickleball courts, a splash pad, a skatepark, basketball courts, a playground, and green space | Expected to open in early 2027, per the county's April 2026 update |
| Shearwater Branch Library | Branch inside the community center, with a walk-up book drop and holds pickup | Estimated completion Winter 2027 |
| CR 210 at CR 2209/St. Johns Parkway | Access changes to cut delays and conflict points, plus pedestrian and bicycle accommodations | Still in planning, with start, finish, and cost listed as TBD |
Greenbriar Road meets CR 210 at one of the new signals. The county describes the Greenbriar widening as closing a 1.5-mile gap between two developer-led road improvements, which will create a continuous four-lane road from Veterans Parkway westward. In its April notice, the county said the project would go through final permitting and bidding in 2026, with crews expected to start in late 2026 or early 2027. That means another round of lane work near Greenbriar could start soon after the CR 210 crews have left.
The Shearwater park is the corridor's largest planned community space. According to the county's construction update, it is being built alongside the Silverleaf Sportsplex as part of a combined $48.3 million investment. Both are expected to open in early 2027. The St. Johns County Public Library System lists the Shearwater branch at Winter 2027 and says it will focus on early literacy. Both dates are targets, and construction schedules can change.
In the meantime, the Bartram Trail Branch changed its hours on Oct. 4. It is now closed Sundays and stays open until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check the branch page before you go.
At CR 2209/St. Johns Parkway, an access redesign is still in planning, and FDOT's project page lists the construction dates as TBD.
A Fall Weekend Along the Corridor
Here's a weekend plan along the new lanes:
- Walk or bike a section of the new sidewalks between Shearwater and Cimarrone, which now run along both sides of the road.
- Have lunch at The Fountains: a Down East roll at Ned's New England Deck in Suite 7, or sliders at Smalls on CR 210 W.
- Continue east past I-95 to the Beachwalk lagoon, where the county has approved a hotel and cottages.
- Head back on Greenbriar Road before the widening crews arrive.
If you're trying to figure out how the corridor's next round of projects affects your own street, Daly N Braxton follows these projects and is happy to talk through what's coming near you. Schedule Your Consultation.
