Government

State Road 16 Drivers Will See New Traffic Pattern as Widening Work Moves Ahead

Eastbound traffic near International Golf Parkway is expected to move onto new lanes around Oct. 1, while the county continues work toward an early spring 2027 completion.

By Paris Lugo 9/22/2026

As State Road 16 continues to take shape for the traffic demands of a growing St. Johns County, drivers near International Golf Parkway will soon need to adjust to a new pattern on the road. Beginning around Oct. 1, eastbound traffic on SR 16 is expected to shift onto newly constructed lanes along a roughly quarter-mile stretch between the AutoZone driveway and 7-Eleven. The change is part of the county’s ongoing SR 16 Widening Project, now approximately 70% complete.

For motorists turning right from International Golf Parkway onto SR 16, the adjustment will be especially important: drivers will be required to come to a complete stop before turning. Westbound SR 16 traffic will travel in the right lane under the new configuration, and the stop requirement will remain once the larger widening project is finished.

Temporary signs and variable message boards will be placed in the area to help drivers navigate the shift. Access to AutoZone and 7-Eleven will remain unchanged.

“The upcoming traffic shift marks an important step forward for the SR 16 Widening Project,” said Valerie Pacetti, project manager for St. Johns County Public Works. “We encourage drivers to pay close attention to the temporary signage and use caution as they become familiar with the new traffic pattern.”

The shift allows construction crews to move into the next stage of the work. Once vehicles are traveling on the newly built lanes, the contractor will reconstruct the existing two lanes of SR 16. Those lanes will ultimately become the new eastbound travel lanes.

The project adds two travel lanes from International Golf Parkway to just beyond County Road 2209, a corridor that sees particularly heavy use near IGP and Pacetti Road during peak travel periods. Construction began July 26, 2025, and county officials anticipate the full project will be completed in early spring 2027.

For residents who regularly use the area, the next several months will bring the familiar realities of road construction: altered lane patterns, temporary signs and a little extra attention behind the wheel. But the October shift also signals that visible progress is being made on an improvement intended to ease movement along one of the county’s increasingly busy routes.

“We appreciate the continued patience and understanding of residents and motorists as we work to safely complete these improvements,” Pacetti said.