A proposed beach trolley serving South Ponte Vedra Beach and Vilano Beach could reduce St. Johns County's share of a major coastal restoration project by an estimated $29.3 million over 50 years.

The potential savings were outlined in a county presentation delivered Wednesday, Oct. 7, at the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve in Ponte Vedra Beach.

County officials are exploring whether a trolley connecting public beach access points along State Road A1A could qualify the shoreline for a larger federal cost share, reducing the amount local taxpayers would be responsible for funding.

The proposal remains preliminary, and the county has not decided whether to establish the service.

Trolley could lower county's share from 69% to 47%

The Ponte Vedra-South Ponte Vedra Coastal Storm Risk Management project is a 50-year partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to restore and maintain the shoreline.

The project's estimated total cost is approximately $138.3 million, based on October 2023 prices.

Under existing public access conditions, the county's projected local share is 69%, or approximately $94.8 million, according to the county's project information.

Adding a trolley system could reduce that share to 47%, or approximately $65.5 million, with federal and other nonlocal funding covering a greater portion of the work.

That would lower the county's projected obligation by $29.3 million over the project's 50-year life.

The county estimates that $14.4 million of the reduction would apply to the initial beach nourishment project alone.

The funding calculation is tied to public access. The Army Corps considers public access when determining the federal cost share for certain beach restoration projects.

Along South Ponte Vedra Boulevard, private beachfront homes and limited public parking restrict access to portions of the shoreline, as Action News Jax previously reported.

County officials hope a trolley serving designated public access points would make those beaches more accessible without requiring extensive new parking facilities.

The projected savings do not account for all potential costs of establishing and operating the trolley.

Preliminary route would connect beach access points

The preliminary concept calls for a small bus or trolley traveling between the GTM South Beach parking area and Vilano Beach Town Center.

The proposed route includes six northbound stops and two southbound stops, with additional northbound locations under consideration.

The southbound stops would serve the Gas Station Parking Lot and North Beach Park.

Four additional northbound stops at existing pedestrian beach access points could be included to increase public access and potentially improve the project's cost-sharing arrangement.

Some proposed northbound stops would use 10-foot-wide county-owned rights-of-way between private properties.

The county previously explored expanding South Ponte Vedra Park and purchasing additional land for beach access, but those options have not produced a financially feasible solution, according to the presentation.

The trolley concept would provide another way for beachgoers to reach the shoreline while limiting the need for new parking lots.

Specific stop locations, service frequency, fares and operating costs have not been finalized.

Beach nourishment could begin in summer 2029

The coastal restoration project is expected to begin its preconstruction engineering and design phase in November 2026.

Initial construction is tentatively scheduled for summer 2029, according to the county.

The first nourishment would place approximately 2.15 million cubic yards of sand along the project shoreline.

The 50-year project calls for additional nourishment approximately every 10 years, with the goal of maintaining beaches and dunes against erosion and storm damage.

The county is also working to obtain the property easements needed for the federal project.

County seeks public feedback before making decision

The Oct. 7 meeting introduced the trolley concept and gave residents an opportunity to ask questions about public access, possible stops and the project's financial implications.

County officials emphasized that no final decisions have been made about the route or whether the trolley will move forward.

Additional public meetings may be scheduled depending on community interest.

Residents can review the coastal trolley meeting materials and find updates on the coastal restoration project page.

Questions and comments can be directed to the county's coastal projects team at [email protected] or 904-209-0260.