State Road 23 - First Coast Expressway South

Ramps connect U.S. 90 (Beaver Street) with the First Coast Expressway south of a CSX Railroad line. Opened on September 18, 2018, the extension of SR 23 serves truck traffic along U.S. 90 from the town of Baldwin and the Otis community of Jacksonville.

01/20/19

A cloverleaf interchange (Exit 46) joins SR 23 (First Coast Expressway) south with Interstate 10 west to Lake City and Tallahassee and east to Downtown Jacksonville.

01/20/19

SR 23 advances south from the I-10 entrance ramps toward POW-MIA Memorial Parkway (Exit 44) and SR 228 (Exit 42).

12/04/20

Jacksonville city council voted unanimously to rename New World Drive as POW-MIA Memorial Parkway on May 22, 2018.¹

12/04/20

A second interchange sequence sign preceding POW-MIA Memorial Parkway references SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard). The First Coast Expressway opened south south to Middleburg in July 2018.

12/04/20

Cecil Commerce Parkway represents the initial section of SR 23 south from U.S. 90 and I-10 to POW-MIA Memorial Parkway at Exit 44. Tolls are not charged on this segment of the First Coast Expressway.

12/04/20

SR 228 (Normandy Boulevard) crosses paths with the First Coast Expressway to the immediate south of POW-MIA Memorial Parkway. The state road spokes southwest to Maxville in southwest Jacksonville from Jacksonville Farms / Terrace at SR 23.

12/04/20

SR 23 commences a gradual southeasterly turn ahead of Exit 44. POW-MIA Memorial Parkway winds northeast to Chaffee Road (CR 115C) at the Jacksonville Farms / Terrace area of Jacksonville.

12/04/20

POW-MIA Memorial Parkway runs south from the First Coast Expressway to SR 228 (Normandy Boulevard), SR 134 (103rd Street) and Cecil Airport (VQQ).

12/04/20

The first of five all electronic toll (AET) gantries along the First Coast Expressway southbound precedes the parclo interchange (Exit 42) with SR 228 (Normandy Boulevard).

01/05/19

One half mile ahead of Exit 42 to SR 228 (Normandy Boulevard) on SR 23 south. SR 228 travels 30.61 miles across the city of Jacksonville between U.S. 301 and U.S. 90.

01/05/19

Normandy Boulevard (SR 228) travels northeast from Exit 42 to Jacksonville Heights, Normandy Estates, Normandy and U.S. 17 at the Murry Hill neighborhood.

01/05/19

SR 134 (103rd Street) meets SR 23 (First Coast Expressway) south in quick succession at Exit 41.

07/28/18

An auxiliary lane accompanies the toll road south from the SR 228 entrance ramp to the parclo interchange (Exit 41) with SR 134 (103rd Street).

07/28/18

This distance sign preceding the second toll collection point stood along SR 23 when it was just a two lane at-grade road leading south to Chaffee Road.

07/28/18

Exit 41 parts ways with SR 23 (First Coast Expressway) south for SR 134 west to Cecil Airport (VQQ) and New World Drive and east to Jacksonville Heights, I-295 at Cedar Hills and U.S. 17 at Venetia.

07/28/18

Confirming marker posted south of the SR 134 on-ramp and west of the Bent Creek Golf Course community.

07/28/18

Advancing south through wetland and timberland areas, SR 23 enters the Chimney Lakes section of Jacksonville.

07/28/18

Tolls are collected between each interchange along the First Coast Expressway. The third southbound plaza lies midway between SR 134 and the single point interchange at Exit 37.

07/28/18

Argyle Forest Boulevard weaves westward through the suburban areas of Argyle Forest and Chimney Lakes from SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) to SR 23 at Oakleaf Plantation Parkway.

07/28/18

Oakleaf Plantation extends southwest from Argyle Forest Boulevard and the exchange with SR 23 to the Oakleaf Plantation development in northern Clay County.

07/28/18

SR 23 shifts eastward beside the Arbor Mill and Whitfield neighborhoods at Oakleaf Plantation over the ensuing mile.

07/28/18

Tolls are collected along the First Coast Expressway again just south of the Clay County line.

07/28/18

Oakleaf Plantation Parkway loops southeast back to SR 23 at forthcoming Exit 35.

07/28/18

Discovery Drive, the west side service road and original alignment of SR 23 (Brannan Chaffee Road), separates from the First Coast Expressway south at Exit 35. The frontage road system lines the toll road between Oakleaf Plantation Parkway and Old Jennings Road.

07/28/18

Entering the split diamond interchange (Exit 35) with Discovery Drive / Challenger Drive on SR 23 south. A hybrid diverging diamond connects the off-ramp and frontage road system with Oakleaf Plantation Parkway west.

07/28/18

Continuing south by the Turkey Oak subdivision, the First Coast Expressway next meets Old Jennings Road at a half diamond interchange (Exit 32).

07/28/18

A slip ramp (Exit 35) joins Discovery Drive south ahead of Old Jennings Road. Old Jennings Road is part of the west branch of County Road 220A, a 4.93 mile loop west from SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard).

08/12/25

The First Coast Expressway crosses Trail Ridge Road at this confirming marker for SR 23 south.

08/12/25

The Trail Ridge Plaza toll collection point precedes Exit 32 along SR 23 southbound.

08/12/25

Exit 32 leaves SR 23 south for CR 220A (Old Jennings Road), Challenger Drive north and Branan Field Road (old SR 23). The First Coast Expressway mainline extends another 1.75 miles to Exit 31 / SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard).

08/12/25

What was the final confirming marker for SR 23 preceded the overpass spanning Old Jennings Road (CR 220A) and the U-turn ramp linking Discovery Drive south with Challenger Drive north.

08/12/25

SR 23 shifts west away from the original Branan Field Road right of way to connect with SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) in one mile.

08/12/25

Construction on the next phase of the First Coast Expressway started in 2019. The toll road opened southeast from SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) to Green Cove Springs on August 9, 2025.

08/12/25

Blanding Boulevard constitutes a major arterial route leading southwest from Jacksonville and Orange Park to Middleburg.

08/12/25

Exit 31 partitions for SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) northeast to Orange Park and I-295 or southwest to Camp Blanding Joint Training Center and Keystone Heights. Guide signs on the previous off-ramp to SR 21 referenced Blanding Boulevard and included exit tabs.

08/12/25

Reconstruction of the exchange with Blanding Boulevard into a six-ramp parclo interchange included realigning the exit ramp westward to accommodate the new southbound roadway for SR 23.

08/12/25

Curving southeast from CR 220, SR 23 travels by protected areas in Rideout Point Preserve.

08/12/25

The blank space on the distance sign south of SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) is reserved for Saint Augustine.

08/12/25

The first of four exits along the First Coast Expressway section opened on August 9, 2025 connects SR 23 with CR 739 (Henley Road) in 1.25 miles.

08/12/25

Henley Road constitutes a five lane suburban boulevard north to CR 220 (Doctors Inlet Road) at Rattlesnake Bend and south through the Asbury Lake community to CR 218.

08/12/25

SR 23 heads east from Henley Road to an underpass built by the Bradley Creek subdivision located off paralell CR 209 (Russell Road).

08/12/25

The First Coast Expressway makes a sweeping curve southward across Bradley Creek.

08/12/25

Resuming a southward course, SR 23 advances two miles to the DDI (Exit 23) with CR 216 (Cathedral Pak Parkway).

08/12/25

Cathedral Oak Parkway was constructed by Clay County starting in August 2023. The four lane suburban arterial opened to traffic on August 9, 2025 (Clay County, Florida, 2025).

08/12/25

Separating the toll road from the Rolling Hills development, a large sound wall lines the west side of SR 23 from the CR 739B (Sandridge Road) underpass southward to the Sandridge Plaza all-electronic toll (AET) gantry.

08/12/25

The Sandridge Plaza toll collection point is located near mile marker 24.

08/12/25

Signed as CR 216 at Exit 23, Cathedral Oak Parkway weaves west through areas of future development to a roundabout with CR 218 and east to CR 315 near Green Cove Springs.

08/12/25

The First Coast Expressway shifts southeast from Exit 23 by Peters Creek.

08/12/25

The third DDI in succession along SR 23 south joins the First Coast Expressway with SR 16 at Exit 20 in 1.25 miles.

08/12/25

SR 16 crosses SR 23 midway between the town of Penney Farms and the Clay County seat of Green Cove Springs.

08/12/25

SR 16 travels east to U.S. 1 at St. Augustine on the First Coast and west to Camp Blanding, Starke and SR 121 near Raiford.

08/12/25

SR 23 crosses Peters Creek south by this confirming marker.

08/12/25

SR 23 spans CR 315 (Springbank Road) ahead of mile marker 18. CR 315 arcs southwest from SR 16 to Hogarth Road.

08/12/25

The First Coast Expressway curves eastward again ahead of CR 15A (Oakridge Avenue).

08/12/25

U.S. 17 angles northeast from CR 15A (Oakridge Road) to meet the First Coast Expressway at a diamond interchange (Exit 13) in two miles.

08/12/25

A four lane, divided highway, U.S. 17 travels north into Green Cove Springs and south to the Putnam County seat of Palatka.

08/12/25

U.S. 17 follows the St. Johns River north into Jacksonville. The rural highway crosses the river east from Palatka en route to De Land and the greater Orlando area.

08/12/25

The section of the First Coast Expressway opened on August 9, 2025 concludes southbound at Exit 13.

08/12/25

The ensuing stretch of the First Coast Expressway aims northeast past Reynolds Airpark (FL60) to SR 16 west of the Shands Bridge across the St. Johns River.

08/12/25

U.S. 17 follows Orange Avenue north into Green Cove Springs, combining with SR 16 to Ferris Street ahead of Downtown.

08/12/25

South from Exit 13, U.S. 17 heads to the unincorporated community of Bostwick on the 21.5 miles to SR 20 in Palatka.

08/12/25