NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. – In Nassau County, construction on State Road 200 seems never ending to some drivers.
The whole purpose of the project is to accommodate for all the growth within the county, but with that growth comes growing pains.
Florida Department of Transportation told News4Jax on Monday it has received multiple complaints about the SR 200 at Chester Road area of the construction.
The reason is entering and exiting the plaza on the north side of SR 200 has a steep slope.
It's a huge plunge for drivers getting onto SR 200, or for drivers coming into the shopping area, it's a big climb up. Drivers either way are complaining about bottoming out.
Helen Waters took her car into the Ford Dealership Monday morning concerned about the bottom of her car.
"I said 'I scrapped the bottom of my car a couple days ago could you please check and make sure there wasn’t any damage' and he told me there wasn’t and I was very thankful, but for two days I was worried about it," Waters said.
Another driver, Peyton Lawser, said she even changed from a car to a SUV to better drive through the construction.
"That was a huge factor for me driving around here," Lawser said. "I used to have a small car and I would have to go the long way all the time. I think I almost missed the light this morning because I was waiting and going super slow. Hopefully it gets fixed soon,"
Another big concern is leaving the plaza.
"It is a little challenging to pull up and have to take it real slow and the other issue is leaving to make the right turn. There are some safety concerns because you have to take your time and unfortunately with the oncoming traffic you really take some risks making that right turn onto the roadway," said a driver named Barry, who did not want to share his last name.
News4Jax called multiple auto shops in Yulee and all said they’ve seen an influx in customers needing repairs due to construction.
The service manager at one shop said the best advice he has is take it slow and do not try to drive over the area straight on but rather at an angle.
"The issue is an unfortunate necessity because of the significant grade changes between the new roadway profile and the old roadway profile," a spokesperson for Florida Department of Transportation said.
The current plan is to shift traffic to the new westbound lanes starting November 8. Once that happens, workers will be able to add more material for a smoother transition.
FDOT said drivers who damage their vehicles driving through construction can call 904-831-FDOT and file a claim.