PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — A Putnam County mother was killed in a head-on collision, sparking local leaders to take matters into their own hands after what they describe as years of inaction. County officials told Action News Jax that State Road 100 is the most dangerous road in the county.
“I’ll volunteer to sit on it on my time off,” Keith Grimes “JR” said.
Putnam County leaders say they’ll find their own way to fix what they call the dangers of State Road 100, which stretches 18 miles across the county- from Palatka to the Clay County line.
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They started this task force after the latest deadly crash two weeks ago where a local mother was killed while taking her son to school. It happened just east of Robert Lane. The other driver was also killed, and the boy was critically hurt.
“Losing a parent in the school district really highlighted the seriousness of the situation,” Putnam County School Board Chairman Phil Leary said.
Putnam County School Board Chairman Phil Leary first pitched the idea Tuesday, with a list of issues.
“People are driving too slowly, getting frustrated, and being careless with aggressive driving,” Leary said.
The Public Safety Department said there were 386 accidents on the Putnam parts of 100 since 2012, resulting in 16 deaths.
One board member shared his own near-miss on this road.
“At one point, I had two other children in the truck with me. We were run off the road and forced into the median,” Said Putnam County Commissioner.
Read: St. Johns County parents raise safety concerns about lack of sidewalk access during road widening
At least one driver we talked to says the highway needs a change.
“I think the only way to avoid these accidents and deaths is to four-lane it,” said Driver Heather Hoffman.
And that’s one of the options Leary suggested. The problem is, they met with FDOT two years ago to talk about improving safety on State Road 100, but Leary said next to nothing got fixed.
“They promised to do some things, especially in the school zone on 100, but only one of those things got done,” said Leary.
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We reached out to FDOT about what they’re doing to protect drivers and why the county says they’re being ignored. FDOT said they have installed intersection warning signs and STOP signs on State Road 100 at Bardin Road.
They also noted that the road is scheduled to be resurfaced in 2026.
The county plans to bring their plans right to state lawmakers in Tallahassee next week.
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Read FDOT’s full statement below:
FDOT has worked and will continue to work hand-in-hand with Putnam County officials regarding improvements to SR 100. The following list of improvements has taken place along SR 100 or is under evaluation by FDOT Safety Engineers for potential improvements:
- FDOT recently installed intersection warning signage with flashing beacons on SR 100 at Bardin Road. Additionally, FDOT installed dual indicated STOP signs with flashing beacons on Bardin Road at SR 100. The enhanced signage improves visibility for motorists and encourages safe driving behavior.
- SR 100 is scheduled to be resurfaced in 2026. As part of all resurfacing projects, FDOT reviews the roadway to determine if additional enhancements can be made. This project is still in the design phase, however FDOT Safety Officials are evaluating the intersection of SR 100 and Bardin Road for potential turn lane improvements.
- Enhanced pavement markings and signage have been installed on SR 100 and County Road 315. These enhancements were coordinated directly with Putnam County Public Works.
- Safety improvements have been implemented at the intersection of SR 100 and SR 26 through an improved intersection conflict warning system. The system promotes safety through real-time data, sensors and delivers information directly to drivers which promotes informed decision making at the intersection and approaches.
- FDOT is evaluating two intersections along the SR 100 corridor for potential improvements. When FDOT evaluates an intersection any proposed improvements take place in direct coordination with the local government before being proposed to the community.
Finally, as a matter of process, FDOT reviews all reported crashes on state roadways and interstates, with a special emphasis on fatalities and crashes with injuries. If there are improvements that can be made to enhance the safety of the facilities, FDOT will work to implement them.
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