JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A dangerous intersection on the city’s Westside has become a recurring problem for Florida State College at Jacksonville after drivers repeatedly crashed into the brick entrance sign at the school’s Kent Campus, leaving the marker badly damaged.
News4JAX Reporter Scott Johnson drives the stretch daily and began looking into the problem after noticing the damaged entrance. At the intersection of U.S. 17 and Plymouth Road, he found four roadside crosses bearing the names of five people who died there.
“No, I’m not surprised,” Janice Moody, a nearby resident, said. “It’s Jacksonville. A lot of things happen. You just have to be a safe driver. Drive safe and sometimes you have to drive for other people.” Another driver said she was “a little bit” surprised, but called U.S. 17 “a busy street here in rush hour.”
FSCJ President John Avendano confirmed the crashes. He said the problem is largely a late‑night issue — a “2 a.m. problem,” when drivers often speed through the area — and has been considering ways to make the entrance less vulnerable.
News4JAX found 25 crashes at the intersection since 2020, including a 2020 wreck that killed Chelsey Turner; her name appears on one of the memorial markers.
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The Department of Transportation said a nearby project at Blanding and Park may alter traffic patterns in the area but would not directly address the U.S. 17 and Plymouth Road intersection.
FSCJ officials said they are exploring plans to move or redesign the campus sign, but any final decision will depend on what the department decides about the roadway.
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