Ironman Jacksonville may not be welcome across county lines in future years.
In a letter obtained by Times-Union news partner First Coast News, St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick expressed concerns about the weekend event and denounced its return to the county.
In the inaugural event on May 16, nearly 2,000 athletes competed in a 112-mile bike course from Jacksonville to Ponte Vedra Beach and back that crossed through parts of Nocatee and Florida A1A in addition to a 2.4-mile swim in the St. Johns River and a 26.2-mile marathon run.
In his letter, Hardwick addressed concerns about “traffic, safety, quality of life, and overall mobility.”
Hardwick cited congestion at major roads and intersections, including Nocatee Parkway and the area near Davis Park. He said deputies frequently had to stop or redirect traffic because of gaps between groups of cyclists, while unmanned side streets created unsafe merging and increased congestion.
The sheriff also suggested a “more collaborative planning approach” if the Ironman returns in the future, including avoiding peak travel months and improving communication with residents.
What does Sheriff Hardwick’s letter say?
Here is the sheriff’s full letter:
Chairman Murphy, County Commissioners, and County Administrator,
The intent of this email is to express my concerns regarding the recent Jacksonville Ironman event and its impacts on traffic, safety, quality of life, and overall mobility throughout our county.
The event generated significant congestion at major intersections, particularly along Nocatee Parkway and near Davis Park, where lane shifts and competing activities created extended delays. Deputies were frequently required to stop or redirect traffic due to wide gaps in cyclist groups, resulting in unpredictable conditions for both drivers and athletes. Numerous unmanned side streets also contributed to unsafe merging and increased congestion. Increased risks are created when high-volume racing activity shares narrow, two-lane community roads during peak weekend hours.
To strengthen community safety and reduce disruptions for any future consideration of this event, we recommend a more collaborative planning approach involving County leadership, public safety partners, event organizers, and community stakeholders. Specifically:
1. Establish early coordination and collective sign-off from all relevant stakeholders before moving forward with major events.
2. Reassess the suitability of routing endurance events through densely populated residential areas.
3. Improve traffic-engineering strategies to reduce road sharing between vehicles and cyclists.
4. Strengthen advanced community notification and create mitigation plans to minimize impacts on residents and businesses.
5. Consider minimizing or eliminating these type events during peak months, i.e. April – August.
We appreciate the benefits major events can bring, but they must be balanced with the needs and expectations of the community. By strengthening approval and planning processes together, especially when adjoining counties host events that directly affect our community, we can help ensure that mobility, safety, and quality-of-life considerations remain central to future event coordination. In closing, I do not support the return of the Ironman event to St. Johns County.
How many people were injured during Ironman Jacksonville?
Two Ironman bicyclists were involved in collisions with vehicles in St. Johns County, according to a Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department spokesperson. Another was taken to the hospital when two bikes collided on the course.
Fire rescue personnel responded to a total of 58 EMS calls related to the race, mostly due to heat and exhaustion, officials said.
Of the 58 calls, 18 people were taken to hospitals for treatment, 16 of whom were Ironman competitors. None of the injuries were life-threatening. Two more Ironman competitors were pulled from the water during the swimming portion of the triathlon but did not need to be taken to the hospital.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office also arrested a drunk driver who recklessly sped through the race near 5 Points but no one was hurt. He was charged with eight felonies plus nearly a dozen misdemeanors and violations.
The total amount of EMS calls was similar to other large warm-weather events like Jaguars games and TPC Sawgrass, the fire department said.
How bad was the traffic for Ironman Jacksonville?
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office had hundreds of officers along the route directing traffic, but one of the issues was when the group of nearly 2,000 athletes started to spread out on the bike course. Officers would have to stop traffic to let a couple of riders through, then could only allow a couple more vehicles through before another biker approached.
From 8 a.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday, there were dozens of intermittent road closures for the event.
Residents reported traffic was backed up for hours, with Philips Highway being the major roadway affected.
Jacksonville City Councilman Raul Arias, who competed in the event, noted that traffic concerns were widespread.
“I rode my bike for 112 miles, and there was traffic for 112 miles,” he said.
St. Johns County Commissioner Krista Keating-Joseph chimed in on the traffic impact, saying on Facebook that she sat in traffic for three hours watching the “close calls of car vs. golf cart vs. bikers.” In a post on her page, she said the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners did not vote on this event. She added that even the county administrator was unaware of the event.
First Coast News spoke with Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan during Ironman for a response on the traffic complaints.
“We can always do better,” Deegan said. “We’ll have a debrief after this to try to figure out where we could have had better communication, but I will tell you, we’ve been trying to communicate this for a long time. I know it’s an inconvenience for one day, but just think about the benefit to the city.”
Will future Ironman events return to Jacksonville?
Meanwhile the city plans to host two additional Ironman events in 2027 and 2028.
City officials sent the following statement:
Jacksonville made history this weekend, as nearly 2,000 athletes from 39 countries and across the United States descended on our city for the first-ever IRONMAN Jacksonville. Hosting one of the most prestigious endurance brands in the world is a major win for our city.
What these athletes showed us during the competition was nothing short of extraordinary. Every athlete who participated showed us their perseverance, grit and determination to excel on the world stage.
This successful event reflects exactly what Jacksonville is capable of. We are a world-class city, and IRONMAN chose us because of that. We benefit from the tremendous economic impact, the global exposure, the energy on our riverfront, and the pride on the faces of athletes crossing that finish line. We have a three-year commitment to this exciting event, and we intend to honor it by getting better every year IRONMAN Jacksonville comes to town. That means celebrating what worked and being honest about what could have been done better.
We are committed to a smoother experience for everyone next year, and are already in conversations with IRONMAN organizers, JSO, and city staff to conduct a full after-action review to make sure traffic and safety concerns are meaningfully addressed.
We are grateful to the IRONMAN organization, to Visit Jacksonville, to our Office of Sports and Entertainment, to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, and the countless city staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event a success.”
First Coast News has asked Ironman for a statement regarding the sheriff’s comments. At the time of publishing, the station had not heard back.
Times-Union Metro Editor Scott Butler contributed to this article.
This story combines two first reported by Times-Union news partner First Coast News.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: St. Johns sheriff emphatic about not wanting a return of Ironman event
Reporting by Tate Rosenberg and Jackson Brown, First Coast News / Florida Times-Union
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