May and early June have been a busy time for driving obstacles.
In Ocean Ridge there have been lane restrictions because of painting and repairs on both the Woolbright and Ocean Avenue bridges, combined with stop-and-start traffic caused by Florida Power & Light’s electrical pole work along A1A.
In Gulf Stream, traffic stops caused by the town’s ongoing power-line burial project seem to have become a way of life. And Delray Beach’s oceanfront traffic has been barely inching along because of restricted parking and construction equipment movements along the beachfront.
Add these moguls to the the usual A1A slalom course caused by the comings and goings of construction equipment at work on new beach-area homes all along Ocean Boulevard from Manalapan through Highland Beach, and driving has been, shall we say, “complicated” along the coast.
Once you are able to make it across the bridges, it’s not much better. Consider the Brightline double track installation and crossing closures on the FEC tracks. When will that end? And then there’s the ongoing I-95 ramp building in Boynton Beach and the never-ending Spanish River interchange construction in Boca Raton.
Still, we shouldn’t complain. The majority of these projects reflect necessary improvements to our transportation infrastructure, and the bulk of the heavy construction was scheduled to happen after tourist season and before the peak of hurricane season. Imagine if they had started in March or delayed until August? It’s annoying now but could have been far worse.
It also reflects confidence in our local economy. It’s good to see people working.
So, even though we may all need to add five or 10 minutes to travel times for the next month or so, we really shouldn’t complain. It’s part of the price we pay to live in paradise.
A couple of reminders
• The 2017 hurricane season began June 1. Dust off your planning materials, get the trees trimmed and check the generator. If you are new to the area or want to refresh your hurricane plan, visit www.pbcgov.com/knowurzone/ for how to prepare.
• June normally marks the peak of sea turtle nesting season. That means it’s time to move beach furniture and other obstacles from the beach and turn off the lights! Turtles need our help to survive. For more information, visit www.myfwc.com/research/wildlife/sea-turtles/threats/
— Mary Kate Leming,
Editor
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