By Rich Pollack
The 3.3-mile State Road A1A road improvement project in Highland Beach — which came in with a roar — is going out with a whimper as crews finalize the project that’s more than six months behind schedule and almost $1 million over budget.
Florida Department of Transportation officials say that the resurfacing project with an original price tag of $8.3 million will cost about $950,000 more.
In addition, state officials say that the original completion date of late summer 2025 has now been pushed back to sometime this spring, although much of the work remaining is part of a “punch-out list” with minimal disruption to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.
Weather, according to an FDOT spokesperson, played a factor in the delays as did design revisions identified during construction that needed to be implemented.
A significant contributing factor has been the need to raise and shift the roadway profile to tie into existing driveways and adjacent areas while making sure the work was following the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“This effort introduced unforeseen challenges and contributed to the extended construction delays. These adjustments required additional coordination, redesign, and construction effort, ultimately contributing to schedule impacts and cost overruns,” the FDOT said in an email to The Coastal Star.
Also contributing were additional improvements such as an enhanced drainage system, pavement strengthening and roadway profile adjustments designed to improve the long-term performance of the highway, the email said.
Those improvements were identified during the project.
While the continued work is not having much impact on motorists, it is creating an issue for Highland Beach town officials who say they are waiting for the FDOT to complete the project before they can begin a massive sewer lining project along A1A.
Once it begins, that project is expected to be completed within a few months.
Comments