By Rich Pollack

A year-long State Road A1A improvement project through Highland Beach and part of southern Delray Beach has been delayed and now isn’t expected to start until late May or early June.

In an email to elected officials in both municipalities sent out late Friday, Florida Department of Transportation officials said that the $3.3 million project was expected to begin this month but was delayed and rescheduled “based on the latest coordination with the contractor.”

The project, which is expected to result in major traffic delays, will now most likely continue through summer of next year and perhaps longer.

Included in the project is the repaving and widening of A1A from Linton Boulevard to the Boca Raton line. It will also include 5-foot-wide bicycle lanes on both sides and significant drainage improvements through much of Highland Beach. 

One area where the improvement will be most noticeable will be at the intersection of A1A and Linton Boulevard.

For years, Highland Beach leaders and residents have complained about the lengthy backups caused by a long line of cars turning onto the Linton Boulevard bridge from northbound A1A.

The new project will more than triple the length of the left-turn lane from 75 feet to 275 feet.  The turn lane now accommodates only about three cars. That will expand to about 11 cars once the work at the intersection is complete, meaning that few cars will be blocking traffic heading north through the intersection, FDOT representatives say.

Highland Beach Town Manager Marshall Labadie believes that while there will be much disruption, there will also be visible benefits once the project is complete.

“My hope is that all the frustration resident experience will be well worth it when we have a newly paved road, a better intersection at Linton Boulevard and improved drainage,” Labadie said.

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