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Update: A1A roadwork south of Linton Boulevard postponed until at least late May

By Rich Pollack

For more than five years, state officials have been talking about plans to widen and repave State Road A1A from Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach south through all of Highland Beach and warning of major traffic disruptions.

This month the project finally began with work at first being done to modify swales for improved drainage. And much to the chagrin of residents and motorists, the construction won’t stop for at least a year.

The $8.8 million, 3.3-mile project includes adding a 5-foot-wide bicycle lane on each side of the road and will require periodic lane closures that will cause temporary traffic disruptions, Florida Department of Transportation officials say.

The widening of the road, mainly on the west side of South Ocean Boulevard, will also result in the removal of landscaping and the relocating of two dozen trees. Six trees in poor condition cannot be saved, FDOT representatives say.

Drainage work was expected to start on the east side of A1A south of Linton Boulevard and head south. That first phase is projected to take about four months and will include periodic lane closures of about 1,000 feet. The contractor will have flaggers directing traffic.

Work on the second phase — the milling, repaving and widening — is expected to take about eight months, with work being done on southbound lanes first.

One area where the improvement will be especially noticeable is the intersection of A1A and Linton Boulevard. For years, town leaders and residents have complained about the long line of cars turning onto the Linton Boulevard bridge and causing lengthy backups on northbound A1A.

The project will more than triple the length of the left-turn lane for cars heading over the bridge from 75 feet to 275 feet. The lane now accommodates only about three cars. That will expand to about 11 cars once the work is complete, meaning that cars will block northbound traffic less often.

Highland Beach Town Manager Marshall Labadie believes that the disruption will result in visible benefits once the construction is complete.

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

During an interactive online public meeting and a live Town Hall meeting last month, FDOT teams fielded questions from residents, with several asking about the impact of construction at Linton Boulevard.

One resident asked if traffic signals and bridge schedules could be altered to improve travel conditions only to be told that the county is responsible for the bridge operations.

Still, the state will work to minimize issues at the intersection.

“The project team will monitor traffic conditions and work with the county as needed,” said Melissa Readling, the project spokesperson.

Another resident suggested the FDOT meet individually with condo associations to discuss how the project will affect those residents specifically. Readling said the agency would welcome such meetings and that people interested can reach her at mreadling@corradino.com or 772-577-8803.

The FDOT is also planning signage along A1A advising residents of the construction and announcing delays.

The department will issue weekly project updates and post project information, including photos and monthly lane closure information, at www.d4fdot.com/pbfdot/sr_a1a_resurfacing_project.asp.

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