The Florida Department of Transportation held a brief workshop Thursday, Oct. 8 to answer questions about the upcoming resurfacing roadwork on Forest Hill Blvd. from State Road 7 to Pinehurst Drive in eastern Wellington.
Of course, more questions are expected soon after the road closures take place.
These periodic closures will affect one lane during the day, with dual lane closures in the slower nighttime traffic on the busy 2.9-mile section of roadway. FDOT’s objective is to reduce the effects on the community and minimize the impact on travel along the roadway.
There will be no road closures during school pickup times, and the department took into account school pedestrians and will be preventing sidewalk closures for the start and end of classes each day.
The project includes resurfacing and the upgrade of crossings and markings. Field visits have been done to determine the scope of the work needed. The guardrails will be updated, and the work will include a reduction of the speed limit on the road to 45 miles an hour permanently because it fits the design of the road and is uniform with other parts of Forest Hill Blvd.
A study revealed the need for wider bicycle lanes and upgraded lighting standards to make the roadway safer for bikes.
There will be no new traffic lights added. A question asked about the entrance/exit intersection at Kobosko’s Crossing revealed that no accidents had been recorded there, despite anecdotal evidence of seeing accidents. “That doesn’t mean there wasn’t one, but the records don’t show it,” FDOT Project Manager Brad Salisbury said.
The $4.6 million project passes two schools and a park, and FDOT is attempting to minimize the inconvenience to people using the road. In addition to guardrails being upgraded, ramps at curbs will be made ADA compliant, signage and pavement markings will be made clearer, sidewalks at some bus stops will be made wider and there will be countdown timers at some crosswalks.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the spring of 2022.
