SEBASTIAN – Drivers headed north of Barber Street and stop at Tulip – left or right? Either way will get them around the Road Closed sign as construction crews continue to work on rebuilding Barber Street.
For about three months, crews have been digging, scraping and relaying asphalt on Barber between Tulip and County Road 512 as part of a four-phase, $1.6 million road project.
Though still closed off to through traffic, residents living along that stretch of road now have at least one asphalt-covered lane they can travel to and from their homes.
For those drivers just passing through, they are being rerouted to either Melrose Lane or Laconia Street from Tulip to get to Sebastian Boulevard.
The nearly three-mile stretch of Barber Street runs from Sebastian Boulevard south to Schumann Drive and is expected to not only be rebuilt and repaved, but also get sidewalks.
With all the roadwork being done to the street, however, it is not being widened. An extra turn lane will be installed on northbound Barber at County Road 512 to ease traffic congestion there, though.
Crews are wrapping up the first of four phases for the project. The next phase scheduled will stretch from Tulip to Rolling Hill.
After that, crews will move between Rolling Hill and Addie.
The last phase is the portion between Addie and Schumann, with the exception of the bridge connecting Concha and Joy Haven. No work will be done at the bridge.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, which is in charge of the federally-funded project, about 8,600 vehicles travel the 35 mph Barber Street on a daily basis.
Residents and drivers who have any questions or concerns are asked to contact the Florida Department of Transportation Field Office by visiting 730 C Commerce Center Dr., Sebastian, or call (772) 581-6289; or call Ginny Sieferd, of City of Sebastian, at (772) 388-8222; or City Manager Al Minner at (772) 388-8203.