INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has put its stamp of approval on the Oslo Road Interchange Justification Report, giving the County the green light to move forward with the design phase.
“The Oslo Rd. interchange has been our highest priority for over a decade,” said Phil Matson, director of the Indian River County Metropolitan Planning Organization.
In both 2000 and 2008, the FHWA deemed the project unwarranted. Though the $25 million project has moved to the design phase, Matson said there are still several steps ahead of the county before construction can begin.
“This is isn’t the only step in the process, but it’s a major step,” Matson said. “We’re looking at 36 months to get through the design process.”
“The project must still get clearance from the Federal Government in terms of the preferred conceptual alignment and must also meet environmental regulations,” according to an official statement released by Matson. “Most important of all, the project must obtain funding. All of this takes time. In approving the IJR, the feds have stated that the Interchange concept is warranted. Yet the old axiom ’13 years from Concept to Concrete’ still applies.
Once the interchange is installed, County officials believe it will improve emergency response time, reduce the number of large trucks using local roads, and provide a natural place for residents to access the highway without having to drive several miles north or south.
According Matson, FDOT shows construction funding in the year 2024 of its 2040 long range plan.
