Barrier island motorists can expect delays on State Road A1A from Tides Road just south of the 7-Eleven north to Coco Plum Lane just north of Wabasso Beach starting later this month and continuing until fall 2021 while the highway is widened and resurfaced.
The speed limit on A1A will be permanently reduced to 45 mph from 50 mph from John’s Island Drive to Coco Plum Lane as part of the $6.7 million project, Florida Department of Transportation said.
Two-way traffic will be maintained by a flag crew during the 15-month long project, FDOT said.
Daytime lane closures will occur Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., FDOT said. Nighttime lane closures will occur Sunday through Thursday night from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
FDOT contracted C.W. Roberts Contracting, of Wildwood, to widen A1A to provide 7-foot shoulders in each direction for new buffered bicycle lanes.
C.W. Roberts will also resurface the roadway, construct drainage improvements, upgrade pedestrian signals, repair sidewalks and upgrade pedestrian signals.
When the project was announced in 2016, it did not include wider bike lanes but a push by local cyclists and cycling organizations caused FDOT to add wider, safer bike lanes to the design.