Five years on from a deadly crash which claimed the life of a College of the Holy Cross women’s rowing team star, state road crews have finally begun constructing improvements to increase safety and ease traffic congestion at the western foot of the Merrill Barber Bridge.
Though the construction will add somewhat to the already-frustrating traffic issues for drivers trying to get back and forth to the barrier island, more robust signaling and turn-lane enhancements, including a wall between lanes, will hopefully prevent crashes similar to the one that injured 11 in January 2020.
The $3.7 million project will continue until next fall with Florida Department of Transportation predicting moderate impact to traffic during the day.
There will be single-lane closures during Phase 1 of the project, through Jan. 30, but only from 8:30 p.m. until 6:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.
During Phase 2 in February, the right-turn lane from Indian River Drive onto the bridge will be closed around-the-clock, to allow for installation of a barrier wall between the turn lane and the thru-lane.
Motorists will be able to make a right turn onto the bridge from the thru-lane.
When FDOT held a virtual public meeting about the project on Nov. 21, local residents expressed concerns about how lane closures at the Barber Bridge would coincide with lane closures and traffic snags on the 17th Street Bridge, said FDOT community outreach coordinator Samantha Kayser.
“The project teams are working closely with each other to ensure that lane closures do not overlap during construction and that disruptions to the traveling public are minimized wherever possible,” Kayser said.
The other main question was if the project includes installing buffered bicycle lanes, she said.
“FDOT criteria require a minimum of 7-foot bicycle lanes to install buffered striping on a state highway system. Due to limited space, the project includes 5-foot bicycle lanes with one stripe,” Kayser said.
Phase 1 of the project being completed by Ranger Construction Industries includes removing the existing curb and gutter, sidewalk, signs, pedestrian poles in the traffic island at the base of the bridge.
The Indian River Boulevard roadway will be widened in preparation for Phase 2, in which the northbound right-turn lane on Indian River Boulevard will be extended to accept more turning vehicles.
A second south-bound left-turn lane also will be added during Phase 2 of the project. Proper signals will be installed, along with new curbs and gutters, a retaining wall, and walkway railings.
New LED lighting will improve visibility at night for the entire intersection and bridge entrance.
In Phase 3, a new sidewalk will be added at the northeast corner of the intersection, along with new lighting and signals. In the final phase, a temporary lane detour will allow for milling and resurfacing and installation of the final pavement markings at the intersection.
