Plans To Build Missing Link Between Sawgrass Expressway & I-95 Accelerated
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DEERFIELD BEACH (CBSMiami) - The longtime missing link between I-95 and the Sawgrass Expressway is finally in the works.
"It made no sense how you had to get off and get back on, I remembered driving on the Sawgrass years ago and wondering why is this happening," said Gov. Rick Scott.
On Wednesday, Scott announced that the state transportation department's plans to join the highways should be completed by 2021, sooner than expected.
"We're at $10.1 billion in FDOT funding and what that's allowed us to do is to accelerate some projects that probably need to be accelerated," said Scott.
Two plans are under consideration. One splits Southwest 10th Street in two, with the connector running in between. The other has the connector running to the north of Southwest 10th Street.
The objective is to create a Southwest 10th Street connector that will take the Sawgrass to I-95 but keep a local Southwest 10th Street for area residents.
FDOT said this is a much-needed project and they plan to take into account concerns about the plan.
"I went to a meeting last night with city residents so we continue to reach out to them as we approach the project and address their concerns," said FDOT project manager Robert Bostian.
The design will include depressed roadways, some of them covered.
Scott said the new connector will help with hurricane evacuations but hopefully it won't be needed.
"Knock, knock, knock on wood we don't need any more hurricanes, especially nothing like Irma," said Scott.
FDOT said several more designs will be created over the next year and they will keep working on it until they come up with one that is safe and makes sense for all drivers.