FDOT Begins Reconstructing Damaged State Road A1A
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) started on an $8.3 million project to fix the section of State Road A1A damaged by Superstorm Sandy.
The scenic road, which runs along the Atlantic Ocean from Key West to north of Jacksonville, was partially washed away in October by Sandy and over the Thanksgiving weekend by a high-tide event.
The high tides caused palm trees to be strewn about the road's cracked asphalt, prompting road workers to let barricades stand guard.
The 120-day work contract with Johnson Brothers Construction, a company based near Tampa, started Monday.
Construction crews will work on the road between NE 14th Court and NE 18th Street on Fort Lauderdale Beach, north of Sunrise Boulevard.
FDOT will use long sections of steel to form a protective wall that will not only prevent future damage to A1A, but also stabilize the road.
The construction will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Although A1A will remain open during the reconstruction, the work area will be off-limits to beachgoers and pedestrians.
The sidewalk, bike lane and parallel parking areas will remain on the west side of A1A.
Once the restoration work is completed, the roadway will be reopened to the public.
The new roadway will include one northbound lane, one southbound lane and a center left-turn lane. Bicyclists will be glad to know a new northbound bike lane will also be added.
The $8.3 million project was announced in December.
