The widening and repaving of a 2.3-mile stretch of Old Dixie Highway, from I-95 to U.S. 1, begins Monday (Jan. 28) and will be completed in a week.
“There will be intermittent lane closures while the work is completed,” says County Engineer Faith Alkhatib. “We appreciate everyone’s patience while we make these improvements.”
The Flagler County Commission approved the $2 million project in early March last year. It’s being paid for through a $2 million grant from the state Department of Transportation. The transportation department had previously paid for the design through a program benefiting smaller counties. Flagler County government is adding $81,000 for contingency and engineering, drawn from the county’s gas-tax fund.
The repaving contract was awarded to Halifax Paving, one of four bidders on the project, coming in with a low bid of $1.91 million. Three other bids were above $2 million, and one of them was at $2.59 million.
The project actually began 10 months ago with the replacement of some stormwater pipes and the extension of pipes under the portion of road being widened. When completed, the project will result in 11-foot wide travel lanes and 4-ft. wide shoulders, with improvements to the stormwater system and the addition of guardrails.
This project does not include the roundabout project at the intersection of US 1 and Old Dixie Highway: that $4.1 million project is paid for and managed entirely by the transportation department. The roundabout will be built over the next 14 months.
For Flagler County residents and drivers, the projects are among a series of road-construction projects unfolding early this year in various parts of the county. Two other, year-long projects that will be prone to detours and flagmen are starting on State Road A1A in Flagler Beach, where a 1.3-mile stretch of the highway is being rebuilt, with a median, and another stretch will be affected by the construction of a lengthy seawall. Palm Coast is spending about $2.5 million this year resurfacing various streets.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
FDOT has been ignoring the deplorable road conditions on I-95 where potholes and worn out road reflectors are obviously of no importance to them as they are currently obsessed with ’round abouts’ above all else!
Yes, round abouts prevent T-bone fatal accidents but bumpy unit roads contribute to fatal accidents.
What’s so important about widening Old Dixie from US 1 to I-95 or is it being done to please the housing developers, especially in Plantation Bay, who are in dire need of additional exit roads in cases of emergency – and of course to ‘enhance’ the desirability of the area.
Widening of Old Dixie is far less necessary than resurfacing and replacing light reflectors on I-95.
Politics as usual, isn’t it?
James says
They’ve already been working there for months and it’s a pain in the ass, glad to hear its almost done
Do some research says
You always make comments without all of the information Jane. I-95 is slated to be resurfaced soon. The project should start this year.
http://www.cflroads.com/project/438003-1/I-95_from_Volusia_County_Line_to_north_of_Palm_Coast_Parkway