Irma delays road projects

Work expected to resume on Monday

Expect to be dodging road construction obstacles for a while longer.

Several South Florida projects scheduled to be completed soon are being delayed by Hurricane Irma repairs.

They include: the Spanish River Boulevard Project on Interstate 95 in Boca Raton, the milelong “missing link” on Hiatus Road between Sunrise and Oakland Park boulevards, a new bridge over the Dania Cut-Off Canal and express lanes on Interstates 75, 95 and Florida’s Turnpike.

The Florida Department of Transportation is assessing the extent of the hurricane damage and how it will affect construction schedules, spokeswoman Barbara Kelleher said.

“All projects will receive additional days added to their time,” she said. “We anticipate resuming work on the projects on Monday.”

Before construction can resume, various worksites have to put back the orange barrels, cones, signs and portable lighting that were removed from the roadways as the hurricane approached South Florida.

Broward County Highway and Construction Engineering director Richard Tornese said contractors are asking for more time.

“They are having problems securing dump trucks,” he said. “This will affect the paving operation for Hiatus Road, since dump trucks are needed to haul asphalt to the project.”

Dump trucks are being lined up for storm debris removal.

The Hiatus Road extension was scheduled to open next week after more than 20 years of work.

“They need the thoroughfare,” said Peter Johantgen, 75, who lives in Sunrise. “There’s too much traffic.”

The new bridge over the Dania Cut-Off Canal on Ravenswood Road/Anglers Avenue is scheduled to be completed by the end of November.

“There were delays due to Hurricane Irma preand post-storm,” said project spokeswoman Rebecca Guerrero, “There was minor damage and debris cleanup required at the project site.”

The Spanish River Boulevard Project is more than 95 percent complete, but project managers hinted at anticipated delays before Irma. They said construction schedule would be maintained, “weather permitting.”

Work on I-75 express lanes in Broward, I-95 express lanes in MiamiDade, and Florida’s Turnpike was also suspended for the approaching storm and will resume once damage assessments are done, managers said.

“All projects will receive additional days added to their time. We anticipate resuming work on the projects on Monday.” Barbara Kelleher, Florida Department of Transportation