Moving in the right direction

Spanish River interchange ready by end of month

It’s more than 18 months late, but officials vow the new Spanish River Boulevard Interchange on Interstate 95 will be done by the end of March.

The interchange is supposed to reduce traffic congestion in the heavily-traveled areas of I-95 and Glades and Yamato roads.

When complete, drivers should have better access to Florida Atlantic University’s main campus and stadium, Palm Beach State College’s south campus, Lynn University, shopping centers and businesses.

Some exit and entrance ramps were opened to traffic in segments as the Boca Raton project progressed.

The latest were the I-95 southbound Exit 48-A ramp to Spanish River Boulevard and the new I-95 northbound entrance ramp from Spanish River Boulevard. Both opened on Wednesday.

Two ramps connecting Yamato Road and Spanish River Boulevard remain

closed while paving, striping and other work is being finished.

“It’s a matter of finishing the paving, which will take us probably two to three weeks. Then the [check] list will be done right after it,” said Hakan Dalkiran, director of operations for lead contractor Astaldi Construction. “I would say by the end of this month this project should be wrapped up.”

Several already opened ramps and lanes will be closed intermittently overnight for finishing touches. Detours will be marked and closures will be staggered so ramps and roads are not closed all at the same time.

Originally scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2016, the four-year, $69-million, 2.5-mile project hit a number of snags that included:

a change of plans to also widen I-95 for future express lanes that added a year to the work schedule;

stopping construction while hurricanes Matthew and Irma threatened the state;

waiting on subcontractors with trucks to return to the work sites after hauling away storm debris elsewhere;

working with cranes in the flight path of nearby Boca Raton Airport.

“With every project there are obstacles to overcome,” said Dalkiran.

Construction of the sprawling interchange began in January 2014, but planning started in the late 1990s.

“Considering the length of the project and how long it has been since it was conceived, a few months here and there are not really an overrun,” said Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams.

Work included several new links between Spanish River Boulevard and I-95, widening Spanish River Boulevard west of FAU Boulevard, building 13 bridges, and installing new traffic signals at upgraded intersections.

More than 180,000 vehicles travel I-95 between Glades and Yamato roads every day, according to state statistics.

“Considering the length of the project and how long it has been since it was conceived, a few months here and there are not really an overrun.” Steven Abrams, Palm Beach County Commissioner

WAYNE K. ROUSTAN/STAFF Originally scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2016, the four-year, $69-million, 2.5-mile project hit a number of snags.

WAYNE K. ROUSTAN/STAFF The interchange is supposed to reduce traffic congestion in the heavily-traveled areas of Interstate 95 and Glades and Yamato roads.