Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Glades Road exit closure to bring more I-95 headaches this weekend
BOCA RATON — Drivers in Boca Raton face more frustration and long delays on Interstate 95 with the busy Glades Road exit scheduled to close on Sunday.
It will also partially close on Saturday, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. The closure will help allow crews to expand the express lanes on the highway and work on a redesign of the interchange.
This project is expected to be complete before morning rush hour traffic on Monday, but the broader scope of work on I-95 is expected to impact southern Palm Beach County for the next 10 years or so.
The exit ramp will partially close starting at 11 p.m. on Saturday. By Sunday, it will be fully closed in both directions.
Traffic will be diverted to Palmetto Park Road, although the recently completed exit at Spanish River Boulevard will also offer some relief.
Crews will expand the express lanes from just south of Glades Road to south of Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach.
One lane will be added and the HOV lane will be converted to create two express lanes in each direction.
In redesigning the interchange at Glades Road, the Transportation Department will be completely redoing the entrance and exit to and from I-95 into a diverging diamond interchange.
The name refers to the shape created by the traffic pattern. The design has increased in popularity in South Florida and around the country.
Boca Raton’s diamond interchange will send westbound drivers over to the left side of the road while going over the I-95 bridge. They’ll have the choice to get on I-95 north or south, or stay on Glades. The lane then will switch back to the right side of the road.
The redesign of the interchange is projected to be complete in late 2023.