Reader asks about plans for signals or warning lights.

Airport economy lot to close soon

Dr. Detour answers your transportation questions.

Q: When are they going to put traffic signals or warning lights on West Palmetto Park Road near the Turnpike and Boca Rio Road? Drivers speed and can’t negotiate the turn at Boca Rio Road and people have died in crashes there.

— Draga Alexander, Boca Raton.

A: Palm Beach County is checking to see if there have been any recent requests for signals, signs or speed changes on the stretch of West Palmetto Park Road between Lyons Road and the Florida’s Turnpike overpass, specifically near Boca Rio Road.

The county has responsibility for installing traffic signals and setting speed limits.

The signals and signs must meet national and state standards for installation. The speed limit is governed by the state’s Speed Zoning manual.

The area became infamous in 1996 when five teenagers died and two were injured in a high-speed, head-on collision.

“It’s very difficult to get things done with road safety.” Irv Slosberg, state representative

Dori Slosberg, 14, was among the fatalities, and her father Irv Slosberg became a state representative, in part, to make roads safer.

“It’s very difficult to get things done with road safety,” he said. “Very, very difficult.”

The Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office has been told about speeding concerns along that strip. The county also is scheduling a review of the recent history of speeding and crashes in that area.

Whether that leads to changes remains to be seen. The speed limit has been 50 mph for more than 20 years.

Q: When are they closing the economy lot at the airport, and why?

— John Nasta, Fort Lauderdale

A: The $7.50 per day economy lot is scheduled to close to the public at the end of April.

Any travelers who don’t plan to return to South Florida before month’s end won’t be permitted to park there after April 19.

The lot is being converted to a 4,000-space employee parking area by May 1.

To compensate for the lost public parking, about 3,100 new spaces are being made available to travelers in the Cypress garage at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport by May 15.

Garage parking rates remain at $3 per hour and $15 per day.