DELRAY BEACH — A stretch of South Ocean Boulevard in Delray Beach is set for a $2.2 million makeover this summer, with improvements aimed at boosting pedestrian safety, storm drainage and long-term resilience along the coastal corridor.
The project will span from East Linton Boulevard north to Casuarina Road and at Nassau Street (just south of Atlantic Avenue), bringing a range of improvements. Work is set to begin in June 2025, with completion expected by spring 2026.
The road is a heavily traveled spot with access to the beach, which recently earned a coveted ‘Blue Flag’ award, recognizing it as a national beach that meats a set of criteria, ranging from safety to environmental standards.
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officials held an open house June 11 to discuss the roadway improvement project and address resident concerns.
“The FDOT is required to keep up their roads in good condition, and pavement condition surveys are done every year,” Fernando Gomez, an engineer with AllBright Engineering Inc., said when asked about the motivation for the improvements. “This one became due.”
The road hasn’t seen major improvements in roughly 14 years, Gomez said.
Project improvements will be split between two phases. Phase 1 will consist of constructing new swales, concrete sidewalks and pedestrian ramps, as well as installing new signage, lighting and improving signalization. Phase 2 will include milling and repaving the roadway within the project limits, and installing pavement markings and signal detection loops.
A swale is a shallow, sloped channel designed to collect and direct stormwater runoff. Often lined with grass or vegetation, it helps reduce flooding and improve drainage by allowing water to soak into the ground.
When asked how the project’s regrading and drainage work would mitigate future flood risk, Gomez said that when the current roadway was designed, it was done so with shallow swales that have filled throughout the years.
“Basically, if we restore just a minimal swale, it will give the water someplace to go to other than the pavement and the natural percolation will remove that water quicker than if that swale was not there,” Gomez said.
How will traffic be affected by the South Ocean Boulevard improvement project?
One resident asked FDOT officials how they’d manage traffic, so that it would not overwhelm neighborhoods and liability for those on surrounding streets.
FDOT Project Manager Michael Miller said any work requiring lane closures, such as paving or connecting sidewalks, would be scheduled accordingly, while tasks not impacting traffic would have crews in high-visibility gear to help guide drivers safely through the area.
According to the June 11 FDOT presentation, advanced warning and project signage will be placed throughout the construction corridor to alert the traveling public.
The project team will continue working closely with local stakeholders, including surrounding municipalities, schools, neighborhoods and other local agencies, to ensure safety standards are met and disruptions to the public are minimized, FDOT officials said.
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Jasmine Fernández is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Beachgoers in Delray: Get ready for $2.2 million project to upgrade South Ocean Boulevard
Reporting by Jasmine Fernández, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
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