Orange cones, lane shifts on Kennedy Boulevard mark start of FDOT’s major drainage project

Drainage project on Kennedy Blvd.

FOX 13's Briona Arradondo explains how the traffic on Kennedy Blvd. will affect your commute for the near future.

TAMPA - Orange cones and merge signs line Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa as roadwork begins for a major drainage project by the Florida Department of Transportation.

FDOT will work on a 1.8-mile stretch of Kennedy Boulevard from Willow Avenue to Henderson Boulevard in order to replace drainage along the roadway. As they prepare for the work to begin for the $23 million project, they are reducing lanes and shifting traffic.

"The contractor tells us they’ll be ready next week to make the traffic shift. For the first six months, traffic will be shifted to the north, and all the workers will be in the south area. That’s just phase one," said Kris Carson, spokesperson for FDOT Tampa.

The roadway has drainage issues during heavy rainstorms, so the state wants to improve the drainage system.

"This is a whole storm water improvement project that will be adding extra inlets out there, so the rainwater can drain faster but to do that. We literally have to cut the road open," said Carson. "Some people have asked why can’t you just close the lanes at night and reopen them in the morning. But you’ll see once it gets going there’s going to be huge, massive holes in the roadway to replace all these drainage structures."

Dig deeper:

FDOT will repave the road and add new traffic signals at Habana Avenue, Fremont Avenue and Oregon Avenue. Workers will also add in a mid-block pedestrian crossing at Edison Avenue, plus updates to sidewalks and ramps.

While most of the impact on drivers will be during the day, some work will happen at night.

"We’ve asked the contractor, they’re going to be working 24/7, but we’ll work with some of the homeowners out there. If they have concerns, we’ll meet with them and see if we can make some changes," said Carson.

What they're saying:

Mikayla Jones drives on Kennedy Boulevard every day for her daily commute.

"I work at the Florida Aquarium, so I drive this road every day," said Jones. "On the weekdays, it’s okay, but it takes me about an hour and a half maybe."

Her commute is getting longer these days now that construction is about to begin and lanes are reduced. Jones know it’s an inconvenience, but she is looking forward to the drainage problems being fixed.

"There was one day I just absolutely refused to drive through it because I don’t even know if my car can get through that," said Jones. "I think it’ll be worth it. Honestly, there’s a lot of potholes and things, so I’m glad they’re doing it to be honest."

FDOT said drivers can expect lane changes for now.

Timeline:

"Starting next week, we’re going to shift all the traffic to the north, and then the workers will be on the south side of the roadway. It’s not something we can just do at night and open the roadway in the morning. This is going to be this way for about six months," said Carson.

FDOT said there isn’t really a good season to start this kind of project, but weather does play a big role.

"They have to do a lot of dewatering when they open up the roadway. So if we get a huge storm and it fills with water, they have to go back and dewater it again. Hopefully we have great weather, and we can get in and out of there. We just ask for a lot of patience," said Carson.

READ: I-275 lane closures expected this week in downtown Tampa: Here’s what to know

They advise drivers to check your GPS map routes and add extra time coming through the area. The speed limit will drop from 40 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour in the work zone.

The project is scheduled to be finished by spring 2027.

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