Motorists and bicycle riders alike will soon benefit from enhanced safety features along 15 miles of A1A south from Ponte Vedra Beach to Vilano Beach.
FDOT is resurfacing 15 miles of A1A from north of Carcaba Road in Vilano Beach to south of Mickler Road in Ponte Vedra at a cost of $2.07 million, the Florida Highway Patrol said Monday. It was last resurfaced in 2007.
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The resurfacing project includes removing the current asphalt on the roadway and replacing it, widening (by restriping) bike lanes from five to six feet, where possible, and removing the rumble stripes from the center and shoulder lines. The rumble stripes were initially installed last April as a safety feature to prevent cars from drifting from their lanes. According to FDOT safety engineers, 11 crashes in the previous three years on this stretch of A1A were caused by vehicles leaving their lanes.
Due to complaints from residents regarding the noise (the grooves cause a vibration and sound when drivers drift from their lane), and complaints from bicyclists, the decision was made to remove the rumble stripes. The State Roadway Design Office is re-evaluating the standards of where and how future rumble stripes will be installed. There have been a number of changes made to the Design Standard in the past year since this review began, including the depth of the rumbles and options of whether to place them outside of the stripe and on the shoulder. There will likely be multiple choices for designers to choose from depending on roadway characteristics and the presence of nearby residences.
The resurfacing project started in April and is scheduled for completion in early June, weather permitting. Crews are working Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., averaging a mile and half a day, with moving lane closures and flaggers to direct traffic. The northbound lane has been completed and crews are now working on the southbound lane.