JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Commuters who travel through San Marco on the way to work must wait a little longer before using the new Atlantic Boulevard exit from northbound Interstate 95.
The ramp was scheduled to open Monday morning. But because some of the road work is not yet complete, the ramp will remain closed until sometime later this week.
The Atlantic Boulevard exit, the last major piece of the puzzle for the Overland Bridge Project, is expected to be a source of relief for drivers who travel through the neighborhood daily.
"There's a lot of traffic down there because of all the road closures. It's kind of a pain in the butt," said Trey Dix, a landscaper for Turf Doctor, which services several properties off Atlantic Boulevard.
Dix said the arrival of the new ramp will help his company save time and money.
"It's definitely going to help us out getting over there, having that exit open," he said.
The exit ramp is the latest road project to fall behind schedule. It joins the Overland Bridge Project, which has taken two years longer than anticipated and $6 million more than its $164 million budget.
The Florida Department of Transportation attributed some of the delays and additional costs on that project with intersection work and a ramp that were not included in the original project's scope.
While there's little doubt the construction has been inconvenience for drivers navigating all the closures and detours, some drivers who spoke with News4Jax said it will be worth it when it's done.
"As long as I can remember driving, or even being alive, that place has been under construction, so it's going to be good to have it open," said Dix.
Pavement, sign installation and painting are some of the odd jobs that still in the works for the Overland Bridge Project. The Department of Transportation hopes to wrap up that project within the next month.