Next summer construction will begin on the 1.8 mile stretch of AIA from Monroe to Sheridan Street. The aim of the project is to accommodate all forms of transit with a focus on safety, convenience and comfort for people of all ages and abilities while alleviating traffic congestion.
The corridor is slated to be restored, resurfaced and redesigned to include a four and five lane hybrid design. Construction is expected to take about 16 to 20 months. New signs, pavement markings, and improvements to drainage are called for by the project.
Project leaders understand that the construction will cause an inconvenience to tourists and residents and plan to keep at least two lanes open for traffic.
Complete Streets
Hollywood, through its Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), is using the Complete Streets design guidelines to reinvigorate important entranceways into the City and spark commercial redevelopment. Projects include improvements along State Road A1A from Sheridan Street to Arizona Street and along US-1.
A Complete Street is a roadway planned and designed for safe, convenient and comfortable use by people of all ages and abilities. These streets allow safe travel for walking, bicycling, driving, public transportation and deliveries.
This will involve the widening of sidewalks, removal of existing bicycle lanes, improvements to the drainage system; infrastructure and landscaping improvements, pedestrian lighting, and new flap gates. Electric lines that are now above ground will be buried and a traffic calming device will be installed.
The price of the project comes to about about $6.9 million. $4.3 million is to be contributed by FDOT, the City of Hollywood is footing the remainder.
A public hearing was hosted recently by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on the subject of upcoming roadway renovations. Residents who attended the meeting expressed frustration about ever-increasing traffic and congestion on AIA. Some were dissatisfied and said that more efforts needed to be made to ease the congestion in this area.
Commissioner Patricia Asseff said she is looking forward to how AIA will look after the project is complete. “This is the best thing to happen to this section of AIA,” she said.
“I love this project,” said Commissioner Richard Blattner at a presentation last year. “It makes sense and it will mean more development and improve a blighted area. It will make the neighborhood more beautiful.”