Traffic Advisory - Town of Palm Beach - Flagler Memorial Bridge Replacement Project

This 0.66-mile Design/Build project includes replacing the existing bascule (draw) bridge with a new bascule bridge connecting the Town of Palm Beach and the City of West Palm Beach over the Lake Worth Lagoon and the Intracoastal Waterway. The Flagler Drive overpass will be replaced with an “at-grade” intersection. New lighting, pedestrian features, traffic signals, drainage, and landscaping are also included. The Design/Build team for this project is PCL Civil Constructers and Hardesty & Hanover. New Millennium Engineering, Inc. provides Construction Engineering and Inspection services on behalf of FDOT. Active construction began on Sept. 10, 2012, and will last until early 2017. The estimated construction cost is $94.2 million.

Restriction: The Flagler Memorial Bridge is closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic until Nov. 1, 2014. During this closure, drivers are being detoured to the Royal Park Bridge to cross the Intracoastal Waterway. 

Restriction: A new traffic pattern is in place at the intersection of Flagler Drive and the Royal Park Bridge. Drivers going south on Flagler Drive cannot turn left to go east on the Royal Park Bridge and drivers going west over the Royal Park Bridge cannot turn left to go south on Flagler Drive. These restrictions will be strictly enforced and will remain in place while the Flagler Memorial Bridge is closed. The following detours are in place: 

Drivers going south on Flagler Drive who want to go east over the Royal Park Bridge should take S. Dixie Highway to Okeechobee Boulevard and go east on Okeechobee Boulevard to cross the Royal Park Bridge. 
Drivers going west on the Royal Park Bridge who want to go south on Flagler Drive should continue west to S. Dixie Highway, go south on S. Dixie Highway to Okeechobee Boulevard, and go east on Okeechobee Boulevard to Flagler Drive. 

Restriction: The outside northbound lane on Flagler Drive will be closed as needed between 3 Street and 6 Street, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. At least one northbound lane will remain open at all times. Drivers should watch for trucks entering and exiting the work zone. 

Marine Restrictions: The Flagler Memorial Bridge spans are in the “open” position with no anticipated impacts to marine traffic. Restrictions and openings at the Royal Park Bridge and Southern Boulevard Bridge have been adjusted as follows: The Royal Park Bridge opens once per hour at 15 minutes past the hour with no openings from 7:31 a.m. to 9:29 a.m. and from 4:01 p.m. to 5:59 p.m., Monday through Friday. On weekends and Federal holidays, the bridge opens twice per hour at 15 minutes past the hour and 45 minutes past the hour. The Southern Boulevard Bridge opens twice per hour on the hour and at 30 minutes past the hour with no openings from 7:31 a.m. to 9:29 a.m. and from 4:01 p.m. to 5:59 p.m., Monday through Friday. On weekends and Federal holidays, the bridge opens twice per hour on the hour and at 30 minutes past the hour. Information is published in the Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners at www.navcen.uscg.gov.   

For information about the Flagler Memorial Bridge Replacement Project, please visit the project website: www.flaglerbridge.com or contact Public Information Officer Tish Burgher by phone at (561) 702-9096 or email at tish@qcausa.com.