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Wickham Road Widening To Wrap Up In November

By  //  May 9, 2013

BREVAR COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS – ROAD CONSTRUCTION

For the next 30 days, the current phase of construction is limiting access to various businesses along the more than milelong route, but the businesses still remain accessible to customers. Motorists can access these businesses by making either a U-turn or a left turn at intersections throughout the construction area.
For the next 30 days, the current phase of construction is limiting access to various businesses along the more than milelong route, but the businesses still remain accessible to customers. Motorists can access these businesses by making either a U-turn or a left turn at intersections throughout the construction area.

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – A $6.5 million project to add a center turn lane on a four-lane stretch of Wickham Road between U.S. 192 and NASA Boulevard is targeted for completion in early November.

A $6.5 million project to add a center turn lane on a four-lane stretch of Wickham Road between U.S. 192 and NASA Boulevard is targeted for completion in early November. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
A $6.5 million project to add a center turn lane on a four-lane stretch of Wickham Road between U.S. 192 and NASA Boulevard is targeted for completion in early November. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

Once completed, the project will provide safer access to businesses in the heavy traffic corridor. The widening project, which is adding a fifth lane to the only section of Wickham Road that doesn’t have 4 divided lanes, began in March 2012 and is targeted for completion in November.

LIMITED ACCESS TO VARIOUS BUSINESSES

For the next 30 days, the current phase of construction is limiting access to various businesses along the more than milelong route, but the businesses still remain accessible to customers. Motorists can access these businesses by making either a U-turn or a left turn at intersections throughout the construction area.

Public Works Director John Denninghoff said completion of the turn lane will eventually provide safer and more convenient access to businesses between U.S. 192 and NASA Boulevard, where turning left currently blocks traffic through-lanes and causes tie ups.

Public Works Director John Denninghoff said completion of the turn lane will eventually provide safer and more convenient access to businesses between U.S. 192 and NASA Boulevard, where turning left currently blocks traffic through-lanes and causes tie ups. (Brevard County image)
Public Works Director John Denninghoff said completion of the turn lane will eventually provide safer and more convenient access to businesses between U.S. 192 and NASA Boulevard, where turning left currently blocks traffic through-lanes and causes tie ups. (Brevard County image)

“At lunchtime it’s horrible,” Denninghoff said. “We’re working to minimize the impact to businesses, but we’re also working to keep costs down for taxpayers. We’re improving capacity, safety, convenience, adding traffic signals, left turn lanes and a sidewalk on the east side of the roadway.”

PROJECT 46 PERCENT COMPLETE

It would have added an additional $250,000 to $300,000 to the project to move forward at a pace that may have helped limit the inconvenience to business owners, but Denninghoff said crews are working to wrap the project up on schedule. From a contract standpoint financially, the project is 46 percent complete, he said. Underground work is 85 percent complete, meaning work to complete the project will be more visible in the coming weeks and progress will be evident.

“We want to complete this safely, quickly and economically,” Denninghoff said.