U.S. 98 Improvement Work Begins this Week

Work is scheduled to begin July 1 on adding turns lanes on First Street and Marina Drive at the intersection of those streets and U.S. 98 in Port St. Joe,providing new updated traffic signals, sidewalks and drainage in the heavily congested area.

The project will most importantly create a new left turn lane, with traffic signal arrows, on Marina Drive to alleviate the congestion that can occur during peak hours of the day.

Meanwhile, across U.S. 98 on First Street, a left turn lane will be installed - with the requisite traffic arrows - which will, with the expansion of the roadway, eliminate the old storm drain along the right side of the road which has long been an impediment to traffic.

Tourists and locals should be prepared.

There will be lane closures, barricades, flagmen and delays.

The extent of any actual closure of roads will come when crews must install a pipe underneath and across the width of Marina Drive. That will necessitate a road closure on Marina Drive of five to seven days.

For more see this week's edition of The Star.