Siesta lane closures cause confusion

Even for Siesta Key at the beginning of season, residents and business operators noticed traffic was particularly bad near the north bridge earlier this month.

The severe congestion along Siesta Drive was linked to construction, but stakeholders in the area couldn’t figure out what the project was accomplishing. Signs alerted drivers about a Florida Department of Transportation project set to begin Jan. 23, but lane closures began two weeks earlier.

Ann Frescura, executive director of the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce, heard complaints about the traffic. She also experienced it first hand. On Jan. 10, it took her an hour to make a trip from her office that typically takes 10 minutes, she said.

“The struggle was real,” Frescura said. “We received a number of phone calls and had residents and visitors alike sharing their concern, confusion and a little frustration.”

Now, with the starting date of the FDOT project set for Feb. 6, all parties involved believe they’ve gotten to the bottom of the issue.

The state plans to make drainage improvements at the intersection of Siesta Drive and San Remo Terrace. Before that project could begin, city crews had to move some utilities to facilitate the FDOT construction.

The city work was the source of the unexpected congestion. Once Siesta Key officials keyed in on the problem, the city instructed the contractor overseeing the project to stop closing lanes during the day.

With the city work complete, FDOT will limit any lane closures to the hours between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. The project is scheduled for completion in spring, and the state is committed to keeping a clear line of communication with residents and businesses the construction will affect.

“We’re not going to have any daytime lane closures,” FDOT spokesman Robin Stublen said.

Although some Siesta residents questioned why the $200,000 project is scheduled for the beginning of season, the state said the work is being done to coincide with the driest time of the year.

Frescura said Siesta Key is willing to bear the burden of a construction project if it has to— but solid communication is key.

“We feel better that we’re a little more informed,” she said. “If work is deemed necessary, then we have to find the best way to minimize any kinds of negative impact going onto and coming off of the Key.”