Traffic conditions on Alton Road may be resolved sooner than expected as the completion date for the Alton Road construction project has been sped up to Dec. 31, 2014.
The project was originally scheduled to be completed by August 2015, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine recently met with Gov. Rick Scott in Tallahassee to explore ways to expedite the construction.
“I am thankful to all of our state partners who have worked so diligently in speeding up construction along one of Miami Beach’s major arteries for our residents, business and visitors,” Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine said in a news release.
The completed project will help traffic congestion and street flooding with the installation of three new pump stations. Officials said that they plan on installing over 30 pump stations throughout Miami Beach to reduce flooding.
Local residents said the Alton Road project has been a headache.
“It’s very difficult when you need to just run basic errands, or whatnot,” Tanya Sewell said.
But, she said, “If it pays off and they actually manage to do what needs to be done, I’ll be happy to go through it.”
The project has impacted dozens of businesses. Restaurant worker Carmen Mollet looks forward to a reconstructed Alton Road.
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“Finally my friends are not going to get confused driving into Miami Beach or out of it,” she said.
A free trolley service was launched last month to help alleviate traffic.
It operates from Fifth Street to Lincoln Road, along Alton Road and West Avenue, with 21 stops along the way. The service runs approximately every 10 minutes from 8 a.m. to midnight daily.
