BALDWIN, Fla. – A road project nearly four years in the making is ready for drivers to take advantage.
“People would get stuck you know during their lunch break or going to work or even emergency vehicles too. So it was causing some delays,” said Bianca Speights, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation.
Drivers traveling through the town of Baldwin can say goodbye to delays often caused by two notorious train track crossings due to a new bypass.
“We just worked with the town of Baldwin and local officials to build this new 4-mile highway that takes you over those crossings. So, you don’t have to wait, just travel right through,” said Speights.
Drivers traveling from the I-10 bridge can expect to see two new intersections with signals at Beaver Street and Brandy Branch Road.
All northbound lanes of U.S. 301 from the I-10 overpass to Brandy Branch Road were shifted into their final configuration Sept. 11.
Drivers traveling north from the I-10 bridge will now stop at the new signalized intersection at Brandy Branch Road and continue north to the old U.S. 301 lanes through the Town of Baldwin or continue north on the Baldwin Bypass to existing U.S. 301.
The new south connector of State Road 201 is also open to traffic.
This bypass includes an overpass over two CSX railroad crossings and another one over the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail.
This project started in the spring of 2017 to help alleviate traffic congestion.
It has a price tag of 60 million dollars.
The bypass will be finished in early 2021. FDOT said there are minor things that need to be done like paving and putting new signage in the area.
“The overall goal is always just to allow traffic to flow as seamless as possible. So you know and alleviate any delays so people can do more things with their time that matter most to them,” said Speights.
With the new bypass in place, FDOT reminds drivers to not drive distracted through this area.
There are plenty of new signs and on-going construction. If you haven’t driven this route recently there will be changes you may not be expecting.