Downtown's Major Street Transformation to Start Monday

Southwest Boulevard "Road Diet" Aims to Curb Speeding, Add Safety Features

A major traffic redesign, commonly referred to as a "road diet," is scheduled to begin next week on a busy stretch of Southwest Boulevard. The project will reconfigure the roadway between a specific set of intersections to address long-standing concerns over vehicle speed and pedestrian safety.

From Four Lanes to Three: A New Configuration

The core change involves reducing the current four-lane setup to three lanes: one travel lane in each direction with a dedicated, continuous center turn lane. This design is intended to achieve several key objectives:

Slow Down Traffic: By narrowing the vehicular travel way, the project aims to naturally reduce excessive speeding, a frequent complaint from area residents and businesses.

Improve Turning Safety: The dedicated center left-turn lane will prevent through-traffic from being blocked by waiting vehicles and provide a safer space for drivers to make turns.

Create Space for Protected Bike Lanes: The lane reduction will free up space on the roadway to install new, protected bicycle lanes, offering a safer alternative for cyclists.

Construction Timeline and Expected Impacts

Crews are set to mobilize and begin initial work, with the entire project expected to take approximately four to six weeks to complete, weather permitting. Drivers should anticipate daytime lane closures and shifts in traffic patterns throughout the construction period. Officials are urging motorists to plan for extra travel time, consider alternate routes, and exercise increased caution in the work zone.

In addition to the lane reconfiguration, the project will include updated pavement markings and new signage to guide drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians through the altered corridor. The long-term goal is to create a more balanced street that accommodates all users more safely and efficiently.