A long-anticipated repaving project along Main Highway in the heart of Coconut Grove got underway this week. Expect delays.
Buckle up, and get ready for road delays on Main Highway from Ransom Everglades School north to McFarlane Road in Coconut Grove. Roadwork began this week on a repaving project that is expected to tie up traffic for the next two to three weeks.
The Miami-Dade County project will be split into two phases, beginning with a short stretch of Main Highway between Royal Road and the Coconut Grove Playhouse.
Prep work on roadway utilities – valve boxes and manholes – began Wednesday and should be completed this week, according to Frank Mendoza, the county’s project manager.
After completing the necessary adjustments, Mendoza said workers can start removing old asphalt – a process called milling – next week.
Mendoza said he anticipates workers will be able to lay the asphalt and repaint the road markings by the end of next week to complete the first section.
Prep work for the second phase of the project – from the playhouse north to McFarlane Road – is expected to take longer.
“What’s going to constitute the most time is the adjustments of manholes and valve boxes on the north end,” Mendoza said during a project briefing earlier this week. “Once we get done with that, it’s all downhill.”
Roadwork will mostly take place in the evening. However, Mendoza proposed the possibility of extending work hours to 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to take advantage of lighter traffic while school is out.
“If traffic is sufficiently light, then we can extend work hours and get more done,” he said.
Vehicular traffic will still be able to pass, but drivers may want to seek detours to avoid delays.
“It’s important to note that we have picked the least busy time on Main Highway,” Miami-Dade District 7 Commissioner Raquel Regalado said.
“We really tried very hard to find a sequencing where we have as little use as possible, so where this still impacts traffic in the area, nothing compared to what would happen if we did this while schools were in session.”
Those likely to experience delays and limited access due to repaving have been notified. Businesses and residential homes along Main Highway have received fact sheets about the project, and electronic signs will alert drivers to the roadwork.
“We’re trying to get this done as quickly as possible, but we also want to ensure that the street is done correctly,” Regalado said. “We’ve gotten so many complaints over the years about potholes on Main Highway – this was long overdue.”
