LAKELAND, Fla. – If you usually take Rock Ridge Road to get onto US 98, you are going to want to rethink your commute starting this Friday.
Florida Department of Transportation crews are shutting down the west side of the Rock Ridge Road and US 98 intersection for the entire weekend, and it’s likely to cause some headaches for local traffic.
The closure kicks off at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 24. Barring any major weather delays, the intersection will stay blocked off until 6 a.m. on Monday, April 27. Workers are using the window to completely reconstruct the west side of that intersection.
It isn’t just a quick block away, either. The official detour route is a seven-mile loop.
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Drivers will be routed through Old Dade City Road, West Socrum Loop Road, and US 98. Transportation officials are urging everyone in the area to give themselves plenty of extra travel time to navigate the detour and avoid being late.
This weekend’s construction is just one piece of a massive $123.5 million infrastructure project. The state is currently working to widen a nine-mile stretch of US 98, stretching from North of West Socrum Loop Road all the way to the Pasco County line.
For those who want to track the progress or get notified about future closures, the FDOT has set up a project page at fdottampabay.com where residents can sign up for email alerts.
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