Transportation · Lakeland, FL
Lakeland's $26.3M South Florida Avenue Rebuild Expected to Take Over 3 Years
A $26.3 million reconstruction of South Florida Avenue through Lakeland's Dixieland neighborhood is expected to take approximately 1,200 days, with construction potentially beginning mid-2027. The project will rebuild drainage, traffic signals, roadway and utilities along the 1.03-mile stretch between Ariana and Lime streets, replacing temporary concrete barriers in place since a 2020 road-diet pilot reduced five lanes to three. Lakeland Civil Engineering Manager Ryan Lazenby presented the plan at an Oct. 16 City Commission workshop, noting that one lane in each direction will generally remain open for the corridor's roughly 25,000 daily vehicles. Final designs are due in December with bidding expected in April 2027; FDOT is contributing $16.7 million, the Community Redevelopment Agency $4.1 million, and the city's water utility $5.5 million.