WELLINGTON, Fla. — Wellington residents have raised safety concerns about the intersection of 120th Avenue and Lake Worth Road for years, and while the village has a plan to build a roundabout, some neighbors said progress has been too slow.
WATCH BELOW: 'We have a planned start date now of May to June of this year,' Village Manager Jim Barnes tells WPTV's Samantha Gutierrez
The project is now expected to begin between May and June, with completion targeted for the first quarter of 2027.
Wellington resident Alyssa Schube said she has grown frustrated waiting for action at the intersection.
"It's frustrating because, like I said, there's still accidents happening. It's very congested this time of year, during equestrian season. It's frustrating that nothing's been done, because it's been like this for many years. We've been asking for something," Schube said.
Schube brought her concerns to our "Let's Hear It" event in Wellington last month. I began asking questions and found that the village had proposed a roundabout for the intersection last year, with a timeframe of February to December.
Wellington Village Manager Jim Barnes said the bid process is what drives the timeline.
"We have as part of that construction process the bid phase, and so we received bids probably about a month ago," Barnes said. "We have a planned start date now of May to June of this year."
Let's Hear It
WILL IT FIX THE PROBLEM? Intersection to get roundabout despite concerns
The completion date for the project is the first quarter of 2027, about three months later than the conceptual timeframe proposed last March.
While Schube said residents had hoped for other traffic solutions, she acknowledged that something needs to be done.
"We were hoping for a traffic light. If we get a circle, but something has to be done," Schube said.
Barnes said he came to support roundabouts after seeing results from one built nearby.
"I was personally not a believer in roundabouts until we constructed one not too far away from this location, at Stribling Road," Barnes said. "From just the data we've looked at, it is safer in that the accidents are less severe and there are fewer accidents, given that people are generally moving at a slower speed."
WATCH BELOW: Wellington plans roundabout for dangerous intersection
The village said the roundabout's larger diameter will accommodate trucks and horse trailers — an important consideration given the area's equestrian community.
Barnes said the village is also focused on keeping the intersection accessible while construction is underway.
"Keeping the intersection open and accessible during the construction is key, and we try and achieve as much of that as possible by phasing it," Barnes said.
Barnes said project updates are posted on the village's website.
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