PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — After weeks of warnings and preparations, the intersection of Northlake Boulevard and Beeline Highway is now fully closed for repairs to the CSX railroad crossing.
It will stay that way until Aug. 10.
Residents can expect traffic, and lots of it. With the sun setting in western Palm Beach County, long commutes and stress are on the horizon for nearly 70,000 daily drivers.
When the closure took effect Friday night, some drivers turned around, both confused and frustrated.
It all comes as CSX makes emergency repairs to the railroad in an effort to avoid derailments and to improve signaling.
Here is what to expect:
- Full road closure at the CSX railroad crossing, just west of SR 710/Beeline Highway
- Detour signage in place to guide motorists
- Active construction zone is closed to all motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians
- Law enforcement officers will be present throughout the duration of the closure. They will help monitor and manage traffic flow, both within the active construction zone and along the detour routes, to ensure safety for the traveling public and construction crews
FDOT says Beeline Highway will remain open, but the crossing will be closed. First responders have repositioned crews and staged units at key locations.
Multiple detours — now in place — could add an hour or two to some people’s commutes, especially during weekday rush hours.
Traffic News
We drove the Northlake detours: How long does it take?
Philip Thompson tells WPTV’s Michael Hoffman he’s been preparing for months.
“I’ve been getting up a lot earlier, just testing traffic times,” said Thompson. “If I leave at 5:30, what happens? if I leave at six o'clock? What happens if I leave at seven o'clock? What happens? My commute is gonna go from a 25-minute commute to almost a two-hour commute just to get to downtown. That's a problem."
Business owners like Richard Bedard don’t have many options.
He and his wife started Inspiration Flooring off Northlake Blvd. just four months ago, and now they’re bracing for a serious impact to their business. They’ve tried “detour sales” and have gotten some interest. There’s just one problem.
“A third of my month. A third of my rent that we’re out,” said Bedard. They're on the other side of the tracks. So how do I get them to come here? We're trying to tell them it must be between the first and the 10th, you know, to try to make some sense of urgency. It directly impacts us, and not just us.”
MORE COVERAGE OF CLOSURE:
Traffic News
Northlake Blvd., Beeline Hwy. intersection to be closed starting Aug. 1
Traffic News
Businesses on Northlake Blvd. say potential 34-mile detour could be devastating
Traffic News
