Brace yourselves. Alexander Street is finally being paved.
The nearly four-mile stretch of road will be redone at a cost of $5.3 million, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Lawrence McClure, state representative for District 58, said construction will begin on Oct. 15 and conclude in the spring of 2019.
“A road like Alexander Street is an intricate part of how we get around Plant City,” McClure said. “Once we have all of our roads in good conditions we can have an extensive dialogue about Interstate 4 expansion or the possibility of a high-speed rail. But I’ve always said we need to take care of what we already have first.”
McClure said his office has been in contact with FDOT so that they are aware of Plant City’s impending Florida Strawberry Festival. He said they are going to do everything in their power to have the construction fully completed before the massive waves of visitors come to town.
Plant City commissioners have frequently stated in meetings that resident complaints regarding Alexander Street have been one of, if not the most, frequent feedback they get from the public.
People have commented on the Plant City Observer’s Facebook that they are tired of having “potholes that could swallow a car” and have offered to “buy bags of cement” to fix the problem themselves. When Dominos Pizza began giving cities grants for street repairs in the summer of 2018, several residents nominated Alexander Street and had a petition circling around social media to draw more submissions.
Alexander Street is a state-maintained road and, in January, FDOT told the Observer the design phase for the street was underway with a fall deadline to begin construction.
Unlike a normal paving project, the overhaul includes the repaving of Alexander Street between Jim Redman Parkway and I-4 as well as the installation of guardrails and sidewalks. Those extra additions may cause the timeline to be longer than some expect.
FDOT will also be working mainly at night, according to McClure. The sidewalks, signals and turn lanes will be worked on during the day. Currently, there were no major utility repairs needed in the roadway.
Though the plan is to keep Alexander Street open, drivers should be prepared for consistent delays as they close lanes for construction. The delays, plus the increase in traffic as more flock to Plant City for the winter, will potentially make commuting a nightmare so drivers should plan accordingly for the traffic.
“I think with everything, the leadership of Mayor Rick Lott and the city and the commitment they’ve made to resurface a lot of the roads in Plant City, this is kind of maybe the cherry on top for everyone who’s bounced up and down Alexander,” McClure said. “I’ve sure heard about it a lot during my campaign and since I’ve taken office.”
McClure said Alexander Street is the basis for the local economy, the overall quality of life for Plant City residents and overall safety. He said it is only right that taxpayer dollars ensure that local infrastructure is well maintained.
“I don’t know that I’ve ever been so excited about a road being repaved as I am with Alexander Street,” McClure said.