Thomas Drive Flyover Work to Divert Traffic Flow Again
Posted on: Friday, 19 August 2005, 21:00 CDT
Aug. 19--PANAMA CITY BEACH--Beach traffic could snarl tonight as work on the Thomas Drive flyover project continues.
The second of three steel support beams spanning the center of the project is slated for placement late this evening, said Gary Bellamy, spokesman for Metric Engineering. The third and final beam, assuming the weather cooperates, should go up Tuesday night, he said.
Work is ahead of schedule.
"We have such a good crew," Bellamy said. "The first one moved slick as silk, and based upon that, we were able to step up the setting of those beams."
The first beam was placed last Tuesday, Bellamy said, as crews rerouted traffic traveling through the U.S. 98 and Thomas Drive intersection during the work.
"That gets us into the decking sooner and moves us faster through the detour operation for this part of the job," Bellamy said.
Over the next several weeks, nighttime traffic will again be diverted so the portion holding the beams can be filled, or "decked."
Northbound traffic on Thomas Drive will be diverted westward to the Front Beach and Back Beach connector road for travel either east or west on Back Beach Road.
Southbound traffic for Thomas Drive will be diverted to the connector road and use Laurie Avenue and Laird Street to get to Thomas Drive.
Law enforcement officers, flaggers, directional signage and lane delineators will assist drivers during these shifts.
The smooth-moving beam portion of the project will not affect the anticipated completion date for the project, which is late spring 2006, Bellamy said.
Traffic last Tuesday started being rerouted at about 10:30 p.m., Bellamy said.
"We will hold off until we get a good sign that it has dissipated," Bellamy said.
The work was finished Tuesday by 1:30 a.m.
"We're satisfied that it's going real well," said Department of Transportation spokesman Tommie Speights. "So far, so good."
The project, with an about $30 million price tag, will ease beach traffic to the Hathaway Bridge by carrying eastbound traffic over the current Thomas Drive and U.S. 98 intersection.
This is the first of three components for the overall flyover project, but so far, it's the only one funded.
No money currently is earmarked for the remainder of the project, which includes the westbound lanes and the actual Thomas Drive flyover for westbound traffic leaving the bridge.
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Source: The News Herald
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