Palm Coast city council on Aug. 26 approved multiple construction contracts, design work and grant agreements for a broad package of roadway maintenance and safety projects that staff said will be built this fiscal year and into 2026.

The approved items include FDOT-funded safety and pedestrian improvements on U.S. 1; an $8 million FDOT resurfacing project on U.S. 1 from Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line; a city-funded mill-and-resurface and lane‑extension project along Palm Coast Parkway; microsurfacing of roughly 23 lane miles of residential streets; a Belterra Parkway safety and capacity project; a $1.2 million traffic signal and turn‑lane at Seminole Woods Boulevard to serve the new Fire Station 26; completed span‑wire signal refurbishment work; and ongoing design and utility moves tied to the Matanzas Woods Parkway loop road (approved separately). Council approved each resolution by roll call votes (most unanimously).

City transportation staff, led by Carl Cody, director of stormwater engineering, said the FDOT U.S. 1 safety project includes median changes, new pedestrian features and a new signal at County Road CR 13 and is about 85% complete. "This project is nearly complete. It's about 85% complete right now. It's a $15,200,000 project that was fully funded by FDOT," Cody said. He also described a separate $8,000,000 FDOT resurfacing contract covering U.S. 1 north to the county line and a Palm Coast Parkway resurfacing project that will include milling and an inch‑and‑a‑half asphalt overlay, spot deep‑mill repairs and several turn‑lane extensions to reduce stacking.

Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the package as addressing both safety hotspots and long‑deferred pavement needs. Cody told the council that microsurfacing targeted residential roads in a PCI range of roughly 70–80 and that 23 lane miles had been treated this fiscal year; he warned the pavement program is underfunded and that the city currently lacks capacity to pave residential roads beyond microsurfacing without additional funds.

Key approvals and financing: The Belterra Parkway safety project will add 10 right‑turn lanes, extend five left‑turn lanes and eliminate one left turn; it is a near‑$7 million project funded by a $4.5 million state appropriation and transportation impact fees, with construction beginning this fall and completion expected in 2026. The Seminole Woods signal contract ($1.2 million) will add preemption for Fire Station 26 and a southbound left turn lane; that work is funded with transportation impact fees and is planned to finish in 2026 to align with the station opening. The city completed a span‑wire refurbishment of four intersections at a cost "just over $600,000" using Streets Improvement Fund dollars, Cody said.

Council discussion and staff directions: Council members asked staff to consider continuity of turn lanes where private frontages have produced piecemeal short turn lanes, with one council member arguing that "just connecting them" could reduce local congestion; Cody cautioned that continuous turn lanes can create driver confusion in some locations and said staff will evaluate continuity when prioritizing resurfacing projects. For the Palm Coast Parkway resurfacing project staff said night work is planned (8 p.m. to 7 a.m.), that costs for lane extensions will be tracked separately, and that impact fee funds could offset those lane‑extension costs.

Traffic calming and other items: The council heard that staff have completed a traffic‑calming manual, removed several temporary pilot devices and are developing an application process for citizen requests; no budget dollars were included for implementation in the upcoming fiscal year, so staff said the earliest funding for resident‑requested measures would be next fiscal year (FY 2026–27). Staff also reported ongoing coordination with FDOT on new signal coordination timing for the US‑1 corridor, with a new coordination plan expected after the DOT takes counts following project completion.

Minor public comments and operational notes: Residents raised pedestrian safety at local shopping centers and asked for additional bike lanes and crossings in places such as Florida Park Drive. Staff said they would evaluate pedestrian crossing requests and coordinate with stormwater and other departments where work could be combined. Several projects will require temporary lane closures; staff said overhead span‑wire work is scheduled overnight to minimize disruption.

Ending: Council approved the package and directed staff to refine project schedules, track lane‑extension costs against impact‑fee eligibility and continue coordination with FDOT and developers on frontage and right‑of‑way adjustments.