FDOT details Southwest 10th Street connector plan; construction expected to begin 2026

On May 20, 2025, Florida Department of Transportation representatives briefed the Deerfield Beach City Commission on the Southwest 10th Street Connector, a multimillion-dollar corridor project designed to close a three-mile gap between the Turnpike and east of I‑95 and to add a second express lane on I‑95.

The presentation outlined major features the agency plans to build: a limited‑access connector road separated from local lanes, reconstructed interchanges at Southwest 10th Street and Hillsborough Boulevard, a 12‑foot shared‑use path, new utility infrastructure, reconstructed sound walls adjacent to residences, and technology to monitor and inform traffic in real time. "Safety is paramount to us," Robert Bauschian, Florida Department of Transportation, said during his overview.

The project is part of the Moving Florida Forward initiative and was presented as a phased design‑build contract. FDOT said two design‑build contracts have been executed and that construction work is anticipated to begin in 2026 with overall completion estimated around 2032. Staff said some utility relocations and limited early works are already underway and that noise‑barrier construction near Waterford and Century Village is planned early in the schedule.

Commissioners and residents pressed FDOT on timing, noise walls, community outreach and early utility work. Commissioner Plout said many West Side residents view the project as inevitable and asked FDOT to minimize dust, nighttime noise and construction impacts; she asked that residents be able to reach commissioners if they need help during construction. FDOT replied that early utility relocation has already begun and that some preparatory work will be required before full noise‑wall construction can occur.

Residents from Century Village, Waterford Homes and nearby neighborhoods asked about structural damage risk from pile driving and jackhammering and about the expected noise level of the rebuilt highway. An FDOT representative said the project team will develop a master construction schedule later this year and will share it with the city and public; the department also described planned monitoring technologies, including corridor cameras, vehicle sensing devices and overhead message signs, and said it is exploring connected‑vehicle communications and a public project website.

FDOT representatives said they will ramp up public outreach this spring and fall and expect at least one public meeting later this year or early next year. The presentation included a link to a project website for ongoing updates.