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FDOT outlines raised median and pedestrian beacon for State Road 70; local leaders raise access and truck‑traffic concerns
Summary
FDOT presented plans to replace the two‑way left turn lane on State Road 70 with a raised median, add a pedestrian hybrid beacon and mill-and-resurface pavement markings; the agency cited crash data and projected a roughly 60% reduction in turning‑movement crashes. Local commissioners and business owners urged further study of access, lane widths and emergency response implications.
FDOT District design staff and the project consultant presented a safety improvement project for State Road 70 in Okeechobee, proposing to replace the existing two‑way left turn lane with a raised median, add a pedestrian hybrid beacon (PHB) near high pedestrian demand, and perform isolated milling and resurfacing.
"Installing a raised median like this one we can expect, around a 60% crash reduction for the crashes that are happening due to these turning movements," said Meghan Lerner, consultant project manager with Garrett Engineering, citing Federal Highway Administration guidance and crash data gathered for the corridor. FDOT staff told the board the study area recorded 84 crashes in five years, including one pedestrian fatality.
The improvement would extend along State Road 70 from US‑98 to roughly 8th Avenue (about 0.7 mile). FDOT said traffic operations would be evaluated and an updated access management study is under way; construction is targeted for letting in 2027, with design and public outreach scheduled through spring 2026.
Local elected officials, commercial property owners and residents pressed FDOT staff on potential trade‑offs. Commissioner Burrows and others warned that narrowing travel lanes to 11 feet and eliminating many left‑turn movements could increase congestion and make routing large trucks and farm equipment difficult. A business owner whose property fronts the corridor said reduced direct access could force customers onto side streets and harm local retailers.
FDOT acknowledged the concerns and said the updated access management study and a traffic simulation (micro‑simulation) will analyze turning movement counts, signal timing and emergency‑vehicle access. "We're very early in the design," Lerner said, adding that FDOT will present concept plans at a future public meeting and will bring a roll plot for local review.
Commissioners suggested one‑on‑one review sessions and asked FDOT to bring marked plans back for joint review with county staff. FDOT staff also said that a related pavement‑resurfacing project will be completed before the safety improvements begin, and that funding sources include federal safety funds that FDOT is optimizing in the letting schedule.
The board did not take any formal action on the concept during the presentation; staff and FDOT agreed to follow up with a public meeting and further design coordination with the county and the city.
