Motorists in Palm Beach Gardens are advised to plan for detours as critical rail safety work is set to begin on Northlake Boulevard at the Beeline Highway crossing. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced that, starting August 1, CSX will commence an eight-day closure of the crossing for track panel and rail replacement. This will affect both eastbound and westbound lanes. According to the city’s notification, the maintenance is necessary to address safety concerns.
FDOT’s Project Administrator, Pat Kennedy, highlighted the tight schedule in an email obtained by the City of Palm Beach Gardens, “In discussion with CSX, they understand that we are up against the wall with the PBC School District start of the term on August 11th and that pre-school activities scheduled to begin on August 4th may be affected. They are still working to ensure that they mobilize the resources required to complete their work as quickly and efficiently as possible while maintaining the agreed upon 3-week lead time for community outreach and the 8-day construction period.” The project is aligned to ensure minimal disruption, with a “tentative target date for the track work to begin” on a Friday and a three-week community outreach lead time.
The closure could have implications for emergency services; however, plans are in place to mitigate any risks. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office will maintain 24/7 monitoring of east and west emergency access for police and fire response. Moreover, the City has prepared contingency strategies for emergencies or in event of a hurricane, including pre-positioned equipment and personnel at Fire Station 6 and the Sandhill Crane Golf Club…