Barwick Road from Lake Ida Road to L-30 Canal

This project extends approximately 0.7 miles along Barwick Road from Lake Ida Road to a point approximately 50 feet south of the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) L-30 Canal right-of-way, within the City of Delray Beach.

The project is intended to improve safety, mobility, and overall roadway function along Barwick Road, while addressing existing infrastructure deficiencies. Key goals include enhancing accessibility, improving drainage, reducing crashes and injuries, supporting safer pedestrian and bicycle conditions, improving connectivity, reducing traffic conflicts, and extending the long-term life of the roadway pavement.

The project is being developed as a Complete Street, meaning it is designed to safely and comfortably serve all users, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, school-related traffic, and emergency services. A key consideration of the project is also to maintain and, where possible, enhance the natural character and landscaping that residents value, while creating a safer and more reliable corridor for all modes of travel.

A detailed pavement evaluation found that the existing roadway has reached the end of its service life and is experiencing structural deterioration, including cracking, potholes, and water intrusion into the base course. Milling and resurfacing alone would not correct the underlying issues or provide a long-term solution and could result in premature pavement failures. Even without the proposed Complete Street improvements, roadway reconstruction would still be necessary to address the deteriorating pavement conditions and maintain safe, reliable mobility for the public. As part of the reconstruction process, pedestrian facilities must also be upgraded to meet current safety and accessibility standards.

The proposed 11-foot travel lanes follow current urban design guidance. Narrower lanes can help support traffic calming and improve pedestrian and bicycle safety while maintaining normal operations without significantly affecting traffic function. Traffic-calming measures are designed and intended to reduce vehicle speeds while maintaining appropriate access for residents, school traffic, and emergency services.

No. The project doesn’t widen the Barwick Road Right-of-Way or increase capacity. It improves safety and multimodal access using Complete Streets principles by enhancing the safety and function of the existing corridor through traffic calming measures and updated roadway design features, not inducing traffic or growth.

“Complete Streets” is a planning and design approach used by many local governments, including the City of Delray Beach, to ensure that roadways are designed to safely accommodate all users—not just vehicles. This includes motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, school-related traffic, and emergency services. For a more in-depth explanation of Complete Streets, click here. The project is being developed as a Complete Street, meaning it is intended to safely and comfortably serve everyone who uses it, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, school-related traffic, and emergency services. A major goal of the project is to maintain, and where possible enhance, the natural character and landscaping that residents value. Where a median is considered, it is being evaluated for safety and access management benefits, as well as its ability to support aesthetic improvements.

A guardrail should be installed only when warranted under accepted engineering standards. Under FHWA, AASHTO, and FDOT guidance, guardrails must be justified through an engineering analysis showing that the barrier would reduce overall crash severity compared to the existing roadside conditions. This study is currently underway, and the results of the study will assist in the evaluation of whether or not the guardrail is warranted to be removed or remain in place.

Guardrails are not pedestrian-safety devices; they are motorist protection features. National and state standards authorize that barriers are considered hazards unless warranted. Pedestrian safety is being addressed through a broader design approach that includes improved sidewalks, curb separation, visibility enhancements, and traffic calming. An engineering study is currently underway, and the results of the study will assist in the evaluation of whether or not the guardrail is warranted to be removed or remain in place.

Guardrail decisions follow the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance, the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide, and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) criteria. FHWA states that a guardrail is “a safety barrier intended to shield a motorist who has left the roadway.” FDOT states that roadside barriers “present a hazard in and of themselves” and require a risk-based engineering analysis to determine whether the barrier creates less risk than the feature it would shield. FDOT also requires that this evaluation be completed using recognized methods such as RSAP or the AASHTO Highway Safety Manual. Additionally, an engineering study is currently underway, and the results of the study will assist in the evaluation of whether or not the guardrail is warranted to be removed or remain in place.

This project is being delivered through the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Local Agency Program (LAP) and is partially funded by FDOT. The project has been approved by Palm Beach County and FDOT, and the City Commission has authorized the design to move forward in accordance with current City standards and requirements. As part of accepting FDOT funding, the City is required to design a sidewalk on the west side of Barwick Road to meet applicable safety, accessibility and roadway design criteria.

These requirements include improvements that enhance pedestrian connectivity, reduce the need for mid-block crossings, and provide safer accommodations for all users of the corridor, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, school-related traffic, and emergency services.

A shared-use path is proposed on the east side. Shared-use paths are intended to serve both pedestrians and cyclists and must be designed with a 10-foot minimum width.

Some stakeholders have suggested bike lanes. The current design reflects multimodal standards and corridor restraints. Bicycle-related concerns will continue to be shared with the City for consideration. Off-street biking facilities are the preferred option for safer travel.

Raised medians reduce conflict points, discourage unsafe passing, and improve access management. Continuous turn lanes can increase crash risk when there are multiple driveways and side-street connections. The design aims to balance safety, access, and traffic operations. The proposed medians will be mountable so that emergency vehicles can drive over them.

Yes. Coordination with the PBC School Board is ongoing with Banyan Creek Elementary School and the School District to improve on-site circulation and reduce queuing onto Barwick Road. School-related concerns from the public are part of the future traffic analysis, and any recommendations will be taken under consideration by the School Board for implementation.

Crosswalk placement is under review based on visibility, pedestrian patterns, and operations. Concerns about crossing complexity have been noted and are being considered in the alternatives review.

Emergency access is being considered as part of the design process. Coordination with emergency responders is ongoing to ensure response times and access remain acceptable. Emergency access will not be adversely affected.

The completion of the design phase will not directly impact traffic. Traffic impacts may occur during construction as improvements are implemented. The final design will be developed to enhance safety, accessibility, and mobility for all users while minimizing disruptions during construction and supporting efficient traffic operations upon project completion.

No. The speed limit will remain the same after the completion of the construction project.

A formal noise study has not been identified as part of the project to date, but comments related to buffering, berming, lane width, and other mitigation ideas will continue to be reviewed as design progresses. There are no anticipated noise impacts anticipated with the construction phase of the project.

Certain segments may shift slightly closer to adjacent properties. Specific locations will be reviewed in detail during design. All work on this project will be conducted within the City’s Right-of-Way.

Requests for walls, on private property, beyond typical heights (e.g., 8-foot variances) should be submitted to the City’s Development Services Department for a permit.

The design phase is anticipated to be completed in early 2027, with construction expected to begin in summer of 2027. Construction is currently estimated to take approximately 18 months with a completion date of winter 2028/early 2029. All dates are preliminary and subject to change as the project progresses.

Public comments are documented and shared with the City. Items such as turn lanes, school traffic, buffering, and safety concerns may continue to be evaluated as design and construction progresses.

Drainage improvements will be addressed by either the construction of grass swales along the east and west side of Barwick Road. Enhanced drainage structures will be installed where there are raised curbs and gutters to help reduce localized flooding and improve stormwater flow during heavy rainfall.

Homeowners will have full access to their driveways and property during the construction phase of the project. Intermittent interruptions will be coordinated ahead of time and homeowners will be given a 30-day and 7-day public notice to plan accordingly.

The City is committed to preserving existing trees whenever possible during the construction of projects within City limits. Prior to any tree removal, a qualified arborist evaluates affected trees and provides recommendations regarding their health and whether trimming or other measures can allow them to remain in place. In some cases, minor adjustments to the alignment of sidewalks or shared-use paths may be made to help preserve existing trees. However, where tree removal is unavoidable to safely construct the project, the City will follow all applicable regulations and requirements.

The City is including the design and construction of pedestrian streetlights on both sides of Barwick Road.

No. As part of the FDOT Grant all construction work for this project must be within the City’s Right-of-Way.

It is not anticipated that any utilities will be impacted during construction of this project. However, existing sanitary manholes and water valve boxes will be adjusted to match finished grade as part of the improvements. While every effort will be made to avoid utility conflicts, unforeseen conditions may occur during construction. If any utility service disruptions or damages do occur, affected homeowners and utility providers will be promptly notified in accordance with required procedures, and repairs will be coordinated to restore service as quickly as possible.