Traffic Alert: Massachusetts Avenue Road Work Begins Soon

LAKELAND, FL — Motorists who use Massachusetts Avenue to get around Lakeland may want to keep a date in mind. January 9 is the day that permanent striping work is set to begin along a stretch of the road.

The city said the portion of Massachusetts from Main to Pine Street will have a straight through traffic flow when work is completed.

The city recently reconfigured Massachusetts Avenue from Lake Morton Drive to Bartow Road from four to two lanes to make way for additional on-street parking and to moderate speeds through the area.

“This lane reduction, commonly known as a ‘road diet’ created much needed on-street parking (about 40 new spaces), created exclusive right and left turn lanes and reduced operating speeds,” the city explained in an email.

It also, however, created “weaving movements” between Main and Pine. With that in mind, the permanent striping will create separate right and left-turn lanes at the Cedar Street intersection. The plan will “allow through traffic to continue straight between these two signalized intersections.”

Work is set to begin on Jan. 9 and should last about a week. The new design will eliminate about four on-street parking spaces on Massachusetts Avenue, south of Cedar and Main, the city said. This will accommodate the exclusive northbound right turn lane.

Motorists can expect limited lane closures as the work is completed.

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