A two-lane road serving as an alternate travel route for motorists entering and leaving the Florida Keys is undergoing a series of improvements.
Card Sound Road, or County Road 905A, is one of two arteries — the other being the 18-Mile Stretch — connecting mainland Florida to the Keys. Along the way, motorists pass by Dagny Johnson State Park, traverse Card Sound Bridge and ride past Alabama Jack’s.
Like the 18-Mile Stretch, Card Sound Road has witnessed a number of accidents — some fatal — over the years, in addition to wear from the intense heat and use by vehicles and trucks. A project by the Florida Department of Transportation began Aug. 10 to resurface the road from the east end of Card Sound Bridge to the intersection with County Road 905 in North Key Largo. In addition, crews will be installing striping, upgrading pavement markings and improving signs.
Last year, FDOT completed a $6.4-million project that ran from Card Sound Road to the intersection of U.S. 1 and Southwest 304 Street in Florida City.
Work will occur Sunday through Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Some construction will take place during daytime hours but will not require a lane closure. During evening construction hours, traffic will be reduced to one-lane, two-way alternating traffic, and the contractor will use illuminated nighttime flagging operations to direct traffic through the work zone. In the event of a hurricane evacuation, all lanes will be open, and construction will cease.
Weather permitting, improvement work is expected to finish this fall.
