FORT LAUDERDALE — The bright orange barriers at Las Olas and A1A, where a $10.9 million streetscape project got underway nearly a year ago, are gone.
But that doesn’t mean the project is entirely done just yet.
Crews got to work in April and, if not for stormy weather, would have finished by Dec. 31. Because of all the rainy days, Fort Lauderdale pushed the estimated completion date back to Jan. 31.
Skeptics expressed doubt that the job would be done by Wednesday, as promised. Now inquiring minds want to know: Is the project done?
“Not quite yet,” says Commissioner Steve Glassman, whose district includes the beach.
Crews still need to install 109 safety bollards along A1A later this year and complete a few other tasks. But key parts of the job are now complete.
Palm trees have been moved closer to the curb to make the sidewalks on both sides of A1A roomier for walking.
Key segments of the sidewalk near Las Olas are now sporting new brick pavers.
LED pedestrian lights have been installed along A1A to provide amber-colored lighting during turtle nesting season and white lighting the rest of the year.
And 32 coconut palms and nine date palms have been planted from Poinsettia Street all the way south to the Fort Lauderdale Beach parking lot.
“The only thing left to do is the bollards and minor punch-list items,” Glassman said. “And there will be a major cleaning.”
Fort Lauderdale held off on installing the bollards to accommodate a request from the many shops, bars and restaurants along A1A, Glassman said.
“There were complaints from businesses on the west side of A1A that it was just too much during tourist season,” Glassman said. “They’ve already taken quite a hit with all the work that’s already been done.”
The project required lane closures along A1A, sparking a string of complaints from commuters who were forced to either slow down or take other routes to avoid the construction mess.
Fort Lauderdale resident Joel Eriksson says he’s one of the folks who’s been avoiding the area altogether.
“I haven’t been up there because it’s such a disaster,” Eriksson said. “I would be shocked if they were done (by Jan. 31). I think everyone would be.”
Was it worth $10.9 million?
Eriksson says no.
“If you put together a list of things the city needs, that wouldn’t have been in the Top 10,” he said. “It wouldn’t have even made the top 25. The inconvenience was not worth it at all.”
For the most part, people have been understanding about the traffic delays, Glassman said.
“I will say it’s moved along pretty quickly,” Glassman said, referring to the speed of the work. “For a government project, not bad.”
Glassman says he’s already heard from residents who have noticed the changes.
“It’s more green with all the trees,” he said. “It’s lit better. The sidewalks are wider and more accessible. And I would say it’s safer because of the lighting and because the trees have been moved closer to the curb.”
Bob Casullo, a resident who lives in a condo near the famous intersection of A1A and Las Olas, hasn’t really noticed the changes. But he was stunned to see the barriers had been removed by Wednesday afternoon.
“I drove by Tuesday and they were still working,” he said, then peered out a window to see whether the crews were still at work.
“They must be gone,” he said. “And the traffic looks like it’s two lanes again.”
But Casullo says he would have found another way to spend the $10.9 million.
“How about fixing the lights on the Las Olas Parking Garage?” he said. “That would only be $2.1 million. That’s one place to start.”
The garage, known for its glitzy pulsating lights, cost $21 million to build and opened in 2018.
But the garage went dark nearly a year ago. The city flipped the switch when about half the lights stopped working.
Fort Lauderdale commissioners are now debating whether to spend more than $2 million to replace the lights.
Glassman says there’s no way the landmark garage is going to stay dark.
“We’re going to fix those lights,” Glassman said. “And if the commission makes the bad decision not to fix the lights, I will do what I can to find private money. Those lights are going to be fixed.”
Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan