State is upgrading county school zones

Nine St Johns County school zones will receive safety improvements beginning this week, according to information obtained by Historic City News from the District Office of the Florida Department of Transportation.

This project is part of a statewide effort to improve school zone safety in response to House Bill 493, passed during the 2017 Regular Session. This includes implementation of a specific, uniform system of high-visibility markings and signage within one-mile of all schools on arterial and collector roads.

“More than 150 school zones across Northeast Florida, nine in District 2, are part of the districtwide school zone enhancements project,” according to a spokesman for the FDOT.  “As part of the $1.5 million project, FDOT District 2 will upgrade school zones in 13 counties with enhanced school zone signage and, in some locations, flashing beacons.”

FDOT has hired ACME Barricades to handle the work on the project and expects it to be completed by Summer 2021.

Upgrades at each school zone are expected to take less than a day to complete, and then crews will move to the next location. Minimal traffic impacts are expected during construction hours.