U.S. 92 Widening Project Public Hearing Set

LAKELAND, FL — Polk County residents who want to chance to learn more about a proposal to widen U.S. 92 from two to four lanes from County Line Road to Wasbash Avenue will get the opportunity soon. The Florida Department of Transportation has announced an April 13 public hearing.

FDOT is studying the prospect of widening the road to “accommodate increased traffic demand generated by projected economic growth in Polk County,” the agency wrote in a Tuesday email to media. To complete the widening, FDOT will need to acquire additional right-of-way and says that existing access to properties along the road would need to change due to the addition of a median.

Get the Lakeland Patch newsletter and email alerts in your inbox!

Beyond the widening, the study is also looking at such considerations as pedestrian and bicycle improvements along the four-mile stretch. A projected cost for construction has yet to be determined.

At this point, the prospect of widening remains under study, the agency noted. “The no-build alternative, where no improvements other than routine maintenance are made to U.S. 92 through 2040, will remain viable throughout the remainder of this study,” FDOT's email said.

Residents who want to learn more about the study may attend the April 13 public hearing. It begins with a 5 p.m. open house at The Lakeland Center’s Hollingsworth Ballroom, 701 W. Lime St. A formal presentation and public comment period will begin at 6 p.m.

Attendees are asked to use the center’s Gate 6 and park in the Red Lot behind Jenkins Arena.

More information about the study can be found online at US92Lakeland.com.

Keep up with what’s happening by following Lakeland Patch on Facebook.

Image via Shutterstock