West Boca, Delray Residents Call Out Traffic Failures at PBC Transportation Summit

BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — Palm Beach County Commissioner Maria Sachs gathered transportation officials, state agencies, engineers, and dozens of west-county residents for a wide-ranging transportation summit that pressed into the most persistent questions about congestion, safety, and long-planned road work across the region. The event opened with a pledge and prayer before Sachs framed the morning’s purpose: mobility and safety, not just “moving people and goods from one spot to another”.

She pointed to the growing risks on local roads — including a crash she saw on her way to the event at Clint Moore and Jog — and said the region must “do better,” especially as thousands of new residents continue to move into the west county area.

West Boca and Delray Area Traffic Concerns

The summit touched nearly every major transportation project shaping West Boca and West Delray. Officials walked through active Turnpike widening phases, canal relocations, future interchange designs, and the ongoing construction at Atlantic Avenue between the Turnpike and 441. FDOT also detailed resurfacing work on Glades Road, improvements along SR 7, upcoming intersection upgrades, and design timelines for the next Atlantic Avenue expansion east toward Jog.

The county outlined its plans for widening Lyons Road, extending Flavor Pict Road over the Turnpike, adding safety features along Acme Dairy Road near the schools, and evaluating long-standing choke points at Glades, Boca Rio, and Lions. Noise walls, lighting, traffic signal visibility, bike and e-scooter safety, development pressures, and emergency-vehicle delays rounded out a packed list of concerns — all reflecting how quickly growth has outpaced infrastructure in the area.

Turnpike Widening, Delays, and Noise Walls

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise officials delivered updates on ongoing widening projects, now underway from Boynton Beach Blvd. to north of Lake Worth Road. The $170 million expansion will eventually create four lanes in each direction, with completion expected late 2026. Construction teams explained that most work must be done overnight because no daytime lane closures are allowed, which slows overall progress. One outreach coordinator noted the agency lost significant labor capacity during the pandemic, further affecting timelines .

Residents repeatedly pressed the turnpike panel on debris, construction delays, and sound barriers. Communities backing up to the turnpike asked why some neighborhoods have no walls while others do. Officials said wall placement is determined during early planning phases but committed on record to reviewing new requests and studying environmental and noise concerns for communities that ask for evaluation.

Sachs pressed the Turnpike representatives to prioritize sound-mitigation walls before new widening pushes traffic closer to homes. “We will get a wall,” she told the room, adding with a quick aside that “Mexico’s not paying for it.” She said residents must make their concerns known in Tallahassee because funding decisions are made there. Sachs noted she has lived along the turnpike for 40 years and understands why nearby communities “need to get the wall” as the project moves forward.

Several residents raised concerns about the canal relocation required for future widening between Glades, Clint Moore, and Atlantic Ave. Turnpike engineers confirmed portions of the canal will be shifted westward and that bulkhead walls will be used in certain areas. Sachs said she will request an independent engineering review to ensure flooding protection remains intact.

Atlantic Avenue Construction

FDOT District 4 engineers provided updates on the major Atlantic Avenue widening between the Turnpike and SR 7/US 441. The first section—Turnpike to Lyons—has already been paved for six lanes, and crews are preparing to shift traffic onto the new roadway. The western section is ahead of schedule, according to project managers .

FDOT confirmed that new bike lanes are included throughout the widened corridor, addressing questions about bicycle and e-mobility safety. The project also delivers dual northbound-to-eastbound turn lanes from 441 to Atlantic, expected to ease backups near Queen of Peace Catholic Church and nearby plazas.

Still, residents flagged ongoing hazards: abrupt lane drops near Waterways, confusing merge patterns at Atlantic and 441, and deep temporary pavement dips. FDOT said additional signage will be added in the coming week and noted the final roadway configuration will not be complete until late summer 2025.

A future Atlantic Avenue widening east of the Turnpike toward Jog Road is in design but not scheduled for construction until fiscal year 2029.

Flavor Pic Road Extension

Residents also pressed the county on the long-planned extension of Flavor Pict Road, which will eventually cross over the Turnpike and connect to Hagen Ranch Road.

County engineers said the project is funded for 2028 and will include a new overpass structure and canal crossing. Several residents raised concerns about how construction will affect nearby communities, including noise, traffic patterns, and the stretch of canal that runs behind Valencia Bay. The county said a culvert structure will be built to preserve water flow and committed to future meetings with affected neighborhoods as design plans move forward.

Bike, Scooter, and Pedestrian Safety

A recurring topic from both residents and officials was the rise in e-bikes, scooters, and student riders in west-county neighborhoods. Sachs called for physical separation — possibly guardrails — between vehicle lanes and bike/scooter lanes, referencing New York City’s protected-lane system. She noted the county already installs guardrails to stop cars from entering canals but not to protect cyclists: “let’s stop before they hit a two pedestrians and a bicyclist” she said .

The summit also addressed Acme Dairy Road, where children walking and biking to nearby schools use sidewalks that sit directly beside the roadway. County engineers confirmed they are evaluating additional safety features, including delineators or barriers, as part of ongoing school-area improvements.

Signals, Left-Turns, and Glades Road Choke Points

Residents raised long-standing issues at Glades Road, Lions Road, and Boca Rio Road — especially where communities cannot safely enter or exit due to backups. Multiple neighborhoods described 15-minute waits just to turn onto Glades or Lions.

County engineers said they will meet on-site with affected HOAs to evaluate solutions and acknowledged Lions Road is constrained and difficult to retrofit.

Residents also called for better lighting, upgraded back-plated signals, and improvements to the Glades–Turnpike bottleneck, which remains one of the county’s worst choke points during rush hour.

Boca Lago Traffic Gridlock

A significant portion of the discussion centered on the long-standing safety problems along Lyons Road near Boca Lago, where residents said they sometimes wait more than 15 minutes just to exit their communities. One resident urged engineers to “please stop improving access to Lyons Road until you fix Lyons Road,” drawing applause from the room.

Several residents described daily backups so severe that even when Boca Lago’s fire station activates the emergency signal, drivers stuck in the bottleneck can’t clear the intersection. Sachs acknowledged the problem has “festered for years” and said county engineers will meet on-site with the affected HOAs to review options, calling the corridor “landlocked but solvable” with the right design changes.

Development vs. Infrastructure

One resident argued the county should not approve new large developments until roads are completed. Sachs responded with her familiar position: “A shovel doesn’t hit the ground until the infrastructure is in place” and reminded attendees that state-level laws have limited how counties can require developers to pay for road expansions.

What Comes Next

Sachs said the FDOT secretary will visit Palm Beach County on December 16 and encouraged residents to submit questions ahead of time. Agencies at the summit remained afterward to continue answering detailed concerns.

For many in attendance, the event offered a rare forum where residents could press decision-makers directly about timelines, responsibilities, and overdue fixes — something Sachs promised will continue.