FDOT: I-595 reversible lanes 90% complete

25K vehicles expected to use express lanes each day

DAVIE, Fla. – The $1.2 billion construction project to build reversible express lanes on Interstate 595 was 90 percent complete Friday.

"We have over 150 different construction companies out here working, about 2,500 different workers out here every day," said Paul Lampley, the I-595 express lane construction manager.

The reversible gates have already been installed.

"From a safety standpoint, you would have to go through a number of warning gates similar to railroad crossing gates," said Lampley. "They will swing out of the way if a car hits them, but the last gate before you would come into the system in the wrong direction is a barrier gate."

Next January, the Florida Department of Transportation plans to educate drivers on the reversible lanes. The project also hit a milestone by building 23 new bridges and widening or modifying 40 more.

"We are excited this weekend. We have one last bridge to set beams on and we are going to do that over the weekend through an extended closure," said Jeremy Grady, the I-595 express lane project engineer.

The construction should finish in March 2014.

"We expect about 25,000 vehicles a day to use the express lanes," added Lampley.