FLORIDA KEYS TRANSPORTATION COORDINATION COMMITTEE MEETS TO DISCUSS UPCOMING PROJECT PRIORITIES

MONROE COUNTY, FL – Monroe County and municipal representatives of the Florida Keys Transportation Coordination Committee met on Monday at the Marathon Government Center to discuss updates to the Florida Dept. of Transportation’s (FDOT) five-year work plan and the Transportation Master Plan. There were originally 183 projects in the Transportation Master Plan, of which the FDOT has addressed 75. The committee is tasked with ranking top transportation needs and bringing new ideas forward to present a prioritized list of transportation needs to the county and municipal governments. Once the elected bodies of each municipality have input, county staff will coordinate with the FDOT to prioritize projects for inclusion in the FDOT Work Plan by June 2025. 
 
Some suggestions the group discussed included right-turn-only lanes, bike lane enhancement, minimal speed postings, especially in areas like the Seven Mile Bridge, pedestrian safety ideas for the “triangle” area leading into Key West, e-bike concerns, expanding the Conch Connect service, and widening some lanes, with an emphasis on bridges, from two to four lanes, among other topics. 
 
“It is important for us to look at the near future of transportation and also look at what our needs may be 20, 40, and even 60 years down the road,” said Monroe County Transportation Executive Director Richard Clark. “By bringing the ideas of the county and the cities together as a whole for the work plan, we can make sure we are all on the same page with our needs now and for future generations.” 
 
The committee will meet again in March, and several more times before June 2025. Date, time, location, and Zoom information will be posted at www.monroecounty-fl.gov/calendar when announced. More information on the committee can be found at www.monroecounty-fl.gov/transportation. 
 
At the last Monroe County Board of County Commissioners meeting, the commissioners approved moving forward with Monroe County Comprehensive Plan updates to allow widening some areas of U.S. 1 from two to four lanes, as well as expanding the Conch Connect service to more areas of the Florida Keys, depending on budget considerations. 

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