Lakeland Unveils Timeline for South Florida Avenue Road Diet Project

The $22.6 million project aims to improve safety and multimodal access along a busy stretch of State Road 37.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The City of Lakeland and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) have shared an updated timeline for the ongoing South Florida Avenue (State Road 37) road diet project. The design phase is currently 60% complete, with plans to reach 90% design by July 2026, submit final plans by December 2026, and begin construction in early 2027. The $22.6 million project will include wider travel lanes, shared sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists, and midblock pedestrian crossings.

Why it matters

The South Florida Avenue corridor has a history of crashes, prompting the city and FDOT to undertake this road diet project to improve safety and multimodal access along this busy stretch. The project is part of a broader effort to transform Lakeland's transportation network to better accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, in addition to drivers.

The details

In 2020, the city and FDOT installed concrete barriers on South Florida Avenue between Ariana Street and Lime Street, reducing the number of lanes but widening the remaining ones to align with state safety standards. The upcoming design and construction phases will further transform the corridor, with plans for wider travel lanes, shared sidewalks for pedestrians and bicyclists, and midblock pedestrian crossings.

  • The design phase is currently 60% complete as of February 2026.
  • The design phase is expected to reach 90% completion by July 2026.
  • Final plans for the project are scheduled to be submitted in December 2026.
  • The design phase is anticipated to be completed by February 2027.
  • Construction on the project is slated to begin in early 2027.

The players

City of Lakeland

The local government overseeing the South Florida Avenue road diet project in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation.

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)

The state transportation agency collaborating with the City of Lakeland on the South Florida Avenue road diet project.

Ryan Lazenby

The Civil Engineering Manager for the City of Lakeland, who shared the updated timeline for the project in a recent workshop with city officials.

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What they’re saying

“The design phase of the project is 60% complete.”

— Ryan Lazenby, Civil Engineering Manager, City of Lakeland (6amcity.com)

What’s next

The city and FDOT will next focus on state right-of-way acquisition and utility design as they continue to advance the South Florida Avenue road diet project.

The takeaway

The South Florida Avenue road diet project is a key initiative in Lakeland's efforts to transform its transportation network and improve safety and multimodal access along this busy corridor. The updated timeline provides a clear roadmap for the project's design and construction phases, which will ultimately result in wider travel lanes, shared sidewalks, and midblock pedestrian crossings.