Drivers using the Sawgrass Expressway near Atlantic Boulevard are seeing one piece of a much larger transformation of the highway take shape.

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise is carrying out an approximately $72.5 million project that will widen the Sawgrass Expressway from six to 10 lanes between north of Commercial Boulevard and north of Atlantic Boulevard while substantially rebuilding the Atlantic Boulevard interchange.

The work includes new bridges, reconstructed entrance and exit ramps, additional lanes on Atlantic Boulevard, bicycle lanes and drainage improvements.

And although 10 lanes are being built, drivers won't immediately get to use all of them.

Sawgrass Expressway Is Being Built for 10 Lanes

The project covers the Sawgrass Expressway from north of Commercial Boulevard, near Exit 5, to north of Atlantic Boulevard at Exit 8.

Within the project area, the expressway is being widened from six lanes to 10, creating five 12-foot travel lanes in each direction along with wider shoulders and a barrier-separated median near the interchange.

But the additional lanes won't open as soon as this particular project is finished.

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise says the new pavement will initially remain striped for six lanes until adjacent Sawgrass widening projects are completed.

That's because the Atlantic Boulevard work is only the first construction segment in a much larger plan to widen the Sawgrass Expressway through a series of projects extending from south of Sunrise Boulevard to south of U.S. 441.

The broader program is intended to add capacity for projected traffic demand in 2045 while improving safety and hurricane evacuation.

Atlantic Boulevard Is Changing Too

The work isn't limited to the expressway.

The existing Sawgrass Expressway bridges over Atlantic Boulevard are being replaced, and the northbound and southbound entrance and exit ramps are being reconstructed.

Atlantic Boulevard itself is also being widened.

Eastbound Atlantic will increase from two to three lanes, with a new bike lane extending from the Sawgrass Expressway toward Northwest 121st Terrace. Westbound Atlantic will similarly increase from two lanes to three, with a bike lane running from the Lakeview Drive area toward the expressway.

Turn lanes are also planned at Atlantic Boulevard and Lakeview Drive, along with traffic-signal improvements around the interchange.

The project does not call for changes to existing access along Atlantic Boulevard.

Flooding Is Part of the Reason for the Reconstruction

The interchange isn't being rebuilt solely to accommodate more traffic.

Florida's Turnpike Enterprise says the Atlantic Boulevard segment was prioritized in part to increase drainage capacity and address flooding concerns around Atlantic Boulevard and the Sawgrass Expressway ramps.

The work includes replacing the bridges over Atlantic Boulevard, modifying the stormwater pond west of the interchange and repairing an existing box culvert associated with the C-14 Cypress Creek Canal south of the interchange.

Other improvements include drainage, lighting, landscaping, intelligent transportation systems, signs and pavement markings.

It's One Piece of a Larger Sawgrass Expansion

The Atlantic Boulevard project helps explain why construction along the Sawgrass can seem like a collection of separate projects.

It is.

But those projects are designed to eventually connect.

The next segment north, between Atlantic Boulevard and Sample Road, is also being widened from six to 10 lanes. That approximately three-mile project is expected to cost about $110 million and includes major changes to the Sample Road interchange.

Additional widening segments are planned farther along the corridor.

That's also why motorists won't immediately see all 10 lanes opened when an individual segment is completed. The new capacity is intended to become usable as the adjacent pieces of the corridor are finished.

What Drivers Can Expect During Construction

Work can occur during both daytime and nighttime hours.

Nearby residents and businesses may periodically experience construction lighting, noise, vibration and dust. Lane closures are generally scheduled during off-peak hours to reduce congestion, according to Florida's Turnpike Enterprise.

Specific closures and detours are announced through the agency's South Florida and Treasure Coast Weekly Lane Closures and Work Zone Advisory.

For drivers, the most visible result will eventually be a wider expressway and a substantially rebuilt Atlantic Boulevard interchange.

But the $72.5 million project is also something larger than an isolated interchange reconstruction.

It's the first completed piece being built for what the Sawgrass Expressway is ultimately planned to become.

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This story is part of The Bright Side, which is an ongoing series from Coral Springs Insider that highlights positive developments and community moments around Coral Springs.

Editor’s note: This piece was selected and adapted for Coral Springs Insider to provide local context and perspective on an issue relevant to our community.