Polk County approves contract to build pathway along Wabash Avenue in Lakeland

Gary White, Lakeland Ledger
·2 min read
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County commissioners approved improvements to Wabash Avenue in west Lakeland that will make it a little safer for kids going to and from Jesse Keen Elementary.
County commissioners approved improvements to Wabash Avenue in west Lakeland that will make it a little safer for kids going to and from Jesse Keen Elementary.

The Polk County Commission voted Tuesday to spend $1.8 million to build a multiuse pathway along Wabash Avenue in western Lakeland.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a contract with Gibbs & Register, a Winter Garden construction company. The trail will stretch about four-fifths of a mile from Ariana Street to West Hickory Street.

The contractors will build a 10-foot-wide asphalt path on the east side of Wabash Avenue from Ariana Street to Jesse Keen Elementary and a 5-foot concrete sidewalk from the school to West Hickory Street.

The developer will widen Wabash Avenue to three lanes from West Highland Street to Wayman Street, add a left turn lane into the parking lot at Jesse Keen Elementary and build a pedestrian crossover island at the school. The project entails utility relocations, installation of drainage pipes and the construction of a retaining wall.

A county presentation shows the plan to add a path along Wabash Avenue in west Lakeland. A 10-foot asphalt path would run from Ariana Street to Jessee Keen Elementary. A 5-foot concrete path would run from the school to Hickory Street in the north.
A county presentation shows the plan to add a path along Wabash Avenue in west Lakeland. A 10-foot asphalt path would run from Ariana Street to Jessee Keen Elementary. A 5-foot concrete path would run from the school to Hickory Street in the north.

The improvements should reduce the frequency of nighttime crashes at Wabash Avenue and Highland Street, County Manager Bill Beasley said. Construction is expected to begin in December and last about 7½ months.

The project is partly funded through a federal program administered through the Florida Department of Transportation, which will cover just over half the cost, Beasley said.

Commissioners unanimously approved a $5.8 million contract with GLK Real Estate for road improvements related to three proposed residential developments west of U.S. 27 in the Haines City area. The Cascades and Wynnstone subdivision sites lie within the city, and the Brentwood subdivision is in unincorporated Polk County.

The contract obligates GLK Real Estate, a Winter Haven company, to design, permit and construct improvements on two segments of FDC Grove Road. The northern segment stretches roughly from Minute Maid Ramp Road 2 to Holly Hill Grove Road 1. The southern segment runs from Sand Hill Road to Holly Hill Tank Road.

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The developer will also upgrade Holly Hill Grove Road 2 and will improve a pair of intersections on FDC Grove Road.

In addition to the cash reimbursement of up to $5.8 million, Polk County will provide the developer with impact fee credits for just over $3 million. The planned infrastructure improvements are valued at more than $12 million, Beasley said in introducing the agenda item at Tuesday’s meeting.

A traffic study found the need for improvements along U.S. 27 associated with the proposed subdivisions, and the developer will pay $790,000 for anticipated future projects.

Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on X @garywhite13.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk County plans multiuse pathway along Wabash Avenue in Lakeland