A new roundabout project at the intersection of Old Bartow Lake Wales Road and Rattlesnake Road (County Road 653) in Lake Wales will close the intersection for one month starting Monday morning, January 9. Local access will be maintained to the point of closure, but no traffic will be permitted to cross the intersection. Depending on the destination and direction of travel, detour signs will reroute traffic along a combination of roads that can include State Road 60, Rifle Range Road, County Road 540A (Eloise Loop Road and/or Thompson Nursery Road), Old Bartow Road, Mountain Lake Cutoff Road, and U.S. Highway 27. Detouring may be lengthy for some commuters. Motorists are advised to add extra time to trips through this area.
The roundabout will improve the flow and safety of traffic through the intersection and provide access to a new subdivision being built on the east side and a new elementary school under construction at the northwest corner. The roundabout is being built for Polk County through a developer’s agreement to save the county time and money.
Other active roadway construction projects continue to affect traffic countywide. Motorists should always drive carefully, be alert to crews and equipment, and obey detour signs.