OKEECHOBEE COUNTY — The following column is the Road Watch report for Okeechobee County for the week beginning Sunday, Sept. 22, provided by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Motorists are reminded to wear safety belts and drive with caution, courtesy, common sense, and patience as they travel through work zones. Remember, speeding fines are doubled in work zones.

US 441 at NE 50th Drive (Hillard Road): (Permit project) Crews are constructing a temporary road connection to rebuild Hillard Road. This permit also includes the construction of a new driveway connection and right-turn lane for the new South Florida Water Management facility. There may be daytime and nighttime lane closures and traffic may be reduced to one lane in various areas. Please use caution in the area and watch for workers in the work zones.

US 98 (SR 15/US 441/Parrott Avenue) from SW 23rd Street to SW 14th Street and US 98 (SR 15/US441/Parrott Avenue) from SW 3rd Street to SW 5th Street: (Construction project) Crews will work on two projects in the area which will include milling, resurfacing, base work, drainage improvements, stormwater pond construction, ditch and shoulder regrading, curb and gutter, sidewalks, signing and pavement markings. There may be daytime and nighttime lane closures and traffic may be reduced to one lane in various areas. Please use caution in the area and watch for workers in the work zones.

• Starting the week of September 23, 2024, a southbound lane of US 98 (SR 15/US 441/Parrott Avenue) between SW 19th Street and SW 21st Street and the northbound left turn lane at Parrott Avenue and SW 21st will be closed. The closure of SW 21st Street at the intersection of Parrott Avenue to SW 2nd Avenue will continue for approximately 30 days.

• Crews will be onsite installing new drainage improvements on SW 21st Street. Please follow posted signs, be aware of possible delays, include additional travel time, or consider alternate routes during the repair.

Anticipated completion is late 2024/early 2025.

As a reminder, travelers can visit www.FL511.com or dial “511” from their phone to learn about traffic conditions on major roadways across the state.