County Commissioners Approve Two Construction Contracts, Including Improvements on County’s Most Dangerous Road
by James Coulter
Polk County’s most crash‑prone and fastest‑growing corridor is set for safety upgrades after commissioners approved one of two construction contracts with a single firm, including work on the troubled Kathleen Road intersection.
At their regular meeting in late July, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) voted unanimously to award two roadway construction contracts to Ajax Paving Industries of Florida, LLC.
Both ordinances advance improvements at two busy intersections, one of which sits along Kathleen Road, a corridor repeatedly described by county officials as one of the most dangerous and crash-prone in the county.
The first project will convert the intersection of Kathleen Road and Deeson Road into a fully signalized crossing.
This project will include “converting the existing stop-controlled intersection into a signalized intersection, extending the existing left-turn lane on Kathleen Road, extending the left-turn lane on the Deeson Road approach, and constructing a new southbound right-turn lane on Kathleen Road,” wrote Tabatha Shirah, Senior Procurement Analyst.
“These improvements will enhance the level of service at this intersection by allowing the vehicles on Deeson Road with safer and more efficient access to Kathleen Road,” she wrote.
The construction contract totals $2,150,875.08. The project is expected to take 155 days, with an additional 23 days allotted for allowance time.
The improvements have come as Kathleen Road continues to draw attention for its safety record and rapid development.
A major north–south route through north Lakeland, the corridor has experienced sustained growth in recent years, with new residential and commercial projects adding pressure to a roadway that remains two lanes along much of its length.
As previously reported on the Daily Ridge, a 1.5‑mile stretch of Kathleen Road saw 366 crashes and three fatalities over five years, according to Polk Transportation Planning Organization data.
County planning documents also cite increased population and employment growth as drivers of several widening and extension initiatives now underway. As those long‑range plans advance, intersections like Kathleen and Deeson must be upgraded to match future traffic demands and improve safety for current users.
The second contract approved with Ajax Paving Industries focuses on another busy intersection: Country Club Road and Buckeye Loop Road. That project includes installing a new traffic signal and making geometric improvements intended to reduce delays and improve traffic flow.
This project would “improve the overall operational performance of the intersection by implementing improvements that will provide an acceptable level of service on all approaches,” Shirah wrote.
The project is budgeted at $2,774,976.16 and is expected to take 330 days, with 49 days allotted for allowance time.
Funding for both projects is available through the county’s Transportation Trust Fund.
