Sawgrass Expressway project from Sample to University to start in coming months

The Sawgrass Expressway widening project is slowly creeping north, with the next phase of construction from north of Sample Road to University Drive set to begin in the first quarter of the year.

As part of the project with the Florida Department of Transportation’s Turnpike Enterprise, crews are transforming the highway from six to 10 lanes and adding a diverging diamond interchange at Coral Ridge Drive.

While there isn’t a definitive end date, project manager Jason Christoper told the Coral Springs News on Jan. 6 that the construction is expected to take at least three years.

But good news for those trying to access the Sawgrass is there won’t be any long-term lane closures or detours during busy hours. Certain activities will take place at night during off-peak hours.

“It would be a construction zone, so I mean they will be experiencing construction, but in general we’re not reducing the number of travel lanes that people will have,” Christopher said. “Shoulder and lane widths will get narrower and things will get tighter, but they won’t reduce capacity.”

The project includes transitioning the Coral Ridge exit to a full diverging diamond interchange with two through lanes in each direction, similar to the Glades Road exit on I-95. A diverging diamond interchange shifts traffic to the left side of the road to allow drivers to enter and exit the highway more easily.

“Operational benefits are for the people that are traveling along Coral Ridge,” Christopher said. “Those folks turning left to enter the Sawgrass or to exit the Sawgrass, they’re going to end up with one less signal, creating fewer conflict points between people and pedestrians.”

With fewer opportunities for vehicles to cross paths with one another and with pedestrians, the design is supposed to be safer and faster, according to FDOT.

A year before the design was implemented at the Glades Road I-95 interchange in January 2023, the Boca Raton Police Department said there were 22 crashes at the intersection, WPTV reported. A year later, after the design change, there were 10.

It’s unclear at what point in the yearslong process that crews will begin working on the Coral Ridge intersection.

While the Sample Road to University construction is underway, the next phase of the project is set to begin in the third quarter of 2026. Crews will be widening the Sawgrass from University Drive to just west of State Road 7 while adding an additional through lane at the University Drive exit.

The northern phase was originally expected to break ground before the Sample to University portion.

As part of the construction, mainline bridges going over Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs Drive, University Drive and Riverside Drive will also be widened to include two more lanes in each direction.

Those who have questions or concerns can submit a comment form on the project website.