PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Neighbors call the orange barrels located at the intersection of Gateway Boulevard and Military Trail an eyesore, and a blocked-off turning lane a traffic hazard.
They represent unfinished business that was supposed to make the busy intersection safer and relieve traffic congestion.
According to FDOT, 51,000 vehicles pass through the intersection every day.
WPTV Investigates
'OUT OF PATIENCE': Why 2 road improvement projects are still stalled
Construction stopped in October 2023 when the Palm Beach County Engineering Department said the company Municipal Contractors failed to pay subcontractors.
The Engineering Department wrote because of "Municipal's delays, neglects, and defaults" the county "declares Municipal in default under each Contract."
WPTV also dug through court records and found eight subcontractors and banks sued Municipal Contractors for defaulting on thousands in payments and loans.
No work has been done since October 2023, frustrating homeowners and commuters like Gerry Pisciottano.
"Traffic in Palm Beach County is bad enough as it is, and this just makes it worse," Pisciottano told WPTV in September.
The Municipal Contractor project at Gateway Boulevard and Military Trail, and a second project at the intersection of Hypoluxo and Jog roads have been sitting idle for 15 months.
Under county policy, construction can resume after it collects money from the surety bond company that insured the projects. However, the county and the bond company have yet to strike a deal.
But County Commissioner Gregg Weiss thinks he has a solution. The county will dip into its emergency fund to get the project back on track, then claw back the $1.6 million it lost to the contractor through the bond company.
"It’s taken way too long," Weiss said, who represents the district that contains the two intersections. "But we finally were able to find a way to move it forward ending the bureaucratic standoff we had been in."
Weiss said that if everything goes according to plan, construction crews will be on site in the next two weeks to finish both projects.
