By Coral Gables Gazette staff

Drivers in Coral Gables can expect both relief and frustration in the weeks ahead as one major traffic-calming project wraps up and another begins on two of the city’s busiest corridors.

Ponce project to begin

The Ponce Phase III traffic-calming project—covering Ponce de Leon Boulevard from Menores Avenue to Antiquera Avenue—will break ground this week. City officials are warning motorists to “expect traffic delays” along one of Coral Gables’ main north–south arteries.

The $5 million project (figure not provided in city documents) will add a landscaped median and, in later stages, a roundabout at Santillane Avenue. Plans also include the removal and replacement of sidewalks, new curbs and gutters, water main upgrades, and roadway resurfacing. Construction is expected to take roughly one year.

According to the city’s Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan, the project “addresses the operational and safety deficiencies along the corridor” and is intended to reduce both traffic speed and volume. The design originated in the North Ponce de Leon Boulevard Median Evaluation, completed in 2002, and represents the final phase of a multi-decade effort to calm traffic through design improvements.

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 24, at 10:30 a.m., marking the official start of construction.

At the Transportation Advisory Board meeting on Oct. 21, Senior Transportation Engineer Melissa De Zayas said the city will launch a public outreach campaign in the coming days to alert drivers to potential delays. Notifications will appear on the city’s website, through email updates, and across social media platforms.

Coral Way and Granada Boulevard project nears completion

While drivers on Ponce may soon face detours, motorists along Coral Way at Granada Boulevard can expect smoother travel ahead. The Coral Way–Granada Boulevard Hardening Project, which began in February, is nearing completion. County traffic engineers are now conducting inspections, with only final “punch-list” items remaining.

The project involved upgraded traffic and pedestrian signals, milling and resurfacing, new striping, and landscaping enhancements. According to the city’s project plan, the improvements are designed to withstand hurricane-force winds and channel vehicles safely while protecting pedestrians, all while preserving the historic integrity of the intersection.

Although located within Coral Gables, the intersection serves more than 20,000 commuters daily, linking city traffic with major east–west routes into Miami. Officials estimate that the improvements will increase roadway capacity and reduce peak-hour congestion. A state grant funded the upgrades.

De Zayas also noted that Miami-Dade County plans to begin construction next year on a new traffic circle at Anderson Road and Coral Way, extending the pattern of intersection improvements throughout the corridor.

Transportation Advisory Board faces membership struggles

The city’s ongoing infrastructure work was reviewed during the first official Transportation Advisory Board meeting since July, following two consecutive months without quorum. The seven-member board requires at least five members to conduct business, but currently has only five active appointees. Commissioner Melissa Castro has yet to name her representative, and the board has been unable to fill another vacancy due to insufficient attendance.

Members discussed whether to petition the City Commission to lower the quorum requirement, though they were uncertain whether city code would allow such a change.

Board members, still reestablishing regular operations, considered only one new issue: lighting deficiencies at the Ponce de Leon roundabout near Merrick Park. De Zayas provided updates on traffic-calming projects citywide, and members briefly discussed the scope of their next annual report to the City Commission, acknowledging that the board’s limited activity this past fiscal year may not justify a full report.

Balancing growth, safety and mobility

Taken together, the Ponce and Coral Way projects reflect Coral Gables’ broader strategy to balance historic preservation with modern mobility improvements. By reconfiguring intersections, hardening infrastructure, and introducing roundabouts, city engineers aim to slow vehicles while improving traffic flow and pedestrian safety.

As construction begins on Ponce and ends on Coral Way, residents may feel both the growing pains and long-term benefits of a city reshaping its streets for the next century of use.