Polk County Roadwork and Closures for the Week of Sept. 13, 2026
Overnight Detours at I-4 and State Road 33
State Road 33 will be detoured overnight at the Interstate 4 interchange in Lakeland from 9:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 13 through Friday, Sept. 18, while crews work on overhead bridge construction. Northbound traffic is detoured via I-4 eastbound and State Road 559. Southbound traffic is detoured via Tomkow Road. The main entrance to Waterside Boulevard will be closed nightly from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. the same nights, and drivers will need to use alternate access points.
The North Combee Road detour tied to the same interchange project began Aug. 10 and is expected to last approximately 60 days, running into October. Drivers should follow posted detour routes using State Road 33, Lakeland Hills Boulevard, and surrounding roads. Estimated completion for the full interchange project is summer 2029.
Kathleen Road Ramp Closures Continue
The westbound Interstate 4 on-ramp at Kathleen Road, Exit 31, will be closed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily and from 8:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. nightly, Monday through Friday, while crews work on the CSX railroad bridge replacement. Drivers wanting to enter I-4 westbound should continue north on Kathleen Road past the closed ramp, turn east on Griffin Road to U.S. 98, then head north to the westbound on-ramp at Exit 32.
U.S. 17 Lane Closure Continues in Winter Haven
The southbound inside lane of U.S. 17 north and south of State Road 540, Cypress Gardens Boulevard, is closed, along with the inside westbound left turn lane from Cypress Gardens Boulevard onto southbound U.S. 17. The Florida Department of Transportation says the 24-hour, seven-day closure is expected to remain in place for approximately two weeks. Crews are installing a new drainage structure and building turn lanes for the entrance to the Target under construction at that intersection. Drivers should also expect nightly lane closures near the Snively Avenue and Lake Shipp Drive intersection.
Eagle Lake and Southern Winter Haven
Nighttime lane closures and traffic shifts continue at U.S. 17 and State Road 540, Cameron Road, in Eagle Lake, where Polk County is building a new alignment of Thompson Nursery Road. The new road will be a four-lane collector between U.S. 17 and Rifle Range Road. Crews are setting barrier wall and beginning radius construction and sidewalk work at the intersection.
Old Eagle Lake Winter Haven Road is also closed nightly at 8 p.m. between the 3200 and 4000 blocks for utility work, with the roadway expected to reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15. That detour routes onto State Road 540, Recker Highway and Lake Shipp Drive South.
North Lakeland and Kathleen
Flagging operations and lane shifts will be in place on U.S. 98 between West Socrum Loop Road and Rock Ridge Road from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 13 through Thursday, Sept. 17. Periodic daytime flagging will occur between West Socrum Loop Road and County Road 54 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 14 through Friday, Sept. 18. The speed limit remains reduced to 45 mph through the project, which is widening U.S. 98 to four lanes and adding roundabouts at Big Cypress Boulevard and State Road 471.
Bartow and State Road 60
Eastbound and westbound lane closures will be in place on State Road 60 from Silvio Road to east of Tiger Lake Road from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, while the state materials office tests pavement texture.
Nighttime eastbound closures on State Road 60 from Rifle Range Road to Alturas Road continue from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. through early October for storm drainage work in the median.
On U.S. 98 between State Road 60 and Bartow Regional Medical Center, nighttime closures run from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, as crews pave the Lyle Parkway intersection and install a mast arm signal. The median opening at Lyle Parkway is closed, and drivers will need to continue to the next median opening and make a U-turn.
Old Bartow Lake Wales Road remains closed at the State Road 60 intersection for a Polk County widening project, with reopening expected at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Davenport and Northeast Polk
An eastbound lane of U.S. 17/92 from Lake Shore Way to Pomelo Street will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. through Wednesday, Sept. 16, while crews perform a directional bore for sewer work.
Nighttime closures continue on U.S. 17/92 from Palmetto Street to Market Street from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. through late September for widening and turn lane work, and at Powerline Road just south of Bargain Barn Road from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
On U.S. 27, expect inside lane closures at the Holly Hill Road and Massee Road intersection from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday through Thursday, and closures from Ridgewood Lakes Boulevard to Holly Hill Road from 7:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. the same nights for drainage work and a new median turn lane.
Lake Wales and South Polk
Daytime lane closures from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and nighttime closures from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. continue on U.S. 27 from Cypress Gardens Boulevard to Hunters Glen in the Waverly and Lake Wales area, where crews are building new turn lanes. Work is expected to continue through September. Daytime southbound closures also continue at U.S. 27 and Live Oak Drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through September while crews replace poles.
In Frostproof, daytime closures from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and nighttime closures from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. continue on State Road 17, Scenic Highway, from West Fourth Street to Bulldog Way through Oct. 30 for sidewalk, curb and inlet repairs. In Babson Park, daytime shoulder closures on Scenic Highway from Libby Road to Lakeshore Avenue run through Sept. 18.
Striping and Signal Work
Nighttime closures for safety striping and thermoplastic work continue on alternating nights from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through Oct. 9 along Berkley Road, Recker Highway and Memorial Boulevard. Flaggers will direct traffic.
Three new traffic signals are being wired and are expected to be operational this fall, at State Road 544 and Old Lucerne Park Road in Winter Haven, State Road 33 at Mount Olive Road in Polk City, and State Road 17 at Kokomo Road in Lake Hamilton. Crews may be working at any of the three sites, with periodic lane closures seven days a week.
Also This Week
A single lane of South Frontage Road from Harden Boulevard to Old Road 37 will be closed from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Friday, Oct. 2, while crews install a new bus stop. On State Road 37, South Florida Avenue, nighttime southbound closures from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. continue between West Christina Boulevard and Shepard Road as crews extend a left turn lane. Nighttime closures on State Road 540, Winter Lake Road, at Thomas Wood Lane continue from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through the end of October.
All schedules are subject to change based on weather and conditions in the field. Speeding fines are doubled in Florida work zones when workers are present. Drivers can check current conditions at FL511.com.
Sources: District One Districtwide RoadWatch Report #37, Florida Department of Transportation, swflroads.com, Sept. 10, 2026; Polk County Government news releases, polkfl.gov, Sept. 4 and Sept. 10, 2026
