PALM COAST
POTATO BOWL PREVIEW PAGE 6B
Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
VOLUME 16, NO. 30
Fine: Utilities are city’s responsibility Still, Congressman Randy Fine didn’t rule out federal help for Palm Coast’s wastewater treatment issues.
FREE ON NEWSSTANDS | THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2025
Under construction
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Over a dozen projects are in the works to improve Palm Coast’s roads.
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PAGE 3A
Growing labor force, but slow hiring? Unemployment rate rises to 5% in Flagler County for July. PAGE 5A INSIDE NEW POST
School Board’s Derek Barrs expects September confirmation for federal job. PAGE 7A
FATAL CRASH
Palm Coast business owner Michael Brick dies in Aug. 15 motorcycle crash. PAGE 2A
APPLICATION DENIED Palm Coast Council sides with Hargrove business owners to reject concrete batch plant. PAGE 4A
ADIEU, DISTRICT 2
County Commissioner Hansen will not run for reelection. PAGE 4A
ADOPT ME
Over 17 cats adopted at special Humane Society event. PAGE 1B
INDEX
Business..................... PAGE 4B Calendar..................... PAGE 2B Cops Corner................PAGE 2A Crossword...................PAGE 7B Letters........................ PAGE 8A Public Notices............ PAGE 6C Sports......................... PAGE 6B Tributes ...................... PAGE 3C Real Estate................. PAGE 5B
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3 5 ROAD PROJECTS 1. FDOT — US 1 Resurfacing From East Ridgewood Street in Bunnell to the north of Palm Coast Parkway, U.S. 1 will be repaved and additional road improvements will be added, including adding sidewalks where the right-ofway allows. This is ongoing and should finish by Winter 2025. 2. FDOT — US 1 Resurfacing From north of Palm Coast Parkway to the St. Johns County line, U.S. 1 will be repaved. Additional road improvements include drainage, signage and pavement marking projects. Construction just began in July. 3. Pavement Management — Resurfacing The project is to mill and resurface Palm Coast Parkway from U.S. 1 to I-95 and extend the turn lanes at Pine Lakes Parkway and Bridgehaven Drive. Estimated to finish in January 2026. 4. Span Wire Refurbishment — Phase 2 The replacement of all overhead hardware and wiring at four intersections along Belle Terre Parkway, including replacement signage and traffic signal. Finishes in December. 5. Florida Park Dr. Intersection — Pedestrian Enhancing and adding pedestrian crosswalks to the intersection of Palm Coast Parkway westbound and Florida Park Drive. Finishes in December. 6. Belle Terre Improvements The addition or modification of turn lanes at
SIERRA WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Slowly but surely, Palm Coast is tackling a list of its road improvement projects. From resurfacings to adding turn lanes, there are 17 ongoing road improvement projects in Palm Coast, including two resurfacing projects by the Florida Department of Transportation. The Palm Coast City Council unanimously approved multiple resolutions at its Aug. 19 meeting relating to several road improvement projects. FDOT RESURFACING ON HIGHWAY U.S. 1, S.R. 100
The FDOT is repaving two segments of U.S. 1, one on the north side and one on the south side of Palm Coast Parkway. The projects are completely funded by FDOT. On the south end, the repaving will finish by the end of 2025. The project stretches from East Ridgewood Street in Bunnell to the
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six different intersections on Belle Terre Parkway between Whiteview and Royal Palms Parkways. Construction to begin this fall. 7. Whiteview Improvements The addition or modification of turn lanes at six different intersections on Whiteview Parkway between U.S. 1 and Pine Tree Drive. Construction to begin in August. 8. Old Kings Road Widening — Phase 2 The widening of Old Kings Road from the Kings Way north intersection to Frontier Drive to a fourlane road. Construction to begin summer 2026. 9. Seminole Woods Traffic Signal At Seminole Woods Boulevard and Airport Commerce Way, this project includes installing a new traffic signal and constructing a southbound left turn lane. Construction to begin this fall.
north side of Palm Coast Parkway, and includes several additional improvements. On the north end, the project extends from north of Palm Coast Parkway to the county line. Construction just began in July and includes resurfacing, drainage, signage and pavement markings improvements. FDOT finished construction on its State Road 100 repaving project from Palmetto Road to Old Kings Boulevard this summer. PAVEMENT MANAGEMENT
Palm Coast will be milling and resurfacing Palm Coast Parkway between U.S. 1 and Interstate 95, which include several turn lane modifications. Construction on this will begin in October and be completed in January 2026. FLORIDA PARK DRIVE CROSSWALKS
The city is adding two pedestrian crosswalks at Palm Coast Parkway
10. Matanzas to Palm Coast Parkway Connector Loop The proposed construction of a multilane roadway designed to connect the Matanzas Woods and Palm Coast Parkway Connector Loop Road. This is a four-phase project. 11. Matanzas to Palm Coast Parkway Connector Loop — Phase 2 The construction of a bridge over the Florida East Coast Railroad as part of the Connector Loop Road project. Construction to begin in Winter 2025. 12. Old Kings Road Widening South The widening of south Old Kings Road from to a four-lane road, from just south of Town Center Boulevard to Brighton Circle. Construction began in the spring.
westbound and Florida Park Drive. Construction will begin in October and finish by the end of 2025. Its projected $175,000 budget is funded through impact fees. BELLE TERRE INTERSECTIONS
The city is working on improving over a dozen intersections and turn lanes along Belle Terre Parkway, from Pritchard Drive to Pine Lakes Parkway. The project costs $7 million in impact fees and state funding and will add or modify turn lanes onto and off of Belle Terre into residential neighborhoods. Construction will begin this fall. WHITEVIEW PARKWAY INTERSECTIONS
Multiple intersections along the entirety of Whiteview Parkway will have turn lanes added to improve safety. Construction began in August and the project is estimated to cost over $7.5 million, funded in part through a grant and $5 million in transportation impact fees.
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OLD KINGS WIDENING
In the summer of 2026, Palm Coast will begin widening Old Kings Road north from Kings Way to Frontier Drive into a four-lane road. It will take two years to complete the project, which has a budget of almost $30 million. It is funded primarily through impact fees and state appropriations and grant money. The south end of the Old Kings Widening project — from Town Center Boulevard to Brighton Circle and Royal Palms Parkway to Old Kings Boulevard — just began the design process last spring. MATANZAS-PALM COAST PARKWAY CONNECTOR LOOP
Palm Coast is about to begin construction of the overpasses that will go over the Florida East Coast railroad at Matanzas Woods Parkway and Matanzas Village Avenue. The city is also entering the design phase for the portion of the connector loop that will stretch from the overpasses to halfway around the loop. Palm Coast has received $125 million in state appropriations and FDOT funding for all four phases of this project.