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US 98 (Dade City Bypass) Widening from 7th St. S. to 7th St. N. 256423-3-52-01
Project Details
About
This design-build project is widening US 98, also known as the Dade City Bypass, from two lanes to a four lane highway between 7th St. S and 7th St. N.
Two roundabouts will be built with the project: One will be constructed at 7th Street S and one has been constructed and is open at Old Lakeland Highway.
New traffic signals will be added at the Meridian Avenue, 7th Street N, and River Road intersections. The existing signal at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard will be improved. Sidewalks will be built on both sides of the highway.
The contractor is responsible for finalizing the design plans and building the improvements. The design portion of the contract began in March 2023. Construction work began in late January 2024.
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PROGRESS UPDATE
June 17, 2025 - The section of southbound US 98 Bypass / US 301 that was closed between Martin Luther King Boulevard and Meridian Avenue was opened to traffic. This section had been closed since March 1, 2024.
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First US 98 Bypass Roundabout is OPEN
Dade City – A new roundabout opened Monday morning, December 23, 2024, at the intersection of the US 98 Bypass (also US 301) and Old Lakeland Highway. The roundabout connects the two roadways, while maintaining access to businesses on the west side of the corridor.
Currently, the roundabout is in a single-lane configuration as widening work continues along the US 98 Bypass to eventually open a second lane in 2026. Drivers going to Embassy Plaza and Reliance Auto Repair exit and enter on the west side of the roundabout. Pedestrians going through this area are guided to a channelized sidewalk.
Roundabout Driving Tips
- Reduce your speed as you approach the roundabout.
- Always yield to pedestrians in the roadway and watch for bicyclists in the travel lanes.
- Look left for oncoming traffic (traffic moves through the roundabout in a counterclockwise direction).Yield to traffic already in the roundabout – wait for a gap and then enter. Traffic in the circle has the right of way.
- Do not stop in the roundabout and do not pass other vehicles. Allow emergency vehicles to pass.
- Follow the lane lines and guide signs entering, circling through, and exiting the roundabout.
- All turns exiting the roundabout are right turns. Use your right turn signal when exiting the circle.
- If you pass your exit, simply continue around the circle until you reach it once again.
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**A Virtual Public Meeting was held on this project on November 29, 2022. A copy of the presentation can be found at the video link below under Project Videos. If you would like to view a PDF version of the presentation along with the script, please click on the presentation under Project Files.
Contact Information
| Project Information |
|---|
|
John McShaffrey
813-975-6930
john.mcshaffrey@dot.state.fl.us
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| Media Contact |
|
Kris Carson
813-975-6060
Kristen.Carson@dot.state.fl.us
|
Closures
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Southbound US 98 Bypass REOPENED; south 7th Street connection to US 98/US 301 CLOSED
Dade City, FL – The southbound travel lane on the US 98 Bypass has reopened to traffic. The highway has returned to 2-way traffic from south of Lock Street to Martin Luther King Boulevard. This reopening allows both directions of travel to remain on the US 98 Bypass as construction continues to widen the highway to four lanes. Motorists are advised to remain alert to the new traffic pattern, construction workers, and new traffic signals at River Road/Whitehouse Avenue and where northbound 7th Street connects to the bypass just south of Gaddis Street.
The south end of 7th Street is now closed at the US 98/US 301 intersection. This closure of the 7th Street intersection is expected to be in place for approximately six months to construct a roundabout. Thru traffic will not be able to enter or exit 7th Street during the roundabout construction.
DETOUR: Traffic in both directions is detoured using the US 98 Bypass/US 301, Meridian Avenue, and 7th Street.
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This closure was scheduled to begin September 8, but has been postponed to begin one week later.
Tuskeegee Avenue to Close at the US 98 Bypass for One Week, beginning September 15th
Dade City – Beginning Monday, September 15, 2025, the Tuskeegee Avenue connection to the US 98 Bypass/US 301 will close for construction work. Thru traffic will not be able to enter or exit Tuskeegee Avenue during the closure. The around-the-clock closure is expected to remain in place through approximately Sunday, September 21, 2025.
DETOUR: Traffic will be detoured on local roads using Tuskeegee Avenue, Wilson Street, Canal Street, Taylor Avenue, Delmar Street, and Martin Luther King Boulevard.
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7th Street (south end) at US 98/US 301
Access to/from US 98/US 301 closed and detoured to the US 98 Bypass: 24 hours per day through approximately February 2026 -
US 98 (Dade City Bypass) from north of River Road to Martin Luther King Boulevard
Southbound closed and detoured to 7th Street: 24 hours per day through approximately September 2025
