NEWS

Expected to start in 2015, Palm Beach County has proposed a five-year project to construct a new exit to relieve traffic on Glades Road and Yamato Road, the two main arteries connecting I-95 with the Boca campus.

Last year, Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams announced the plan to construct a Spanish River Boulevard exit off I-95.

“It will provide needed relief to two of the county’s most congested interchanges,” Abrams said.

Biology major Madison Flint, who lives on campus, believes the new road will benefit students.

“It will be great — anything to relieve Glades from traffic,” said the 18-year-old.

The project is under the Florida Department of Transportation. The exit will be located between Spanish River Boulevard, which is north of the Boca campus and runs east and west, and Yamato Road, which is currently the closest exit north of campus.

The purpose of the exit is to benefit the FAU community, as developments are underway and the number of incoming freshmen is expected to grow, according to Azita Dashtaki, associate vice president of facilities.

“The proposed I-95 interchange at Spanish River Boulevard will provide direct access to the FAU Boca Raton Campus via FAU Boulevard,” Dashtaki said. “And will allow the FAU population to avoid the frequent traffic congestion along Glades Road.”

Dashtaki added that “based upon the convenience of a direct campus access point, key campus destinations, and parking locations, we believe that at least one third of the daily campus traffic may utilize this entrance once the planned interchange is fully completed.”

However, not everyone is happy about the new proposal.

“I feel it will cause more traffic on Spanish River, while taking traffic off of Glades. It is convenient to get on I-95, though,” said sophomore biology major Alyssa Ramharrack, who currently takes Spanish River Boulevard to the Boca campus.

But for chemistry major Monique Golberg, the new exit will mean one less thing to worry about.

“It would reduce my stress level,” Golberg said. “I wouldn’t have to worry so much about getting to classes on time.”