A safety study of the intersection of Havendale Boulevard/MLK Boulevard and US 17 (8th Street NW) was prepared for the FDOT in April 2020. The study suggested several changes that will improve safety for the traveling public. Several of the improvements will now be incorporated into a construction project scheduled to begin in mid-May 2024.

Improvements include:

• Extending the left turn lane on eastbound Havendale Boulevard to northbound US 17. The turn lane, which ends just before 9th Street NW will now extend down to just before 11th Street NW, more than doubling the capacity to hold vehicles waiting to turn and clearing the travel lanes for those going through the intersection.
• Closing both 9th and 10th streets Northwest to left turns. Right turns in and right turns out are still available, but left turns will have to be made by turning right and making a U-Turn to head in the other direction.
• Shortening the traffic separator on Havendale Boulevard to allow more room for eastbound vehicles to make the left turn onto northbound 8th Street NW and from northbound 8th street NW vehicles to make a left turn onto westbound Havendale Boulevard.
• Restriping northbound and southbound US 17 to include a single left turn lane and two dedicated through lanes to improve traffic flow in each direction.
• Adding high-visibility crosswalks at the intersection.
• Realigning and constructing sidewalk at the intersection to align with the new crosswalks.
• Installing new mast arm poles for the signal and upgrading signal equipment

A copy of the safety study can be found under documents below.