The city of Hollywood is applying for up to $6 million in grants to exchange traffic lanes for bike lanes and trails along two major roadways.

The proposed plans at Polk Street and West Park Road aim to reduce the speed of vehicles while making a safer space for bicyclists and pedestrians, officials say.

The grants would cover the construction costs of the projects, and the city would have to pay an estimated $750,000 per project to fund the design, engineering inspection, contingency, operations and maintenance, said Joann Hussey, a spokeswoman for the city of Hollywood.

The city applied for the grants of the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization, a public agency that coordinates transportation and redevelopment plans with 31 local governments and municipalities in Broward County, Hussey said. The funds are expected to be awarded between September and October of 2024. If awarded, funding would become available in 2029 for design, and construction would begin in 2030.

Here’s what to know about these two proposals:

Polk Street

The Polk Street Traffic Calming Project from North 26th Avenue to Dixie Highway consists of slowing traffic by repurposing one vehicle lane into one of these options:

▪ Option A: One bi-directional buffered bicycle lane.

▪ Option B: Two multi-purpose trails.

The plan includes improved sidewalks and crosswalks, wheelchair accessibility upgrades and new landscaping.

West Park Road

The West Park Road Traffic Calming Project between North Park Road and North 56th Avenue consists of reconfiguring one eastbound and one westbound lane into buffered bicycle lanes.

The plan includes improved sidewalks and crosswalks, wheelchair accessibility upgrades, median improvements and new landscaping.

What are the next steps?

City employees are hopeful that Hollywood will be awarded the grants, Hussey said.

“Before any work begins, a detailed traffic study would need to be done to confirm the lane re-purposing is justified and beneficial,” she said. “If these projects move forward they could include buffered bicycle lanes, new sidewalks and crosswalks, landscaping and ADA upgrades, roadway milling and paving, and improved signage and signaling.”

Do you you want to know more?

If you want to know more about these proposals and let your voice be heard, here’s what you can do:

▪ Email the city at cslip@hollywoodfl.org.

▪ Watch a recent public meeting online. The password is pPZKvKk6.

▪ Visit the project’s webpage.

▪ Click HERE to complete a form.