Updates coming to the Crystal Lake neighborhood

Polk County plans to reconstruct the boardwalk over the lake and add a stoplight at a busy intersection near Southeastern University.

An aerial view and three ground-level photos show the Crystal Lake boardwalk in a state of severe disrepair and damage.

Here’s the “before” of the Crystal Lake boardwalk — we can’t wait to see the “after” this summer.

Photo via Polk County

Polk County has its eye on the Crystal Lake area in Lakeland. These two projects in the works could impact drivers, pedestrians, and fishers.

Crystal Lake boardwalk

The 600-ft boardwalk on the north side of the lake was built more than 25 years ago. It was closed to the public as it began to show its age in recent years.

In February, county commissioners approved a contract with Stokes Marine, Inc. to demolish + rebuild the boardwalk by late summer. The project will cost nearly $650,000, and the site is already blocked off.

An aerial view shows the SEU football and baseball fields, with a stoplight icon placed at a crosswalk on North Crystal Lake Drive.

The intersection will include crosswalk signals, making it safer to leave an SEU sporting event.

Photo via Polk County

North Crystal Lake Drive stoplight

Down the road, the county is also planning a new stoplight with pedestrian crosswalks at the intersection of North Crystal Lake Drive and Longfellow Boulevard, just south of Southeastern University.

Commissioners gave the green light to use $411,187 of Polk County Roads and Drainage Division funding for the design portion of the project, but a timeline is TBA.

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