• Work has been underway for over a year to add three new lanes to the eastbound exit ramp to Thomasville Road.
• The right-turn lane and a noise barrier were built.
• Watch the video to hear what one driver thinks about the change.

TRANSCRIPT OF THE MESSAGE:

If you use I-10 frequently, you may have noticed the changes at Exit 203 in Tallahassee.

A new lane has been added to the Thomasville Road Capital Circle interchange, but FDOT continues to work on other additions.

Fresh asphalt was laid for a new right-turn lane on the eastbound ramp 203.

According to driver Pete Daniel, assistance may be available in this area.

“Thomasville Road is a notoriously bad bottleneck,” Daniel said.

According to FDOT data, an average of over 70,000 people take this exit every day.

Backups like the ones Daniel described are the reason FDOT started this project in June 2023.

Completion was originally planned for summer 2024.

Ian Satter, FDOT’s director of information, told me in a phone call that the project will be completed in late 2024.

Crews are still working on adding an additional left-turn lane and another to access Raymond Diehl Road directly.

All of this work cost less than FDOT originally estimated.

When I reported on it in July 2023, FDOT officials told me it would cost $14.9 million.

Now Satter said it will cost $11.8 million.

Daniel said he was glad that the problem with the ramp was recognized.

“The ramp has been narrow ever since I first knew it,” said Daniel. “I don’t find it funny.”

He said he was not sure the work would solve the problem.

“We have to wait and see,” said Daniel.

He said there is a problem that the FDOT may not be able to fix.

“People don’t know how to drive on I-10,” Daniel said.

You may also have noticed workers working on a wall near this exit.

The goal of the project is to reduce highway noise for Gilchrist Elementary students and staff.