FDOT plans to narrow U.S. 1 for separated bike lanes and wider sidewalks, with construction scheduled to start in August
City Council meets tonight at 6, a free Woodstock tribute lands at Mizner Park Friday, and Gumbo Limbo runs a sunset After Hours Tour.
Florida DOT construction is scheduled to begin in August 2026 on a 1.3 mile stretch of S.R. 5/U.S. 1 between Camino Real and NE 8th Street/Mizner Boulevard, and the corridor is set to look different by the scheduled finish in late 2027. From Camino Real north to SE Mizner Boulevard/SE 5th Street, the 11 foot outside lane is eliminated and the median narrows to make room for 7 foot separated bike lanes and 11 foot sidewalks. From that point north to NE 8th Street, the median narrows to fit 7 foot separated bike lanes. The estimated $6.3 million project also brings a signalized mid-block crosswalk with added lighting south of Plaza Real, mast-arm signals and a second northbound left-turn lane at Camino Real, signal and pedestrian upgrades, ADA curb work, and new signs and pavement markings. General Asphalt Company LLC is the contractor. The posted speed stays 35 mph, and FDOT says access to homes and businesses is to remain open. There are two ways to get answers on Thursday, July 30. A virtual public meeting runs 5 to 6 p.m., with registration on the project page or dial-in at +1 562-247-8422 using access code 504-662-436. An in-person construction open house follows from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Boca Raton Public Library, 400 NW 2nd Avenue, where project staff will go through scope, schedule, and closures and take questions one on one.
City Council meets tonight at 6, with six ways to watch from home
City Council holds its regular meeting tonight, Tuesday, July 28, at 6 p.m. at the 6500 Building, 6500 Congress Avenue. Residents may attend in person, and the City is carrying the meeting live in six places: the City website, the City Facebook page, the City YouTube channel, Comcast channel 20, AT&T U-verse channel 99, and Hotwire channel 395. That spread of options matters if there is one thing you want to hear and you would rather not commit an entire evening to the room. Pick whichever feed you already have running on a TV or a phone, and plan around a 6 p.m. start at an address on Congress Avenue.
Free Woodstock tribute at Mizner Park Amphitheater Friday night, bring a chair
Peace of Woodstock plays the Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, on Friday, July 31. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the concert starts at 8 p.m., with a set drawn from the songs and artists of Woodstock. Admission is free. Bring a chair or a blanket. If you forget, chairs rent on site for $5 cash, which is worth knowing before you leave the house without small bills. Parking is free at City Hall and the Downtown Library. Food and drinks are sold on site, and outside food and beverages are not permitted, with one exception: each person may bring in a single unopened bottle of water. Leave pets at home. The show runs rain or shine.
Gumbo Limbo runs an After Hours Tour Friday with sunset Intracoastal views, reservations required
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center runs an After Hours Tour on Friday, July 31, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 1801 N Ocean Boulevard. The route takes in the open-air butterfly garden, the Ashley Nature Trail, and the lighted outdoor aquariums, and it includes sunset views over the Intracoastal. Parts of the walk are on a mulched trail. The tour is for ages 7 and older, and an adult has to register and take part alongside any minor. Reservations are required, so this is not a walk-up. Admission is $10 for Boca residents and $13 for nonresidents.
Summer of Cinema screens a subtitled award winner Friday at the Willow, ages 25 and up
Summer of Cinema runs Friday, July 31, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Willow Theatre, 300 S Military Trail. The series shows subtitled, award-winning international films, and film expert Shelly Isaacs introduces the selection and leads a discussion afterward, which is the part that makes this different from streaming something at home. The program is for ages 25 and older. Tickets are $12 for residents and $15 for nonresidents.
Free Pilates Saturdays and free yoga Sundays at Wildflower Park through late August
Weekend mornings at Wildflower Park, 551 E Palmetto Park Road, come with a free workout on the schedule. Pilates meets Saturdays at 9 a.m. and continues through August 29. Yoga meets Sundays at 9 a.m. and continues through August 30. Both are free and both start early enough to get ahead of the worst of the midday heat. Bring a mat and water. Yoga is drop-in with no registration to sort out beforehand. Taken together that is a standing plan for the next five weekends at no cost, which is a reasonable way to keep some structure in a slow stretch of summer.
Aquarium feeding and a sea turtle talk run back to back at midday Wednesday through Friday
Gumbo Limbo has a pair of short programs stacked at midday on Wednesday, July 29, Thursday, July 30, and Friday, July 31. The Outdoor Marine Aquarium Feeding runs from 12:30 to 12:45 p.m., and the Resident Sea Turtle Talk picks up immediately after, from 1 to 1:15 p.m. Both take place at the nature center at 1801 N Ocean Boulevard, and the times hold all three days.
Half-hour gallery talk Wednesday pairs Romare Bearden with Betye Saar at the art museum
The Boca Raton Museum of Art hosts an Art in Focus gallery talk on Wednesday, July 29, from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Museum staff will take two works in depth: Romare Bearden's "Lady and the Egret" and Betye Saar's "Cryptic Confessions, The Question," looking at how each artist uses personal history, cultural symbolism, and found imagery to work through storytelling, memory, and identity. A docent-led tour follows with more highlights from the current exhibitions, so budget more than the scheduled half hour if you want the full walk-through rather than just the talk. The session is free with paid museum admission.