Overnight Closures Continue on Cortez Boulevard at Mondon Hill Road Through This Weekend

Drivers on Cortez Boulevard near Mondon Hill Road are dealing with nightly lane closures through this weekend as crews rebuild the intersection from the ground up. The Florida Department of Transportation says lanes on US 98/SR 50 will close from 8 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. through the night of Sunday, September 21, with Mondon Hill Road's access to Cortez Boulevard shut down overnight as well.

The work is part of a $9.5 million project converting the intersection from asphalt to concrete pavement, a change meant to hold up better under heavy truck and commuter traffic over the long term. Contractor Watson Civil Construction is also adding ADA-compliant curb ramps, rebuilding driveways, upgrading drainage, and making signal, signing and lighting improvements at the intersection.

Construction started May 18, 2026, and FDOT expects the project to wrap by spring 2027. That means this week's closures are just one stretch in a longer run of overnight work still ahead.

What drivers need to know

During the overnight closures, FDOT has posted a detour for anyone trying to reach Cortez Boulevard from Mondon Hill Road. The posted route runs via Raley Road, McAllister Street, Frank Court and Bertram Road.

Cortez Boulevard is one of Hernando County's main east-west routes through Brooksville, carrying commuters, school traffic and freight between US 41 and the interstate. Overnight closures are timed to avoid the daytime crush, but anyone driving home late from work, picking up a night-shift family member, or passing through after an evening out should expect delays or plan the detour ahead of time.

FDOT has not said whether additional nightly closures will be scheduled once this weekend's work ends, though the project's spring 2027 completion date means more overnight work on this stretch of Cortez Boulevard is likely in the months ahead. The agency is offering email alerts for anyone who wants advance notice of future closures on the project.

Drivers can find updates and sign up for alerts through the FDOT project page for the US 98/SR 50 at Mondon Hill Road intersection.

For more updates like this, visit the Hernando County Community Website, follow us on Facebook, and join the conversation in our Community Forum. You can also find more traffic and safety updates in our alerts section.

Header photo: DanTD / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)