Week of May 12-18, 2008

The following is a summary of Sarasota County construction, repair and maintenance projects that are expected to have an impact on local traffic during the period beginning Monday, March 31, and continuing through Sunday, April 6. This summary includes all road or lane closures approved by the county engineer. It also includes updates on the construction of The Legacy Trail.

For more information about county construction projects and road and lane closures, call the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000. At this site, you also can find the current status of state roadway projects in Sarasota County in the weekly RoadWatch Update issued by the Florida Department of Transportation.

Spencer Avenue, Laurel: Preparation work continues this week for installation of the new water main as part of the Spencer Avenue extension project. Spencer Avenue, which now begins at U.S. 41 and ends at Valencia Street, will be extended to Church Street, a distance of 609 feet. The extension will include two 11-foot-wide travel lanes, 2-foot-wide shoulders and a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side. Other improvements include a water main extension along the north side of Spencer Avenue from Valencia to Church streets, and open drainage ditches on both sides of the roadway with stormwater treatment in the ditches. The project is targeted for completion in November.

Little Five Points (Herald Square), Sarasota: Construction crews this week are installing stormwater pipe on Rawls Avenue between Alderman Street and Oak Street as part of the Little Five Points (Herald Square) Stormwater Improvements. Crews also are installing water main pipe and stormwater pipe on Orange Avenue just north of Alderman Street. Orange Avenue will be closed at Oak Street. Northbound traffic will be detoured to Pineapple Avenue and can turn left onto Laurel Street to return to Oak Street. Southbound traffic will be detoured to Laurel Street and can turn left on Pineapple Avenue to return to southbound Orange Avenue. This detour is expected to remain until July. Rawls Avenue also is closed between Alderman Street and Cherry Lane. All businesses will be open in the Burns Court and Herald Square area. Business signs are posted to direct patrons to area businesses.

Motorists should follow posted detours and use caution when traveling in these areas. Signs, barricades and flagmen will be present as needed. Construction of the entire project is expected to be completed in November.

Cattlemen Road, Sarasota (from Proctor Road to Colonial Oaks Boulevard): Temporary interior lane closures in both directions along Cattlemen Road are expected Monday-Wednesday, May 12-14, for tree maintenance in the medians.

Laurel Road, Laurel: Excavation along the north side of Laurel Road between Albee Farm Road and Twin Laurel Boulevard is under way. The sidewalk along Laurel will be removed and replaced, and maintenance will be provided to the surrounding drainage swales. An outside lane along the north side of Laurel may be closed during the day while construction continues. The project to improve sidewalks and drainage runs from Albee Farm Road to Twin Laurel Boulevard along the north side of Laurel Road, and from Albee Farm Road to the west side of the Laurel Nokomis School driveway entrance along the south side of Laurel Road. Work is expected to be finished by the end of July.

Sorrento East, South Bay and Laurel, mid-county area: Micro-surfacing of roads in the mid-county area of Laurel and the Sorrento East and South Bay neighborhoods is under way. The contractor is continuing the crack sealing of some roads and micro-surfacing in the Sorrento East area. Sealing of cracks in the South Bay neighborhood continues this week. Residents will be notified via door hangers a few days before work begins on their street. The project is expected to continue through May.

Overbrook Road, Englewood: Construction is under way on replacement of the Overbrook Road Bridge. Motorists should expect minor delays with possible daily lane closures, as needed. The bridge will be closed June 1-Aug. 31. During the closure, traffic will be detoured to Manasota Beach Road. The new bridge will include a 6-foot-wide sidewalk on the south side, 11-foot-wide travel lanes and 6-foot-wide shoulders. Among other improvements are replacement of bridge seawalls and water and sewer line connections. The project is expected to be finished by the end of August.

Center Road, Venice: Temporary lane closures will occur this week on Center Road from River Road to Fieldstone Drive while work is under way in the medians. The work is expected to be finished by the end of May.

Lake Sarasota area, Sarasota: Work continues this week on construction of the Lakeview Elementary School area sidewalks. Installation of potable waterlines along Jarvis Road, Lago Way and Lago Street is complete. Minor traffic delays may occur as heavy equipment moves through the area. Flagmen will be present as needed. Motorists are urged to use caution when traveling through the neighborhood. The sidewalk portion of the project includes a total of 3.06 miles of sidewalks on 11 roadway segments. Also included is driveway reconstruction, drainage improvements, utility adjustments, grading and sod, pavement markings and signage. The project is scheduled to be finished in September.

Webber Street, Sarasota (Java Plum Avenue to McIntosh Road): Construction on McIntosh Road south of Webber Street will continue this week. The northbound travel lane of McIntosh will be closed from Beacon Drive to Webber Street. Activity will increase at the intersection of Webber Street and Java Plum Avenue as the vacuum pump station site is prepared for construction. The work is part of the Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement Program Area K project and sidewalk and safety improvements. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. Specific road and lane closures will be posted at this site weekly. Construction is expected to be finished in October 2008.
Webber Street, Sarasota (McIntosh Road to Huntington Avenue): Pipe installation will occur this week on Belmont Drive, Cambridge Drive, Winthrop Street and Dunbar Drive. Sewer pit installation will take place on Cambridge Drive, south of Webber Street, and on Tern Street, Corey Road, Hart Way, Cary Way and Dunbar Drive. Streets reduced to one lane will have flagmen present. The construction is part of the Phillippi Creek Septic System Replacement Program Area K project and sidewalk and safety improvements. Access to properties and businesses will be maintained at all times. Specific road and lane closures will be posted at this site weekly. Construction is expected to be finished in June 2009.
Dearborn Street, Englewood: Occasional lane closures are expected this week while brick pavers are installed as part of the Dearborn Street improvement project. Other planned activities placing concrete for sidewalks and driveways and installation of light pole bases on the south side of Dearborn. The speed limit in the area has been reduced from 45 to 35 mph. The Dearborn Street project involves the reconstruction and widening of the current two-lane roadway from approximately 1,000 feet east of State Road 776 to 200 feet west of Pine Street, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. The work includes the construction of four 11-foot-wide travel lanes, with 4-foot-wide bicycle lanes and 5-foot-wide concrete sidewalks on both sides of the roadway. There will be roadway lighting, medians, concrete curbs and gutters, stormwater pipes, inlet structures, a stormwater pond and a new bridge over Gottfried Creek. Construction began in February 2007 and is expected to be complete by July 2008.

East Fruitville Road, Sarasota: Construction continues this week on the east Fruitville Road project. Motorists should expect minor delays with possible daily lane closures, as needed. Flagmen will be in place. The speed limit has been raised from 35 mph to the previous 55 mph. The road-widening project covers an area from Hi Hat Ranch to Verna Road, a distance of 4.5 miles. The east Fruitville Road project includes the construction of two 12-foot travel lanes, with 4-foot-wide bicycle lanes and drainage improvements. The project is expected to be finished by July 2008.

Nokomis area: Crews this week will be working in the following areas as part of the Nokomis Water Line project:

• 3C-West (area is off Colonia Lane between Central Avenue and Albee Farm Road and north to Lucile Avenue) Valve and service crews will be along Padua Court, Snook Lane, Trout Lane, Bass Lane and Frances Street.

• 3C-North (Area is north of Lucile Avenue to Dona Way and Portia Street west to Valencia Street; also includes Oak Tree Lane) Valve and service crews will be working in the entire area.

• 3C-East (area is from Albee Farm Road east to Irene Street and between Colonia Lane to Kilpatrick Road) Valve and service crews will be working at the intersections of Shadylawn, Pinewood and Kenwood avenues off Venetia Street. Orange Grove Avenue will be closed between Edmondson Road and Scotties Place on Tuesday, May 13, for pipeline construction.

• 3D (area is from Sago Lane south to Magnolia Avenue off U.S. 41) Pipe crews will be working on Spencer Avenue, King Street, Tangerine Street and Valencia Street, all east of U.S. 41.

Motorists should use caution when traveling in these areas. Signs, barricades and flagmen will be present as needed to maintain two-way traffic through the area. Construction in these areas is expected to be completed in fall 2008. Other areas are targeted for completion in early 2009.

Bahia Vista Street, Sarasota (from Cattlemen to McIntosh roads): Work continues this week on the Bahia Vista Street roadway improvement project. The Honore Avenue and Bahia Vista Street intersection will be the focal point for finalizing construction activities. To construct the northern half of the intersection, north Honore Avenue will be closed beginning May 19 for three weeks; the planned detour will be Palmer Boulevard and Cattlemen Road. Two-way traffic will be shifted to the southern two lanes throughout the project. Traffic will be shifted between northern and southern lanes as final asphalt paving is completed over the next two months. Signs, barricades and flagmen are present as needed to ensure that vehicles and pedestrians can move about safely. Motorists are encouraged to exercise caution when driving through the area. The speed limit has been reduced to 35 mph from Honore Avenue to McIntosh Road, and remains 30 mph from Cattlemen Road to Honore. Between Honore and Cattlemen, work is complete on the roadway base for the westbound lanes. The Bahia Vista Street improvement project involves the reconstruction and widening of the current two-lane roadway, a distance of 1.85 miles. Among the improvements are bike lanes, sidewalks, streetlights, stormwater management and the installation of a new vacuum sewer. Construction is expected to be completed in July 2008.


Other construction

 
The Legacy Trail, Sarasota to Venice: The Legacy Trail officially opened Friday, March 28. The trail is still considered under construction, and authorized construction vehicles will be on the trail at times, entering at Venice Avenue, U.S. 41 Bypass, Colonia Lane, Laurel Road, Bay Street, Central Sarasota Parkway, Palmer Ranch Boulevard and McIntosh Road. Motorists are advised to use caution in these areas. Work includes the establishment of five trailheads at existing parks or other county facilities and two new trail connections, as well as the installation of signals or crosswalk beacons at major roadways that cross the former railroad corridor. Construction is expected to be complete in May.